14 RATIONAL FRUIT CULTURE. 



the weather. It is not uncommon to have a long spell of east 

 wind in spring, and during it they do not leave their hives. 



Fig. 6.— Bees fertilising Apple-blossom. 



If the fruit-blossom is open at the time, most of it will prob- 

 ably fall unfertilised. The remedy is to fertilise by hand — 



Fig. 7.— Section ol Apple blesiom, showing itlBmai (a, a, a), and stamens (b, b. b). 



to go round with a soft brush, dabbing it {,'eiitly into the pollen 

 on the stamens, and passing it over the stigmas. In an 



