974 



Action of Bees in Pollination. [march, 



that this divergence of opinion on the part of experienced 

 men is illustrated so distinctly by the contradictory results 

 at Rothamsted and Woburn ; evidently here is material for a 

 study of the causes in operation to bring about such different 

 results both experimentally and in farm practice. From the 

 practical point of view the Rothamsted results would seem to 

 show that on strong land the farmer will do better to sow 

 vetches or crimson clover for green manuring than one of the 

 non-leguminous crops. 



ACTION OF BEES IN POLLINATION. 

 W. B. Little, 



Instructor in Horticulture, Armstrong College, Newcastle-cn-Tyne. 



A divergence of opinion still exists amongst fruit growers 

 as to whether bees are ah essential factor in the cultivation 

 of fruit or not. Experiments on the point have been made 

 during the past summer, the results of which seem to show 

 that hive bees are necessary to ensure the distribution of the 

 pollen, and thus confirm the American experiments which 

 were reported in this Journal (October, 1910, p. 587). 



The experiments were carried out on the Experimental 

 Fruit Plots of the Cumberland and Westmorland County 

 Council at Newton Rigg Farm School, the trees experi- 

 mented upon being apples, black and red currants, and goose- 

 berries. The method adopted in the case of the currants and 

 gooseberries was to select an average sized bush before the 

 flowers had expanded, and to place around it four posts driven 

 into the ground. To these posts wire netting was attached, 

 enveloping the bush, and this was then covered with white 

 muslin, to prevent the entrance of all large insects. This 

 remained over the bush for about three weeks. 



In the case of gooseberries, the variety chosen was 

 Whinham's Industry. After the netting was taken off it was 

 found that some undeveloped berries still adhered to the 

 branches, but these soon afterwards dropped off, and 

 eventually there was not a berry left on the bush. This bush 

 was afterwards denuded of its leaves by an attack of the 

 sawfly caterpillars, and the tips of the shoots were injured by 

 aphis. 



The remainder of the gooseberry bushes grown in adjoin- 



