The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-12-13
A BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM.

the Bee-Maidens of France and the
Good Work Done by Them.
Every one of my readers who lives
n the country, and probably every
,ne who lives in the city, knows that
The reason the bees bury themselves
n the flowers is that they may ex-
;ract the nectar of which they make
heir delicious honey. But perhaps
here are not many Of either country
Or city readers who know that the
loneymakers, besides helping them
selves, also help the flowers they visit.
Sometimes, indeed, if it were not
'or the visits of the bees, the flowers
would not live at all; for some flowers
are what is called imperfect. and need
to be powdered with what is known as
pollen before they can make any
seeds. And the bees carry the pollen
from a perfect flower to an i'm
perfect flower, and leave it there
while they are thinking only of get
ting nectar. If you will catch a bee
which has been gathering nectar, you
will notice that it is covered with
, fine dust That dust is the pollen
which has chung to the fine hairs on
its body. And if you should by
:hance not know what pollen is, you
have only to put buttercup to baby's
little chin to find out if he loves but
ser," and you will see the golden pol
len-dust all over the white skin.
1t often happens with highly Guilt
vated Strawberries that they have i'm
perfect flowers, and would not bear a
single berry were they not planted
near to some other variety that has
perfect flowers. Occasionally it hap
pens to an apple-tree that it bears only
imperfect flowers, and then it must
either depend upon the nectar-hunting
bees or upon some other agency for
the pollen.
Near the little town of La Ferte, in
trance-I think it is La Ferte-there
is an apple-tree which bears only i'm
perfect blossoms; and the fact having
long ago been discovered. has given
rise to very beautiful custom among
the majdens of the village. When
spring-time comes, and the apple-tree
halls the joyous time with glad burst
of blossom, the maidens of the village
arm themselves with gay ribbons and
perfect blossoms from their favorite
trees, and go singing to the lonely
tree which has produced only the i'm
perfect blossoms. Each girl then kisses
a cluster of the imperfect blossoms,
and in so doing dusts the former with
the pollen from the latter. She then
ties distinguishing ribbon near to
the cluster she has busted.
The tree looks very gay when thus
decorated, with the pink blossoms
smiling up at heaven and the dainty
ribbons futtering in the perfume-laden
air; but the best of it is when the
leaves drop like summer snow and the
little apples begin to take shape.
Then the maidens pluck off all but the
best fruit, and let that take all the
strength of the tree, so that the ap-
pies grow famously and come to per-
lection. And now is seen the strange
part of the affair. The apples, instead
of being all of one kind, are as diff
ferent as the blossoms that kissed their
blossoms. the fact being that the ap-
pie is exactly like the apple on the
tree from which the pollen-bearing
blossom was taken.
So on this one tree will be seen
round, rosy-cheeked apples, long yell
low apples, juicy apples, mealy apples,
dainty little apples. and ''monstrous
big'' apples. Each maiden has the
apple she wished most to have.-Har-
per's Young People.