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rounding the berry even after the epidermis is removed. Grapes so 

 prepared without exception laid before the hives until dried up. If 

 but one segment of a grape be broken by violence or by over-ripeness, 

 the bees are unable to reach the juice beyond the film separating the 

 broken from the unbroken segments until further violence or decay 

 permits an entrance for the tongue. Clusters of sound grapes which I 

 hung between the comb frames in hives occupied by strong colonies 

 were unbroken and sound after fifteen days' exposure in the hives. 

 The skins were polished smooth, but none were broken. I also stopped 

 up the entrance to several hives — containing good-sized colonies — in 

 the apiary and in the wire-covered house, by pushing sound grapes into 

 the opening, so close together that the bees could not pass through. 

 By this means the bees were confined to the hives for days in succes- 

 sion, not being able to break down and remove the grapes, and 

 although the skins of the grapes next the inside of the hive were pol- 

 ished smooth none were broken or injured. 



The past season furnished an excellent opportunity to observe the 

 capacity of bees, under so exceptional circumstances, to injure fruit, for 

 the drought was very exceptional both induration and severity, and I 

 was called to several places by fruit-growers to witness the proof that 

 bees were u tearing open the skins of the grapes v and otherwise behav- 

 ing in a manner altogether unworthy of an insect enjoying a wide rep- 

 utation for virtue and orderly living. In each instance I succeeded in 

 convincing the fruit-grower that the bees were simply performing the 

 office of gleaners ; that violence from other sources, or over-ripeness 

 and decay had preceded the bees, and that he would be acting the part 

 of wisdom in following the example of the bees in gathering the grapes 

 before further violence, or the action of the elements, rendered them 

 worthless. 



After grapes have been subjected to such violence, or have so far 

 burst open and decayed as to make it possible for bees to injure them, 

 and the circumstances are so exceptional as to lead the bees to seek 

 such food, unless they are speedly gathered they would soon become 

 worthless if unmolested. During the past season I made many visits 

 to vineyards, one located near the apiary I visited every day, and my 

 observations and experience with bees in confinement and those having 

 free access to the vineyards furnishes abundant proof to convince me 

 that bees do not and cannot under any circumstances injure sound fruit- 

 If from any cause the pulp is exposed, such as the attack of birds or 

 wasps — the most common source of injury — or from the ovipositing of 

 insects, or bursting of the berry from over-ripeness, and if no other re- 

 sources are available, the bees appropriate and carry away the juice. 

 and the extent of the injury depends upon the degree to which the pulp 

 is exposed, the sweetness of the juice, and the number and necessities 

 of the bees. 



