1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



283 



before the vineyardist conies. But 

 the poor bees, unaware of the harsh 

 reputation they are iDaking for them- 

 selves, visit the puuctured berries 

 from moriiiug till uight aud the entire 

 damage is charged to them ! 



Well, it was of no use to try to ex- 

 plain; our man got angry, and would 

 not speak to us any more, and we be- 

 lieve that to this day he is of the 

 opinion that the bees always make 

 two holes in each berry. 



But can bees puncture grapes ? We 

 have made repeated experiments, 

 placing bunches of grapes inside of 

 the hive, or attracting bees to bunches 

 so placed that we could keep them 

 under our eyes aud make sure that no 

 other insects aud no birds could ap- 

 proach, and we have invariably prov- 

 en the assertion of Aristotle, made 

 2,000 years ago and quoted by Mr. 

 Langstroth as correct, viz ; that " bees 

 hurt no kinds of sound fruits, but that 

 wasps and hornets are very destruc- 

 tive to them." 



This is plain aud easy to understand, 

 most especially if one is acquainted 

 with the shape of the mandibles or 

 jaws, of the bee. " These jaws are 

 short, thick, without teeth, aud bevel- 

 ed inside so as to form a hollow when 

 joined together, as tw^o spoons would 

 do Wasps and hornets are fur- 

 nished with strong, saw-like jaws, for 

 cutting the woody fibre with which 

 they build their combs, and can easily 

 penetrate the toughest fruits." 



Some four or five years ago the prin- 

 cipal of our high school, in a lesson in 

 entomology, requested her pupils to 

 give her a list of the insects injurious 

 to fruits. The bees were placed upon 

 this list and a discussion ensued. The 

 attention of the president of the school 



board was called to the matter, and in- 

 asmuch as tlie principal herself had 

 positively declared against the bee, he 

 came to me and requested me to come 

 before the class and give them my ex- 

 perience. 1 did so, but though no one 

 tried to contradict my remarks on the 

 natural history of the bee, it was evi- 

 dent to me that a little actual practi- 

 cal experience would go much further 

 towards convincing my hearers than 

 all the theories in the world. So I 

 asked the principal whether she would 

 have any objection to a practical test. 

 I agreed to furnish the bees, to attract 

 them to the school house, if the schol- 

 ars would furnish the fruit. 



A day was set, grapes, pears and 

 peaches were brought, and a little 

 honey served to attract the bees. 

 They came in numbers. Then the 

 honey was removed and some damag- 

 ed fruit given them. On this they 

 worked though not so readily as on the 

 honey. After they got fairly to work 

 the damaged fruits were removed and 

 sound fruits brought forward. With- 

 in twenty minutes the bees had left in 

 disgust. This test effectually put a 

 stop to all further complaints of bees 

 damaging sound fruit in this vicinity, 

 and if there are any who still believe 

 that they do puncture grapes they do 

 not feel inclined to come forward and 

 assert it openly. 



But is there not a real damage done 

 by the bees on grapes that have crack- 

 ed owing to rains, by an excess of flow 

 of juice within the tender skin? 

 Could not these grapes be saved by the 

 grape grower ? Yes, they may be sav- 

 ed if you pick them the same day. 

 Otherwise they are worse than useless. 

 Most of my readers have probably 

 noticed in the fall, around the vines, 



