FEBRUARY 1, 1914 



103 



Apiary of D. S. Zedeker, Parlier, (Jal., consistiug of 151 colonies, ail located under a grape-arbor. 

 "Why don't the bees " eat the grapes " 'i 



ever, as fruit-growing became so general, 

 the bees failed for lack of food, I think. 

 Not able to get what they wanted, they took 

 what they could get — honey-dew, I suppose. 

 Some have asked me why their bees made 

 nothing but black, bad-tasting honey. On 

 account of it the colonies often died through 

 the winter. 



After most of the bees had died the fruit- 

 growers began to realize that some certain 

 \arieties of peaches did not do so well as 

 they did when there were bees to visit the 

 trees. Tliis was especially noticed by a 

 Mr. R. Shumardebeck, an extensive fruit- 

 grower, and a keen observer of nature. He 

 called on me, and asked for the loan of some 



bees. He said that, since liis neighbors' bees 

 were dead, he scarcely saw a bee in his 

 orchard; and since then this variety of his 

 1 eaches had given very small crops. 



Well, he got the bees, and hauled them 

 six or seven miles; and after fruit-bloom 

 was over he brought them back again full 

 of honey. In the fall he brought me some 

 peaches, and said the bees had greatly ben- 

 efited his crop. At this time he also made 

 arrangements to get some bees for the next 

 spring. 



Since then I have heard that some of the 

 smaller growers have stocked up again for 

 the sole benefit of their fruit. 



Port Clinton, Ohio. 



EXCELLENT HONEY DISPLAY AT THE BRATTLEBORO (VT.) FAIR 



BY DR. BURTON N. GATES 

 Assistant Professor of Beekeeping, Massachusetts Agricultural College 



The Valley Fair, held at Brattleboro 

 annually, has the New England reputation 

 for superiority of the materials exhibited 

 in all classes. This September Mr. Robert 

 G. Coombs, of Guilford, made an especially 

 attractive display of bees, wax, api^liances, 

 and comb and extracted honey. For the 

 honey display, as shown in the illustration. 

 Mr. Coombs used the massing effect. This 

 was accomplished by means of shelving 

 arranged in graduated steps. A further 



unique and desirable feature was the illumi- 

 nation of his display by numerous electi'ie 

 lights in the rear. This added materially to 

 the brilliancy and s^Darkle of his products. 

 The fair being held after cool weather had 

 set in i^recluded the possible disaster from 

 the entrance of robber bees which might 

 have attacked the exposed comb honey. To 

 obviate this difficulty, as has been previous- 

 ly mentioned, the Connecticut Beekeepers' 

 Association have prohibited the display of 



