AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



478 



Deadly Poison on Fruit Bloom. 



The Bill introduced into the Legisla- 

 ture by Hon. J. M. Hambaugh, making 

 it a misdemeanor to spray fruit trees 

 with poison while in bloom, has baen 

 referred to the Committee on Horticul- 

 ture, and will doubtless be promptly re- 

 ported upon favorably. The full text of 

 the Bill is as follows : 



A Bill for an act to protect bees from 

 poison through the spraying or other- 

 wise treating of fruit or other trees, 

 shrubs, vines or plants with london pur- 

 ple, paris green, white arsenic or other 

 virulent poisons, while the aforesaid 

 trees, shrubs, vines or plants are in 

 bloom. 



Whereas, Spraying of trees, shrubs, 

 vines or plants at the proper time greatly 

 improves the conditions favorable for a 

 crop of fruit : and 



Whereas, Spraying should never be 

 permitted until the blossoms have fallen 

 from the latest blooming trees ; and 



Whereas, The insects injurious to 

 fruit do not make their appearance until 

 about ten days after the bloom ; and 



Whereas, The spraying of trees, 

 shrubs, vines, etc., while the same are in 

 bloom poisons the bees and seriously 

 injures the bee-keepers, and reduces the 

 signal benefits to the fruit growers, who 

 have repeatedly demonstrated that the 

 bees ensure better crops ; therefore 



Section 1. — Be it enacted by the People 

 of the State of lUinols, represented i7i the 

 General Assemhly, That it shall be un- 

 lawful for any person to spray any fruit 

 trees, shrubs, vines or plants with paris 

 green, london purple, white arsenic, or 

 other virulent poisons, or to scatter upon 

 such trees, shrubs, vines or plants, 

 powdered london purple, paris green, 

 white arsenic, or other virulent poisons, 

 while such trees, shrubs, vines or plants 

 are in blossom, and so may be visited by 

 honey-bees in quest of nectar or pollen. 



And that any person who shall spray 

 such trees, shrubs, vines or plants with 

 london purple, paris green, white 

 arsenic, or other virulent poisons, or 

 shall scatter the poison upon the same 

 while in blossom, shall be deemed guilty 

 of a misdemeanor, and for the first 

 offense shall be punished by fine in any 

 sum not less than five dollars, and for 

 the second offense by fine in any sum not 

 less than twenty-five dollars, and in 

 default ©f payment of the same by im- 



prisonment in the county jail not more 

 than ninety days. 



2. The fines resulting from the opera 

 tions of this statute shall be paid to th( 

 State Treasurer by the court imposing 

 the same, and bo placed by said Treas- 

 urer to the credit of the Illinois Bee- 

 Keepers' Association to be used by said 

 association in promoting and developing 

 the industry of bee-keeping in this 

 State. 



3. The Illinois Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion may, in its discretion, employ a 

 competent person as an executive officer 

 for service in enforcing the provisions of 

 this statute, whose powers, duties and 

 title shall be prescribed by said Bee 

 Keepers' Association, and whose com 

 pensation shall be fixed by said associa 

 tion, subject to the approval of the Gov 

 ernor. Said executive officer shall br 

 removable at the pleasure of said aspo 

 elation. 



4. The fines resulting from the opera 

 tion of this statute, or so much tliereo- 

 as may be necessary for the purposes 

 named above, are hereby appropriated 

 to defray the cost and expenses of the 

 work contemplated by this act, to be 

 paid by the State Treasurer from funds 

 not otherwise appropriated, upon war- 

 rants drawn only upon itemized vouchers 

 and bills signed by the President of the 

 Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association, coun- 

 tersigned by the Secretary thereof, and 

 approved by the Governor : And, pro 

 vided, further, that in no event shall the 

 State of Illinois be held or become liable 

 in any amount in excess of the revenue 

 obtained through the operations of thi's 

 statute. 



This Bill should be passed at once, and 

 go into effect immediately, or it will be 

 useless this season. An emergency 

 clause may help matters, if added to the 

 Bill, and make it operative as soon as iti 

 becomes law. 



All Illinois bee-keepers should try bo 

 influence their Senators and Represen^'^ 

 tives to vote for the measure. 



Blooming Frnit and Busy Bees. 



Fruit is just beginning to bloom U- 

 Texas ; the bees are busy, and appear to 

 be doing well. They have, however 

 been able to get pollen, and, perhaps, ? 

 little honey for a month past, on wp* " 

 days. — Exchange. 



