32 BEE CULTURE, 
WILL BEES INJURE FRUIT? 
Bees never puncture fruit, and unless the skin has been 
broken by other insects or birds, they never molest it. Any 
_one can easily determine whether bees injure grapes or not. 
We know it is charged against them by some persons, but if 
any one will take sound grapes and hang them up in the 
apiary where the bees have full access to them, the matter can 
be easily demonstrated. This experiment has often been 
tried, but we have never yet heard of a single instance where 
the bees have punctured even one sound grape. 
Dr. Wm. R. Howard, of Texas, says: ‘I have tried the 
following experiments: Bees were covering the grapes in 
the vineyard, and seemed actually intoxicated on the wine. 
Removing several bunches, some of which had punctured 
berries, and some sound ones, were taken to the apiary, and 
the bees soon found them and went to work vigorously. As 
soon as the punctured ones were exhausted, the bees aban- 
doned them and went in quest of something better. Then 
the bees were furnished more of the same lot, and closed in 
the hive ; as soon as the punctured ones were exhausted, they 
seemed uneasy, then bunch after bunch of sound grapes were 
given them, which were eagerly covered, but as soon as it was 
found that none were punctured, they fell back in dismay. 
The mandibles of the honey bee are not dentate or serrate, 
but are simply smooth, and beautifully rounded at the points, 
spoon or scoop-shaped, covered on the body with fine hairs 
rather long, and on the edges are covered with still finer hair, 
with a second row around the internal surface, just suited to 
work soft wax, brush it up and give it the proper finish. 
If any one will examine these mandibles with a good micro- 
scope, it will satisfy him at a glance of the incapability of 
the honey bee to damage, by puncture, any fruits whatever.” 
Mr. D. H. Cutting, of Michigan, remarks: ‘I suspended 
a cluster of crapes under a tree, and poured sugar syrup on 
it; they took all of the syrup, but did not damage the cluster, 
antil a wasp managed to bite three berries before I could kill 
it ; those three the bees finished. With many experiments, 
during five years, being surrounded by bees and affording 
them every opportunity of doing damage, and, failing to find 
them doing any, I think those who condemn the bees should 
