The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-27
REEs AND FRUIT TREES.
Blossoms Not Perfectly FertiIized Elk
cept With Assistance of Insects.

From Government Bulletin.
At last fruit growers and bee keepers are
getting into right relations with each
other. The numerous discussions which
have taken place regarding the value of
bees as fertilizers of fruit blossoms and
of those blossoms of plants grown for
their seeds, and regarding the alleged
damage to fruit by bees have led to close
observation and careful experimentation,
the results of which show that the inter-
ests of these two classes of producers con-
fiict in but trlhing respects-that, in fact,
beekeepers and fruitgrowers are of great
! help to each other, and even indispensable
If each is to Obtain the best results in his
work.
Bee keepers have never complained but
that the growing of fruit in the vicinity of
their apiaries was a great benefit to their
interests, hence their position has been
merely defensive one, the battle waxing
warm only when poisonous substances
were set out to kill off the bees,
or when fruit growers sprayed their or
chards with poisonous insecticides during
the time the trees were in blossom, or
again, when efforts were made to secure by
legislation the removal of bees from a GER
tain locality as nuisances. Fruit growers
hrst relented when close observa
ton and experiment showed that wasps
bit open tender fruit. birds pecked them.
they cracked under the action of sun and
rams, and hail sometimes cut them, the
bees only coming in to save the wasting
Juices OF the injured fruit. The wide pub
helty given to the results of the ex-
periments made under the direction of
the United States entomologist and pub
iished in the report of the commissioners
p9.sats fr~. for fnx~a .
trlouted much TO secure this change among
fruit-growers
But now 1t would appear that the bees
have not only been indicated but that in
the future fruit growers are likely TO be
generally regarded as more indebted TO bee
keepers than the latter are to the fruit
growers, for the amount of honey the
bees secure from fruit blossoms comes
far short Of equaling in value
that part of the fruit crop which
many accurate observations and experi-
ments indicate is due TO the complete
cross-fertil cation of blossoms by bees.
The observations and researches of Hide
brand. Muller Delpino, Darwin and others
have gone far TO prove how greatly bios
SONS depend upon the agency of bees for
their fertilization, sud hence for the pro-
Guction oi seeds and fruits.
The facts they have brought forward are
gradually becoming more widely known
among truit-growers and bee-keepers, and
additional evidence accumulatss. A case
illustrating very clearly the value of
bees in an orchard has recently come
TO the notice of the writer, and its au-
thenticity is confirmed by correspond
ence with the parties named, who are gen.
temen of long and extensive experience
In fruit-growing. recognized in their local
ity as being authorities. particularly in re-
gard 10 cherry culture. The facts are
these; For several years the cherry crop
OF Vaca valley in S0lano county, Cal. has
, not been good, although it was formerly
quite sure. The partial or complese fail