The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1886-05-01

could DO obtained, sent to Michigan
for varieties not obtainable here
Through the kindness and favor Of the
president oil the Michigan Horticultural
Society, Mr.. l. L. Lyon, Of South Ha'
ven, Mich, secured twenty varieties
Of grapes, which arrived In excellent
condition. Another colony of Italian
bees was then placed in the house with
those already confined for forty days,
and the tweuty varicties Of grape were
exposed upon plates and suspended
from themftersls before. The conditions
naturally prevalent during sevsrs,aud
protrActed drought were again produced
and the test again continued for twenty
five days. The result was simply re-
petition Of the former test. The beos
showed no more capacityaor disposition
to offer violence 10 one variety of grapes
than another No more attention was
given the thin-sknned varieties than
the thick skinned. As long assthe skin
remained whole they did not harm the
grapes. When tie skins were broken by
violence, such as by cutting. or sqneez-
ing, the juices exposed were appropriate
Jed. The extent of damage the bees
could do to grapes burst from overri Pc
ness depended on the extent Of the rup-
ture in the film surrounding the pull
A wide rupture may DO made in the
cpidermIs, or it may be removed, and
if the film is unbroken the pulp remain
ed whole. The film seldom bursts until
the grape i, about to decay, and then
the grape is Of little value.
In order t. Diet rnins the size of the
Of the opening. necessary to be made in
order rat bees mi,h njnre grapes, |
pnnctured the cuticle Of the grapes in
several punches with cambria needles OF
various sizes. the puucture made with
the poin. OF medium-alzed needles pro
duced no effect. Neither does the pune
ture made by the sting Of the insects,
when ovipositins until the blister AZ
pears and decay progresses with the de-
velopment Of insect r,a. | found that
| might pass Y medium sized needle
through grape, from side TO side, and
bees could obtain 30 uce eXct pit til;
oozing from the p,mclure. MANY ere
neously suppose that bees sting the
grapes. Bees never stug ercept I" self
defense or IA DEFENSE ofMer homes. from
rent or Imaginary damyer.
At times when bees could gather no.
thing in the holds saturatedsa clusters
OF grapes with honey and suspended
them in front of tn. hiv.ssin the apiary
aud from branches of trees and grape.
vines near Ivy. Other clusters dipped in
honey and syrup were hung in the
house. The ices .rhronged upon the
grapes until the clusters locke. like lit
Ito ssarms hanging to the vines and
limbs. They tapped the grapes untilthv
sllins we're polished perfectly smooth
AID saininsilSs the lnsid.askin of an
onion, and no taste ofSsweet could be
detected by touching the tongue to tho
grape The skins Of the grapes were
left Intact.
Bees, like some animals of a higher
order, seem to enjoy stolen sweets bet
ter than any other. Taking advantage
of their propensity to steal aud dcspol,
placed combs containing honey in an
unoccupied hive aud permitted the bees
in the apiary to steal the honey and
such portions Of the comb IS they could
appropriate, then suspended instead
Of the despoiled combs clusters Of
grapes dipped in honey. The bees at
tackled with desperate earnsstness, ap-
parently determined to literally 60
thrsugh those grapes. The clusters
were left hanging for day or two, un.
til the bees had entirely deserted the
hive, and examination showed the
grapes to be az sound as when place.
there, and the skins polished sm,o h
and clean as before.
Ithen punctured the grapes of sever
al clusters by passing a darning-needl.
through the berries from side to side
and hung them in the house near tn.
hungry bees. They sucked the juice,
from tho broken se.ments as far as they
could insert their tongues into TIT
wound, leaving a depression near thu
puncture, and the remainder ofthe pull
was left whole.