120 state; pomological, society. 



Mr. Wooster: At my home there are acres of strawberry 

 plants all in bloom, with millions of blossoms. There are prac- 

 tically no bees kept in the vicinity, yet the plants thrive and 

 propagate freely. Must it not be the air that does the work? 

 We have almost no buiiible bees, and I am at a loss to see how 

 you can make your statement as to bees hold good in this case. 

 Again, I have noticed that plants set on the south side, where 

 the sun shines upon them and the winds are dry and warm, 

 propagate much better than those set on the north side where 

 the cold, damp winds strike them. The fertilization is surely 

 better where the air is dry. 



Mr. Kirkeand : It is well known that insects fly about very 

 little in damp weather, but when the air is warm and dry and 

 the sun shines, then the air is full of them. This, I think, will 

 account for the difference in location. I said bees. I do not 

 mean by that word, simply the honey-bee. There are many 

 members of the bee family, the honey-bee, bumble-bee, tiny 

 boring bee, only being a few among many. 



Mr. WoosTER: Is not fertilization partly due to the air? 



Mr. Kirkland: Undoubtedly, yet I think I do not say too 

 much if I say that plants are cheifly dependent on insects for 

 their cross-fertilization. 



D. P. True : How about apple trees ; do they also depend 

 upon the insect for fertilization? 



Mr. Kirkland : Yes. Some years ago during the blossom- 

 ing season, the weather was very cold and damp, with only 

 brief intervals of dry weather. That year there was almost no 

 apple crop, due, as I believe, to the fact that insects will not fly 

 about in damp weather. 



Mr. Wooster : Does cross-fertilization affect the seed only, 

 or does it also modify or change the flesh, in flavor, for instance? 



Mr. Kirkeand : I would refer that cjuestion to Prof. Mun- 

 son. 



Prof. Munson : I have never seen any change except in form. 

 The question of change in form and flesh by cross-fertilization 

 is, however, one that needs to be handled with gloves ; it is not 

 by any means a decided one. Though some experiments would 

 seem to authorize a definite statement, yet we must be careful 

 not to be too positive. 



J 



