The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-11-28
Tarnt npfra.
DO bees InIure FruIt ,

The following notes by correspondent
OF the Traver Advocate are worthy OF
reproduction II find that many fruit
growers are stlll of the opinion that they
suffer great loss from the rnyages Of
bees. The charge made against the bee
is as unjust and unreasonable as IL
would DO TO charge the housefy with
doing the same work. Neither OF these
insects is capable OF breaking the skin
OF grape. because they have no tools
with which 10 do IL; but both will feast
on the sweet juice when once an OPEN
Ing is made. II grapes burst on the
vine or are cut by yellow Jackets they
are worthless, and II Is only such that
the bees feed upon. Prof MeLaIn Is en-
ployed by the government TO make ex-
periments In agriculture In all of its
rainiilcations. In one OF his reports he
says i have repeated my experiments
Of last spring for testluh the capacity OF
bees for injurlng frulg. EG confined
two colonies of italian bees. two Of
hybrids and two OF Syrians In house,
and endeavored by heat. otc.. to bring
about all the conditions OF severe
drought.
AAt rdy5s 4uC DtCN Ntkd
brought to the stages OF hunger thirst
and starvation. the test continuing for
forty days. I obtained IS varieties OF
choice grapes, and every inducement
and opportunity was offered the bees 10
appease their hunger an thirst by at
lacking the fruit that was placed before
them. Mark this: Seine OF the grapes
were dipped In syrup and hung In the
hives between the combs. some placed
ON plates before the hives, and grapes
were suspended In clusters from the
posts and rafters. The bees Tapped and
sucked all the syrup from the skins
leaving the berries smooth. They daily
visited the grapes In great numbers. and
took advantage OF every crack I'm the
epldermis or opening at the stem. appro-
priating 10 their use every drop OF juice
therefrom, but they made no attempt 10
grasp the cutlcle with their mandlbles
or claws. l removed the epldermis care
fully from dozens OF grapes of various
kinds and placed them on plates before
the hives. The bees Tapped up all the
juice ON the outside OF the film sur
rounding the segments OF the grape.
leaving this delicate fllm dry and shining,
but through and beyond this nlm they
were unable to penetrate.
al punctured the skins OF grapes Of
all kinds by passing needles of various
sizes through the grape, and placed these
before the bees. The needles used we're
In size from flne cambrle needle TO a
sacking needle; the amount OF juice APP
propriated was In proportion to the size
OF the opening In the skin aud the
number OF segments OF the grape broken
The same was true In the case OF grapes
burst from over-ripeness. Bees are not
only unable TO penetrate the eplderinls
OF grapes. but they also appear TO be un-
able. when impelled by the direst neoes-
sity. TO penetrate the film surrounding
the berry, even after the epidermis IS re-
moved Grapes so prepared, without
exception, lay before the hives until dried
up More evidence Is at hand. but tn,
foregoing Is sufficient. In the pollina-
itiOn OF the flowers the bee Is an i'm
portant factor. and 1t Is here that the
bee does work for US which Is a grea
benefit TO all fruit growers and adds
greatly to our income. II we do moi
wish to raise bees. let us encourage
others to do SO. and IL they do annoy US
at times, let US remember they pay Vi
well for all we suffer"