34" First Annual Report 



WHITE CLOVER (TrifoHum Repens). 



"This valuable forage plant is dependent almost entirely upon honey bees 

 for fertilization, as well as its near relation, Alsike clover, Trifolium hybrida 

 Dairymen have complained that bees rob the pasture of its sweetness. A 

 writer in the Naturalist says that it is estimated that to collect one pound of 

 honey from white clover 62,000 heads of clover must be deprived of their 

 nectar, and tliat 3,750,000 visits must be made by the bees. If this estimate 

 is correct the loss of sweetness is not appreciable. Charles Darwin experi- 

 mented for eleven years on the cross fertilization of plants and has given to 

 the world some very valuable results, proving the value of cross fertilization 

 as it is performed by insects. He found by experiment that from twenty 

 heads of white clover, protected from insects, only one aborted seed was 

 the result, while twenty heads on the plants* outside of the net (which I saw 

 visited by bees), yielded 2,280 seeds, as calculated by weighing all the seed 

 and counting the number in a weight ot two grains." 



Mrs. Harrison had charts showing the organism of different blossoms 

 and of honey bees. The explanation of these was of great interest to all 

 present. Among other things she spoke of the strange fact that bees only 

 worked on one species of plants at a time, /. e. that a bee did not, in gather- 

 ing its load, go to different species of plants. 



Mr. Poindester said in proof of the same fact that in years past, when 

 hunting bees in the forests, he could not induce them to leave the mint they 

 were working on and notice the white clover honey he carried. 



Do bees work on red clover? 



Mr. Black said : "Last summer I noticed my bees were thick on red 

 clover and storing honey rapidly, and as soon as the clover was cut the stor- 

 ing ceased." 



A resolution offered by Mrs. L. Harrison was adopted} as follows : 

 Resolved, That the thanks of this association are due to all the members 

 of the State Legislature, who, by voice or vote, aided in placing our associa- 

 tion upon a solid foundation; and in particular to the Hon.}. M. Ham- 

 baugh, of Spring, for his untiring efforts in behalf of our industry and our 

 societ}'. 



A vole of thanks was also given to Mrs. L. Harrison for her efforts in 

 behalf of the cause of bee-keepers throughout the State. 



A resolution by G. F. Robbins was adopted, as follows : 



Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to prepare and report 

 to this convention, as soon as practicable, a premium list for apiary exhibits 

 at fairs, to be presented to the managers of the State fair, and all fairs within 

 the State, to serve as a model for all such premium lists. 



The committee appointed on the above resolution are : Mrs. L. Harri- 

 son, Geo. F. Robbins, S. N. Black. VV. ]. Finch, Jr., and A. N. Draper. 



