16 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



The foul-brood bill got no further 

 than second reading in the House. The 

 Hon. Mr. Smith, in whose hands it was 

 entrusted, was detained at home on 

 account of sickness, until it was too late 

 to make an effort, and it had to suc- 

 cumb, with a large number of other bills 

 upon the calendar. 



As regards the appropriation for the 

 World's Columbian Exposition, when I 

 saw there was no chance whatever to 

 get a special measure through for the 

 $5,000 appropriation, I wrote a letter 

 to each member of the State Board of 

 Agriculture, stating that if they could 

 not guarantee us the $5,000, or pro 

 rata amount asked for, I would offer an 

 amendment to the bill when it came to 

 second reading that one-half of one per 

 cent, of the gross appropriation be 

 allowed for the bee-keepers' exhibit. I 

 received letters from over half of the 

 members, all stating that they were 

 anxious to do justice to us, and when 

 the proper time came they would^do their 

 best to give us entire satisfaction. 

 , This was the best I could do. There 

 was a possibility of defeat had I resorted 

 to the amendment, besides giving the 

 Agricultural Board cause for some 

 reproach and harsh criticism toward us, 

 and I am satisfied they are honorable 

 gentlemen, and will treat us fairly. 



When the appropriation bill reached 

 the Senate, I had the accompanying 

 circular placed upon every member's 

 desk. 



I have no apologies to offer, but will 

 frankly say, that I did ray best. 



Spring, Ills., June 22, 1891. 



FACTS CONCERNING BEE-KEEPING. 



The bee-keepers of the State of Illinois 

 are a part of the commonwealth, and 

 they bear their portion of the State's 

 burdens. Bee-keeping is one of the 

 rural pursuits, and as such is deserving 

 of recognition from the people. 



That it is one of great importance, we 

 believe cannot be successfully contro- 

 verted, and yet we believe it has never 

 been fully appreciated by the people. 

 From a scientific point of view, the 

 student of nature can find unexplored 

 fields of thought. In a colony of bees, 

 he can find food for many days of deep 

 reflection, and wonderful admiration 

 and research. In the hidden mysteries 

 of the bee-hive, he can but be startled 

 at the wonderful perfection of God's 

 creation, as revealed through these 

 curious little insects. 



It is a well-established fact that the 

 cross fertilization in the vegetable king- 



dom is largely due to the visitation of 

 insects, during the time of their bloom ; 

 and when th^re is an absence of these 

 visitations through protracted cold 

 weather, or from other causes, the crop is 

 more or less injured.* The insect that 

 figures most conspicuously in this im- 

 portant work of Nature is the honey- 

 bee. 



It has been demonstrated that if we 

 exclude the insects entirely from white 

 clover, by encasing it in glass or wire 

 screen, there will be no seed formed in 

 the heads. 



The seed of red clover is almost wholly 

 dependent upon the bumble-bees for 

 cross fertilization ; hence, no seed forms 

 upon the first crop, but upon the second, 

 as this insect does not become populous 

 until the first crop is harvested. The 

 ligula, or tongue of the honey-bee, is 

 not of sufficient length to reach the 

 bottom of the corolla, where the nectar 

 is found, hence their visits are futile, 

 and fertilization a failure. 



The reverse is the case with the alsike 

 clover. The first*crop' produces the seed, 

 as the honey-bees, lured by the nectar 

 placed in the corolla, are constantly 

 passing from bloom to bloom, and large 

 quantities of honey are being stored 

 yearly from this plant. 



When the balmy breath of Spring once 

 more invites the myriads of tiny plants 

 to peep forth from Mother Earth, the 

 busy little bee seeks the modest daisies 

 and fragrant flora, and as the mantle of 

 white is silently wrapped about our 

 orchards of plum, apple, peach and 

 other fruit, the gentle hum of the 

 honey-bee can be heard. Lured by the 

 heavenly banquet, it sips at the shining 

 goblets, and as it flits from bloom to 

 bloom, it conveys upon its person the 

 pollen dust, from stamen to anther, 

 which is the life-giving germ ; and thus 

 one of Nature's most wonderful works is 

 complete. 



A. J. Cook, Professor of Zoology and 

 Entomology of the State of Michigan, 

 says : 



"The bees are of signal benefit to the 

 fruit growers, and so every fruit grower 

 should, on selfish grounds, protect, 

 rather than injure or destroy bees. That 

 bees secure better crops is as certain as 

 any fact in science. The fruit grower 

 should desire that bees swarm in his 

 fruit trees during the blooming season." 



Our scientists are recognizing this 

 important truth, that it is essential for 

 our orchards, during the time of their 

 bloom, to " literally swar-ra with bees," 

 to realize a bountiful yield of fruit, and 

 our wide-awake hoi'ticulturist is becom 



