48 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 15. 



spray to trees that bear nectar-secreting- blossoms, 

 at the time of bloom, can be easily demonstrated by 

 any one in a very short period of time. It has been 

 demonstrated in a frightfully expensive manner in 

 several apiaries in various parts of the country. 

 Several bee keepers, whose all was invested in bees, 

 have lost all this property, all because some fruit- 

 growing- neighbor either thoughtlessly or ig-norantly 

 sprayed his fruit-trees while in bloom; and this in 

 the face of the fact that, for the best results, even 

 in the direction sought, the spraying should be de- 

 ferred until the blossoms fall. I have demonstrated 

 this fact, where the results were entirely in sight. 

 I have shut bees in a cage, and given them sweeten- 

 ed water, containing London purple in the propor- 

 tion of one pound to 200 gallons of water, and in 24 

 hours the bees were all dead; while other bees, in 

 precisely similar cages, and fed precisely the same 

 food, with the poison omitted, lived for many days. 



We thus see that it becomes very important that 

 pomologist and bee-keeper alike know the danger, 

 and also know the loss to both parties in case cau- 

 tion is not observed to avoid the danger and prob- 

 able loss. It is also important that, by definite ex- 

 perimentation, we may learn just how important 

 the bees are in the pollenization of plants. To de- 

 termine this point, I tried many experiments last 

 spring. I counted the blossoms on each of two 

 branches, or plants, of apple, cherry, pear, straw- 

 berry, raspberry, and clover. One of these, in case 

 of each fruit or each experiment, was surrounded 

 by cheese-cloth just before the blossoms opened, 

 and kept covered till the blossoms felj off. The 

 apple, pear, and cherry, were covered May 4th, and 

 uncovered May 2.5th and May 19th. The number of 

 blossoms considered varied from 32, the smallest 

 number, to 300, the largest. The trees wore exam- 

 ined June 11th, to see what number of the fruit had 

 set. The per cent of blossoms which developed on 

 the covered trees was a little over 2, while almost 20 

 per cent of the uncovered blossoms had developed. 

 Of the pears, not one of the covered developed, 

 while 5 per cent of the uncovered developed fruit. 

 Of the cherries, 3 per cent only of the covered de- 

 veloped, while 40 per cent of the uncovered blos- 

 soms set their fruit. The strawberries were covered 

 May 18th, and uncovered June 16th. The number 

 of blossoms in each experiment varied from GO in 

 the least to 212 in the greatest. In these cases, a 

 box covered with cheese-cloth surrounded the 

 plants. The plants were examined June 22d. Eleven 

 per cent of the covered blossoms, and 17 per cent of 

 the uncovered had developed. To show the details, 

 in one case 60 blossoms were considered, 9 Of which 

 in the covered lot, and 27 in the uncovered, had 

 developed. That is, three times as many Howers 

 had set in the uncovered as in the covered. In an- 

 other case of 213 blossoms, the fruit numbered 80 

 and 104. In a case of 123 blossoms, the number of 

 fruit was 20 and 36. 



These experiments agree with similar ones of for- 

 mer years, in seeming to show that strawberries 

 are less affected than other fruit by the exclusion 

 of insect visits. The raspberry canes were covered 

 with cheese-cloth May 30, and uncovered July 6. In 

 every case but one the canes seem to have been 

 injured by the covers, and so the results were not 

 considered. In the exceptional case, 184 blossoms 

 were considered; 93 blossoms developed on the 

 covered canes, and 160 on the uncovered. In every 

 case the fruit on the covered twigs was inferior. It 



might be thought that the simple presence of the 

 covers was prejudicial; though this could not be a 

 very important matter, as blossoms covered after 

 the bees had freely visited them set well, and show- 

 ed no injury. Thus we see that, in all our fruits- 

 strawberries the least— the free visits of insects 

 during the period of blooming is absolutely essential 

 to a full or even a fair crop. In many cases the 

 covered blossoms all fail to develop. We also see 

 that, where fruitage does occur, there seems a lack, 

 as the fruit lacks vigor. Tlie free and ample cross- 

 fertilization seems to be requisite, not only for a 

 crop, but for a perfect development and maximum 

 vigor. 



Our experiments with clovers were tried with both 

 the white and alsike. While the uncovered heads 

 were full of seeds, the covered ones were entirely 

 seedless. This fully explains the common experi- 

 ence of farmers with these plants. 



Having the law of the necessity of insects to ac- 

 complish this function so well demonstrated. It 

 might be asked. " Why do we have any fruit in case 

 the blossoms are covered?" This seeming excep- 

 tion may be no exception. Indeed, this may come 

 from the fact that all insects are not excluded. 

 Very many insects, like the thrips, and various of 

 the jassida?, wliich we know are often attracted to 

 flowers, either by the pollen or nectar, would be con- 

 cealed about the plants, and, from their small size, 

 might gain access, even after tlie covers were ad- 

 justed. These would be sufficient to secure partial 

 fertilization, and very likely are the cause of the 

 meager crop which, in a few cases, we secure, even 

 on the covered twigs. 



In case of strawberries, our experiments this 

 year, like some previously tried, seemed to show 

 that the presence of insects, though important to a 

 maximum production, are not so necessary as in 

 case of nearly all other fruit. But we must remem- 

 ber *hat the strawberry-plants are not wholly in- 

 closed. A cloth-covered box rests on the ground 

 about the plant. This gives a fine chance for in- 

 sects that burrow in the earth, and for insects that 

 have pupated in like position to come up during 

 the three or four weeks of the experiment, and pol- 

 lenize the blossoms. This, though a iiossible, and 

 (shall I say?) a probable explanation, may not be the 

 real one. But we can still affirm, in case of the 

 strawberry, that the free visits of insects serve sure- 

 ly to much enlarge the production of fruit. 



Thus we see that our liorticulturists and farmers 

 alike, with tlie apiarist, are dependent for the best 

 prosperity on the presence and well-being of the 

 bees. They should realize this fact, and should de- 

 mand thatour legislators notonlybecomeinformed, 

 but act accoi-dingly. 



[In the American Bee Journal for Dec. 14 

 appears a letter from G. W. Brodbeck, of Los 

 Angeles, Cal.. one of the leading bee-keepers of 

 the State. We have room for only two para- 

 graphs of his valuable article, and here they 

 are:] 



The California State Fruit-growers' Association 

 has been in session here this week; and, being in- 

 terested to some extent in fruit culture, as well as 

 bee culture, together with Mr. Mclntyre (who was a 

 delegate), we heard much of interest to fruit-grow- 

 ers, and, at its close, something that caused us bee- 

 keepers to prick up our ears and listen with close 

 attention. 



