HONEY-BEES IN HORTICULTURE 83 



foulbrood, to which colonies unattended may succumb rapidly. 

 The inexperienced, therefore, should secure information and 

 ascertain that the bees have been inspected for disease. Should 

 disease set in a considerable loss of both bees and possibly to the 

 orchard or market garden might result in a short time. Informa- 

 tion concerning these diseases may usually be had through ex- 

 periment stations, agricultural colleges, the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, or in many states, through the Inspector of Apiaries. 



Usually it is desirable to secure bees in hives which have remov- 

 able frames. The ten-frame Langstroth hive is considered stand- 

 ard. By such an equipment uniformity with stock acquired later 

 on or supplies procured is more readily assured. The bee for 

 general purposes is the Italian bee. 



Since the subject of this paper precludes an exhaustive discussion 

 of the manipulation of bees, details concerning this may be had 

 upon request of the author. There are, however, numerous books, 

 bulletins and other sources of information available through the 

 public libraries. 



Alleged Injury to Fruit by Honey-bees. 



It is occasionally alleged that bees damage the orchard in one 

 of several ways. In one instance the writer was complained to 

 by a farmer that the bees from his neighbor were "sucking the 

 sweetness out of the flowers. They are there in thousands and are 

 making the petals drop. I will be ruined by fall if something is not 

 done." How little he realized, however, the good services which the 

 bees were performing. 



Sometimes it is concluded too hastily when bees are seen upon 

 fallen and partially decayed fruit or possibly on overripe peaches 

 which are still on the tree, that the bees have cut holes in this fruit. 

 It is thought that the honey-bee is the cause of the injury. On the 

 other hand, if the honey-bee's activity could have been traced, it 

 would have been found that something other than the bee had 

 first pierced the skin of the fruit. Investigations show that wasps 

 or birds do this or that a fungus may disintegrate the skin. In 

 some such break in the skin the honey-bee can work, but not until 



