59 
‘the weather is fit for the bees to fly. Many orchardists realize this, 
and keep bees solely for the benefits derived from cross-fertilization 
of the fruit blossoms.” 
_._Mr, McIntyre at the California State Fruit-Growers’ Association 
said: “A gentleman stated that he had a friend in this State who 
started into fruit-growing several years ago, locating thirty-five miles 
from any fruit-growing section, or where any bees were located. The 
first year that his trees blossomed, and in expectancy of at least some 
returns from his orchards, what should be the result but complete fail- 
ure? He was advised to procure some bees to aid in the fertilization 
of the blossoms. He did so, and since then his orchard has been pro- 
ductive.” 
My. C. J. Berry, of Tulare County, California, whose fruit orchard 
contains over 400 acres, says: “Bees and fruit go together. I can’t 
raise fruit without bees. Yes, sir’e. I have been all about my big or- 
chard. Two years in succession I have put netting over some limbs 
of trees; and, while they blossomed all right, nary fruit; while on the 
pe where limbs were exposed to the aid of bees, plenty of 
ruit. 
Dr. Fletcher, of the Ottawa Experiment Station, again says: “It 
will be found that not only are flowers absolutely necessary to bees, 
as the source of their food—nectar and pollen—but that bees and other 
Fic. 56—BuckwHEaT FLlowers—SHowinc Sticmas, PoLLEN BASKETS AND 
Nectar GLANDS 
insects are no less necessary to most flowers, so that their perpetuation 
may be secured. 
“This fact should be recognized by the fruit-grower above all 
others; for were it not for insects, and particularly for the honey 
bee, his crop of fruits would be far less than they are every year, and 
even in some cases he would get no fruit at all. 
“Failure in the fruit crop is more often due, I think, to dull or 
damp weather at the time of blossoming, which prevents insects from 
working actively in the flowers, than to any other cause.” 
H. W. Collinwood, editor of the Rural New-Yorker, says: “We 
can easily forgive the bee his short working days when we consider 
the good he does. There is no question about the debt fruit-growers 
owe him. People talk about the wind and other insects in fertilizing 
our flowers; but I am confident that any man who will really take the 
time and pains to investigate for himself will see that the bee is nearly 
the whole story. I have seen the certain results of his good work in 
a neighbor’s orchard. Those bees “broke the trees” down just as truly 
as though they had climbed on the trees by the million and pulled at 
them. The appearance of those trees after a few years of beekeeping 
would have convinced any fair-minded man that our little buzzing 
friends are true partners of the fruit-grower.” 
