and its Economic Management. 



59 





CHAPTER VII. 



THE AGRICULTURIST AND FRUIT 

 GROWER. 



THE value of crops suitable for bee-forage has been shown 

 by the preceding chapter. The bee-keeper who is also 

 a farmer therefore has every, advantage and can make profit in 



, several ways. But while it is necessary that the extensive 

 bee-keeper should also be a farmer, it is quite as important 

 that -the agriculturist should keep a few stocks for the. sole 

 purpose of fertilising the clover and other crops he may save 

 for seed, if it happen that few bees are cultivated in his 

 neighbourhood. 



It should be distinctly understood that the more bees that 

 can be obtained as fertilising agents, the more seed will be 



'; perfected, as well as more fruit. Single hives have been 

 placed in cucumber and peach houses, and though some bees 

 are of course lost in the first instance, -the younger portion of 

 the population never having flown outside, have no difficulty 

 in finding their way about. The results have been reported 

 to be most satisfactory, and the plan should be more exten- 

 sively adopted. 



Strange as it may appear to those who are inclined to 

 grumble at the visits of the bees to their fields or gardens, it 

 is a simple matter of fact that if the honey be not gathered it 

 will only evaporate, and none is secreted after the flower 

 begins to fade. 



Fruit growers often complain that the bees damage their 

 crops, and in autumn, when there is nothing else to be 

 obtained, because they see a few bees among th^ wasps and 



