134 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



[1871 



every tenant on th» estate, fruit was abundant ; 

 whereas then, when only 7 kept bees, and none of 

 those had more than 3 colonies, fruit was scarcer 

 than even among the tenantry." 



At the Apiarian General Convention, held at 

 Stuttgard, in Wirtemburg, in September, 1858, the 

 subject of honey-yielding crops, being under dis- 

 cussion, the celebrated pomologist, Prof Lucas, one 

 of the directors of the Hohenhein Institute, allu- 

 ding to the prejudice, went on to say : — 



" Of more importance, however, is the improved 

 management of our fruit trees. Here the interests 

 of the horticlturist and the bee keeper combine and 

 run parallel. A judicious pruning of our fruit 

 trees will cause them to blossom more freely, and 

 yield honey more plentifully. I would urge atten- 

 tion to this on those particularly who are both fruit 

 growers and bee keepers. A careful and observant 

 bee keeper at Potsdam writes to me that his trees 

 yield decidedly larger crops since he has established 

 an apiary in his orchard, and the annual crop is now 

 more certain and regular than before, though his 

 trees had always received due attention. 



Some years ago, a wealthy lady in Germany 

 established a green house at considerable cost, and 

 stocked it with a great many kinds of choice native 

 and exotic fruit trees, expecting in due time to have 

 remunerating crops. Time passed and annually 

 there was a superabundance of blossoms, with only 

 very little fruit. Various plans were devised and 

 adopted to bring the trees to bearing, but without 

 success, till it was suggested that the blossoms need- 

 ed fertilization, and that by means of bees the need- 

 ed work could be effected. A hive of busy honey 

 gatherers was introducen next season ; the remedy 

 was effectual — there was no longer any difficulty in 

 producing crops there. The bees distributed the 

 pollen, and the setting of the fruit followed natu- 

 raUy." 



Prom these convincing facts we learn the value 

 of the honey-bee to agriculture. Blot them out and 

 we must go almost entirely without fruit and vege- 

 tables. Besides being a source of prolit for their 

 wax, the bee actually brings to our doors loads of 

 fruits and vegetables, and other productions of the 

 farm. — A. 8. Packard, of American Naturalist. 



The Yellows. — The Ad Interim Committee of 

 the Illinois Horticultural Society caution the pub- 

 lic against purchasing peach trees, or planting pits 

 of trees grown in districts where the " yellows " 

 exist. 



The Cork Oak. — The Visalia, Cal., Delta says 

 there is a region along the margin of the foot- 

 hills well adapted to the orange and cork oak. 

 A few specimens of cork oak have been planted, 

 are healthy, and have made a growth quite equal 

 to that of our native live oak. 





TO THE PUBLIC. 



Whereas, the Western Pomologist, published at Dcs 

 Moines, Iowa, and the Western Gardener, published 

 at Leavenworth, Kansas, have been consolidated, 

 and will hereafter appear under the name of Po- 

 mologist and Qa/)-dener, the patrons of the Gardener 

 will be furnished for the balance of the year (un- 

 less their subscriptions sooner expire) with the 

 consolidated paper under the above name. 



My name will, for the time to come, appear as 

 corresponding editor. It is hoped that every lover 

 of horticulture throughout the West, will consider- 

 him or herself as a special committee for extend- 

 the circulation of a paper so much needed. It 

 should be on the table of every one who wishes to 

 grow fruits, flowers, or market vegetables. 



Wm. M. Howslet. 



Leavenworth, Kansas, April 37, 1871. 



Tbe Pomologist and Gardener. 



From the above announcement it will be under- 

 stood by the patrons of the Western Gardener, here- 

 tofore published at Leavenworth, Kan., under the 

 editorial charge of Dr. Wm. M. Howaley, that the 

 Gardener has joined hands with the Western Pomol- 

 ogist. On the commencement (July No.) of the last 

 half of the current vol. of the consolidated paper, 

 it will appear under the name of Western Pomologist 

 and Gardener. 



The union of the two papers has been made with 

 entire satisfaction to all parties interested, and we 

 trust to the mutual benefit of both publishers and pa- 

 trons. Aside from other advantages resulting from 

 the marriage, new strength is gained to our edito- 

 rial corps in adding thereto the able pen of Dr. 

 Howsley, who stands prominent among the solid 

 horticulturists of the West. With the Gardener also 

 comes the good will and wishes of its correspond- 

 ents, and from whom we may expect additional 

 strength to our already wide and able corps of out- 

 side writers. 



Mare Miller. 



