The Canadian Horticulturist. 67 



These investigations lead us to the conclusions that bees are important 

 factors in the production of fruit, and really are co-workers with fruit growers 

 in their labors. 



With regard to the charge frequently made against bees that they are 

 injurious to fruit, careful investigations have been made by the Department of 

 Agriculture of the United States. Bees have been left without food in a building 

 where all kinds of fruit, varying from green to dead ripe, were placed, and, 

 although they fed upon the fruits where the skin was already broken and the 

 juice was exuding, in no case did they use their jaws in injuring perfect fruit. 



■ Bee experts claim that considerable mortality has been noticed among the 

 brood of bees since the introduction of spraying with Paris green. Prof. Cook 

 has proved by experiment that Paris green in the proportion of one pound to 

 two hundred gallons of water will prove fatal to bees within twenty-four hours. 



Possibly this Act was necessary, but, so far as our experience is concerned, 

 we have never applied the poison to our trees during the blossoming period? 

 because at that time it is not only useless, but there is a danger of injuring the 

 delicate organs of the blossom by Paris green. But, although we believe that 

 very few growers would ever be so foolish as to apply Paris green at this objec- 

 tional period, still we have no objection to the passing of a law, if necessary at 

 all, as much in our interests as those of bee-keepers. 



THE DEMPSEY PEAR. 



A short time ago we received some samples of the Dempsey pear from 

 Messrs. Stone & Wellington, of the Fonthill Nurseries, who have purchased 

 he right of propagation. The pear impressed us as one of considerable 

 excellence. This pear was originated by one of the directors of our Association, 

 the late P. C. Dempsey, of Trenton, whose work in producing hybrid fruits was 

 so suddenly cut off, just at a time when he had many new hybrids under his 

 careful supervision. The pear was produced from the seed of a Bartlett fertilized 

 by a Duchess. 



The tree is an upright, good grower ; foliage large, glossy, dark green ; fruit 

 large as the Duchess, pyriform, irregular in outline ; smooth, green, changing t° 

 yellow as it ripens, with a slight brown tinge where exposed to the sun ; stem 

 about an inch long, sets lightly upon one side in a shallow depression ; calyx 

 open, moderately shallow ; basin somewhat corrugated ; flesh white, line 

 grained, tender, with granulations about the centre, like the Duchess; sweet 

 juicy, rich flavor A pear that will stand transportation well : season, Octobe 

 ovember. 



