10 



scatter the hives throughout the territory to be worked. In 1910, in the Wenatchee 

 Valley, Wash., a careful investigation showed that on apple- trees not over 100 yards 

 from l)ee-hives onl} 7 per cent, of the fruit-spurs failed to set, while of those farther 

 away 49 per cent, failed. The professor in charge of the investigation says : " Our 

 conclusion is that, in order to prevent crop failure from lack of pollination in the 

 future, we must get bees. The common honey-bees are the best insect pollinators on 

 earth. Tht-y come out earlier in the spring, stay out later in the fall, begin earlier in 

 the morning, and work later in the evening, and they will work under more unfavour- 

 able conditions than any other insect. From my work with bees 1 hive calculated that 

 a single honey-bee is capable of cross-pollinating over 16,000 apple-blossoms in a day 

 (this maybe a misprint, but the number visited is certainly large); but during the 

 blossoming period there are so many blossoms that the bees do not go far from the 

 hives, so we netd hives all over the orchard." 



Another authority says he considers that in every orchard there should be at least 

 one colony of bees for every twenty-five trees, in order to secure thorough pollination 

 of the fruit-blossoms. 



Partial List of Honey and Pollen Plants in British Columbia. 



When Dr. Watts, the eminent hymn- writer, said of bees that they 



Gather honey all the day 

 From every opening flower. 



His statement was not altogether in accordance with fact, for they patronise but a small 



proportion of flowering plants. For weeks at a time bees need very little attention ; 



on the other hand, there are occasions when they need care at once, and these are 



usually dependent on the floral conditions ; hence it is very important that every 



bee-keeper should be familiar with all the bee-plants of his locality. He should know 



the dates of blooming, and above all what time in the spring there is a likelihood of a 



dearth of nectar, so that, if necessary, he can tide over the period by feeding with 



sugar. The writer advises the keeping of a diary, which in his own case is a rather 



simple aflair, consisting of a sheet of paper 8 x 10 inches in size, on which he records 



the first appearance of the bfossom of each variety of plant, occasionally adding a little 



note for guidance in future years. 



The list given beUjw contains all plants in the reports ; the dates show when they 

 blo(mi in Victoria. The remarks arise out of the writer's experience in the same city. 

 Doubtless the list can be considerably extended, and so every bee-keeper is invited to 

 send additions to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, so that they may 

 be added in future editions :-- 



Feb. 21. — Willow. I'ollen carried in. 



Mar. 17. — Much willow. A few dandelions. 



// 25. — Oregon grape. 



" 2.'), — Hr(M>d in four frames. 

 Apr. 7. — Dandelions plentiful. 



'I 11. — Wild strawberry. 



/' 12. — Karly ])ears. 



// 15— Pollen becomes plentiful. 



" 18. — Karly plums, apjiles. 

 May 1. — BnM)m; a very fine poUeji-plant. 



// 12. Cultivated strawberry. 



Wild sunflowers. WVwnw May 15th at Cianbrook. 



// 20. — Itees often nee<l feeding about this date. 



n 24.— Chestnut. 



