412 
FRUIT BLOSSOMS 
bees.” (Waite, M. B., “Cross-pollination 
of Apples,” Year Book Dept. Agr., 1898, 
Lewis, C. I., and Vincent, C. C., “Pollina¬ 
tion of the Apple,” Oregon Exp. Sta., Bull. 
No. 104, 1909.) 
THE POLLINATION OP THE QUINCE. 
The common quince (Pyrus Cydonia ) 
has solitary flowers, which are larger and 
bloom later than those of the apple or 
pear. The stigmas mature before the an¬ 
thers, but self-pollination occurs regular- 
shriveled condition of tlie upper seed and the de¬ 
pression of the apple on that side. 
ly. The flowers yield nectar, and 30 spe¬ 
cies of insects have been enumerated by 
the Connecticut Experiment Station as 
visitors. 
Experiments in crossing were made by 
Waite at Rochester, N. Y., in 1892-93. 
Pollen from Orange, Rea, Champion, and 
Meach were used, and the flowers (from 
which the anthers had been removed) were 
■enclosed in paper and cheese cloth bags. 
Both the crossed and self-pollinated flow¬ 
ers produced a fairly good percentage of 
fruit and practically an equal quantity. 
The experiments showed no striking bene¬ 
fits from crossing as did those with the 
apple and pear. (Waite, M. B., Yearbook 
of Dept. Agr., 1898, p. 178.) 
THE POLLINATION OF THE ORANGE. 
Numerous crosses have been made by the 
Department of Agriculture between the 
common orange and other species for the 
purpose of obtaining hardy and improved 
varieties with promising results. 
The flowers of the orange in California 
secrete nectar so freely that at times it 
drips upon the foliage and grass beneath 
the trees. After a foggy or rainy day it 
is often so abundant that the horses em¬ 
ployed in cultivating the groves and the 
clothing of their drivers are wet by the 
dripping nectar; while even the ground is 
dampened by the many falling drops. 
When a grove is properly irrigated, it 
has been estimated, that from. 500 to 800 
colonies of bees can be placed in one loca¬ 
tion. Thousands of colonies are moved an¬ 
nually in southern California from the 
sage regions to the orange groves, where 
a surplus of 60 to 120 pounds of honey 
may be obtained. 
No definite experiments have as yet been 
made showing the effects of cross-fertiliza¬ 
tion of the bloom of the orange trees in 
increasing the quantity of fruit and im¬ 
proving its size and quality; but many 
growers are positive that the quantity of 
fruit per acre is much larger, when bees 
are numerous in the orchards. Other 
growers, however, claim that they can see 
no difference. 
Most lemon-growers desire to have colo¬ 
nies of bees placed in their orchards. But 
a lemon grove is not considered a desirable 
location, since the trees bloom in winter, 
when it is so cold, that many bees become 
chilled, while gathering nectar, and are un¬ 
able to fly back to the hive. Citrus fruit¬ 
growers both in Florida and California 
very generally today recognize the impor¬ 
tance of honeybees as agents in the pollina¬ 
tion of the orange, lemon, and grapefruit. 
Formerly the orange-growers of Florida 
opposed the placing of colonies of honey¬ 
bees in the groves, believing that they in¬ 
jured the flowers and fruit. Beekeepers 
were obliged to pay for this privilege. But 
with a better understanding of the value of 
bees in pollination their presence is now 
recognized as desirable. Around Braden- 
town the citrus men are actually offering 
bee-yard sites free of rent, and in many in¬ 
stances even buy bees to place among the 
trees. The Manatee Fruit Company of Pal¬ 
metto has established three bee-yards in 
connection with their groves and wish for 
more. They declare the nearer the bees to 
the groves, the larger the quantity of fruit 
and the better the quality. An orange- 
