AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 151 



glued to the combs. (See "Langstroth on the Honey- 

 bee," page 507.) 



I have always endeavoured by showing the mutual 

 benefits derived by each from the other's work, to 

 bring the horticulturist, agriculturist, and bee-keeper 

 in amicable relations with one another, and in my 

 Bulletin No. 18 (procurable free from the Department 

 of Agriculture, Wellington, N.Z.), I have gone into the 

 question fully. I will, however, make one quotation 

 from it. 



Professor A. J. Cook, the well-known American 

 entomologist and apiarist, author of '* The Manual of 

 the Apiary," formerly of Michigan Agricultural College, 

 and now of Pomona College, California, who has paid 

 particular attention to this subject, extending over a 

 long period, wrote me a short time ago in reply to some 

 questions I sent him. He said — 



" Bees never harm blossoms, but are always a help. Bees 

 are a tremendous aid through pollination. Many of our 

 best fruits must be cross pollinated to produce. Many 

 pears, apples, and plums, etc., are utterly sterile to their 

 own pollen. Bees are alone numerous enoug-h to effect this 

 valuable service. I am sure that it is an incontrovertible 

 fact that bees as the great agents in pollination are far 

 more valuable to the world than for the honey they produce. 

 The best orchardists (in California) now arrange with 

 apiarists to bring their bees to the orchards; they find they 

 must have the bees." 



Coming from such an authority, this is eminent 

 testimony as to the value of the hive-bee to orchardists. 



SHELTER. 



Well-sheltered orchards with the bees close at hand 

 would receive the most benefit, especially in boisterous 

 weather. The bees could then utilise every hour of 

 sunshine in visiting the bloissoms that would be imposs- 

 ible in exposed situations or where the bees had far to 

 fly. 



SPRAYING FRUIT TREES. 



Every orchardist should understand that the spraying 

 of fruit trees with the usual poisonous mixtures while 



