POLLINATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 



535 



Tompkins' Count}',' 'Lane's Prince Albert,' 'Lady Henniker,' 

 'Lady Siideley,' ' Loddington, ' 'Lord Derby,' 'Lord Suffield,' 

 'Mere de Menage,' 'Old Hawtliornden, ' 'Old Nonpareil, '' The 

 Queen,' ' Eibston Pippin,' 'Eival,' 'Graham's Eoyal Jubilee,' 

 ' Sandringham, * ' Seaton House,' ' Stirling Castle,' ' Striped Beefing,' 

 ' Sturmer Pippin,' ' Waltham Abbey Seedling,' 'Warner'? King,' 

 ' William's Favourite,' ' Worcester Pearmain.' 



Strawberries seem to be less dependent on insect pollination than 

 any other of our hardy fruits, though to these bees are probably bene- 

 ficial, especially when during a dull, rainy season there are intervals 

 when these insects can work. 



To test the effect of excluding bees and other insects from straw- 

 berry blossoms, the frame of a hand light was placed over a straw- 

 berry plant, muslin was tied over this by a string round the upper rim 

 of the frame. The weather during blossoming was fine, with a good 

 deal of wind. The fruit set and matured on the enclosed plant practi- 

 cally as well as on those around in the open ; muslin bags were also 

 placed over unopened blossoms of plants of several varieties, but in 

 general these set their fruit as well or nearly as well as those not 

 enclosed. Apparently the movement of the wind carries the pollen 

 from the anthers to the stigma of the strawberry flower in the open 

 field or garden. 



Raspberries and Loganberries. — Where these flowers were bagged 

 in muslin the fruits set but were not generally so large or well developed 

 as those in the open. 



General Conclusions. — Fruit blossoms generally are dependent on 

 the visits of insects, and from want of these many fruit plantations do 

 not yield their best; bees are absolutely essential to gooseberries, black, 

 and red currants, and very largely so to pear, apple, plum, and cherry, 

 and where there are not hive bees near and but few wild bees one or 

 more hives of bees should be placed in the plantation. 



In the case of most varieties of apples, pears, plums, and cherries 

 it is advantageous to have a different variety flowering at approximately 

 the same time ever third or fourth row for better cross-pollination a,nd 

 consequent setting of fruit. 



