AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 155 



saw visited by bees) yielded 2,290 seeds, as calculated by 

 weighing all the seeds and counting the number in a weight 

 of two grains. 



Trifolium -pratense (Purple Clover). — One hundred flower- 

 heads on plants protected by a net did not produce a single 

 seed, whilst one hundred on plants growing outside (which 

 were visited by bees) yielded 68 grains' weight of seed ; and, 

 as eighty seeds weighed two grains, the hundred heads must 

 have yielded 2,720 seeds 



Here we have satisfactory proof that the effect of 

 cross-fertilisation brought about by bees upon the 

 clovers and other plants growing in meadows and 

 pasture-lands is the certain production of a large number 

 of vigorous seeds, as compared with the chance only 

 of a few and weak seeds if self-fertilisation were to be 

 depended upon. In the case of meadow-cultivation, it 

 enables the farmer to raise seed for his own use or for 

 sale, instead of having to purchase it, while at the same 

 time the nutritious quality of the hay is, as we shall see 

 further on, improved during the process of ripening the 

 seed. In the case of pasture-lands, such of those 

 vigorous seeds as are allowed to come to maturity and 

 to fall in the field will send up plants of stronger growth 

 to take the place of others that may have died out, or 

 to fill up hitherto-unoccupied spaces, thus tending to 

 cause a constant renewal and strengthening of the 

 pasture. The agriculturist himself should be the best 

 judge of the value of such effects. 



The beneficial effect of the bees' visits to fruit-trees 

 has been well illustrated by Mr. Cheshire in the pages 

 of the British Bee Journal and by Professor Cook in 

 his articles upon " Honey Bees and Horticulture" in 

 the American Apiculturist. In fact, even those who 

 complain of bees cannot deny the services they render ; 

 what they contest is the assertion that bees do no harm. 



CAN BEES HARM THE SOIL OR THE CROPS? 



is, then, the question to be considered. The agricul- 

 turist may say, "Granting that the visits of bees may 



