LETTING THE BEES DO THEIR WORK 



indeed, demonstrated that bees can distinguish 

 between color patterns as well as between different 

 colors. But, although the tests of the naturalist 

 Plateau, which seemed to show that insects are 

 attracted solely by odor, are thus controverted, it 

 doubtless remains true that the sense of smell — or 

 some equivalent sense of a kind as yet unana- 

 lyzed — is the chief guide in bringing insects from 

 a distance to the vicinity of flower bed or fruit tree. 



Professor Loeb declares that the "chemical 

 irritability" of the insect, as excited by odoriferous 

 objects, is immeasurably superior to the sense of 

 smell of human beings, and possibly even finer 

 than that of the best bloodhound. Observation of 

 the honey-gatherer making his "bee line" from 

 hive to orchard and back again prepares us to 

 accept this statement at its full valuation. 



There must even arise a question as to whether 

 the insect's equipment of "chemical irritability," 

 or whatever it may be called, does not amount to 

 the possession of a sixth sense. 

 Aiding the Bee 



We have instanced over and over the vital 

 importance of the process of cross-fertilization 

 which the bee accomplishes for the flower. 



It may be of interest to cite a few familiar 

 illustrative instances of devices adopted by certain 

 familiar flowers to make the services of the bee 



[213] 



