744 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



sion here this week, and being interested 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-growers, and, at its close, some- 

 thing that caused us bee-keepers to prick up 

 our ears and listen with close attention. 



The subject was " Fertilization." A gen- 

 tleman stated that he had a friend in this 

 State who started into fruit-gi'owing sev- 

 eral years ago, locating 35 miles from any 

 fruit-growing section, or where any bees 

 were located. The first year that his trees 

 blossomed, and in expectancy of at least 

 some returns from his orchard, what should 

 be the result but complete failure ! He was 

 advised to procure some bees to aid in the 

 fertilization of the blossoms, and since 

 then his orchard has been productive. 



The fruit-growers in some sections of this 

 State are antagonistic to bee-keepers, and 

 are doing their utmost to crowd them to 

 the top of the mountains, so you can judge 

 of how much interest such evidence as this 

 is, and coming from a representative body 

 of intelligent fruit-producers, whose sole in- 

 terest as a class is fruit-growing, it comes 

 with such force that even a skeptic ought 

 to stop and consider this evidence of benefit 

 to fruit-growers by the bee. 



There is another point that the skeptic 

 seems to lose sight of in his pungent an- 

 tagonism to the bee-industry, and that is to 

 jump at conclusions without investigation ; 

 and it does seem to me that were the in- 

 jury as some claim by the bee, admitted, 

 it would be just and right to also consider 

 the benefit derived, and then weigh the 

 two in the balances, and if the benefit de- 

 rived exceeds the injury, then decide in 

 favor of the bee. 



We are just on the eve of a revolution 

 along this line, so we look forward to our 

 tt,ew accession (Prof. Cook) as a mighty host 

 in our struggle against opposition. 



Geo. W. Brodbeck. 



Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 25, 1893. 



The more we can have of such testimony 

 as the above, the sooner will be ended the 

 foolish opposition to bees in fruit-growing 

 districts everywhere. It has frequently 

 been proven that bees are an invaluable 

 aid to the best fertilization of blossoms, 

 and thus often insure a bountiful harvest 

 where without their help there would be 

 failure and discouragement. 



How long will blind ignorance and un- 

 reasoning prejudice continue to oppose the 

 fruit-growers' best friends — the bees ? Oh, 

 that we had more devoted and conscien- 

 tious helpers like Prof. Cook, to down for- 

 ever the malicious opposition and persis- 

 tent foolishness of those who would destroy 

 so generally beneficent an industry as bee- 

 keeping ! May the day be hastened when 

 men will cease to stand with backs toward 

 the light, thus compelliug themselves to 



look and walk in the shadows before them ; 

 but may they turn, facing the light, and so 

 walk and see in the light instead of the 

 darkness. 



Bro. StiI.<!>oii, of the Xebraska Bee- 

 Keeper, feels much elated over Nebraska's 

 capture of apiarian awards at the World's 

 Fair. He says: "Nebraska secures as 

 many awards with our small appropria- 

 tions as some of the Eastern States with 

 their large appropriations of money and 

 piles of honey." You're right, Bro. Stilson; 

 quality, not quantity, was what the Judge 

 of the apiarian exhibits wisely considered. . 

 That makes the honor so much the greater 

 for a winner of a medal. 



Bro. I>oolittle, some people think, 

 was wrongly named. Certain it is that the 

 name is far from denoting the amount of 

 work he does. Some one in last Gleanings 

 suggests calling him ''Doomuch," which 

 would indeed be very appropriate, though 

 Bro. D. might object. Here is the way the 

 suggestion is made : 



" Doolittle is his name. 

 And widespread is his fame ; 

 For as to bees, not one 

 Can beat what he has done. 



" So let us change the name 

 To which by birth he came: 

 Let's call — why, don't it fit ? — 

 Doomuch him by merit !" 



Api<'iiltiti**il I>iscu!!>sioni!>« when 

 properly conducted, are eminently helpful to 

 all who will follow them up by carefully 

 reading them. In this issue of the Bee. 

 Journal (page 759), Mr. S. Cornell takes 

 up the subject of the cause, or origin, of 

 foul brood, and discusses it from a scientific 

 stand-point, and in a way that will interest 

 many. To some of our readers the discus- 

 sion of the subject of foul brood is of great 

 importance. Many have had reason suflB- 

 cient to keep them on the lookout for any- 

 thing new about this matter, that shall 

 help them to either prevent or cure the 

 malady. We have several other articles on 

 •this subject, aud we look for an unusually 

 entertaining aud instructive debate upon it 

 during the winter months. We hope that 

 all the debaters may stick to actual facts 

 and exi)erience, rather than attempt to ad- 

 vance tlieoretical opinions, or drift into 

 any personalities. 



