Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-21
ADDISON CO. HEAD
OF BEE INDUSTRY
Prof. M. B. Cummings Lauds Lit
tie Hummer before Bee Keep.
ers and Horticultural Society.

Middlebury, Nov. 1s-''rhe Honey
Bee In Horticulture" was the subject
of an interesting paper read tonight
by Prot NJ B. Cummings. Of Burling-
ton. at the Joint session OF the Bee
Keepers and Horticultural society.
The address OF welcome was deliver
ed by Judge c. I. Button Of Middle
bury and President Hallett respond
ed. W. q Larabee of Shoreham spoke
on Care Of Bees for Orchard Pur-
posss." Prof. Cumming said In part
as follows:
| 1t 10 a significant thing that Add
son county. which is one Of the
greatest apple counties in Vermont. is
also the center Of tho bee industry in
this State 1t may be an Incident that
the bee mon are prosperous In this
section but 1t 10 no incident that fruit
growers are also prosperous here
man may prune his trees to increase
their vigor spray them to kill the
pests. fertilize to increase the quantity
OF fruit and till to save moisture
but II he has no bees to fertilize the
blossoms. he will have no crop to har-
vest. What Ia true OF orchard fruits Is
In general also true of many of the
vegetables from the garden and of the
flowers about the house. Let us see
the reason for these very sweeping
statements
Many OF our fruit trees produce
blossoms which are not fertile Of
Themselves such as certain varieties
of apple. pear. plum and cherry. many
varieties OF the strawberry and the
squash. pumpkin. cucumber and melon
OF our vegetable gardens For tho
production Of seed and the consequent
development of edible portions, there
must be mixture of the sexual elc-
ments OF blossoms. involving pollin-
alton and Decentralization. Even
with the plants which are fertile on
themselves. the fruits will be very
largely seedless. of irregular shape
or Inferior size without the stimulat-
Ing effect of cross-fertilization.
although many insects are extremely
useful In the crossing of plants, the
honeybee is chief among them all and
responsible for over 50 per cent. of the
total number Of cross pollinations. Eees
are attracted to the blossoms Of our
horticultural plants either through the
presence of nectar, fragrance Of the bios
som, or the bright coors. These enticing
features correspond to the snowy shop
windows of city merchants. In search for
nectar. the bees unconsciously render a
; great service to the plants because their
bodies become covered with pollen which
Is transferred from plant to plant fol-
lowing the nomadic travels Of these little
creatures. 1t has been proven again and
again to the satisfaction Of many different
individuals that where the bees arc pre-
vented from visiting the blossoms on
fruit plants do not set. 1t is also general
ly known that In seasons when there Is
much rain during the blossoming season
the set Of fruit Is very light. This means
that the bees have little opportunity to
perform their beneficiary service.
notice in this hall this splendid ex-
hibit Of fruit and vegetables and | know
full we'll that the display would have
been absolutely impossible without the
U agency OF bees The roll that these lit
tie fellows play Is far in excess Of that
played by any ordinary operation con-
!. Quoted by man for the welfare of his
fruit treeA and vegetable plants.
Notwithstanding the many advantages
and the absolute necessity of the domes-
ucated bee in relation to horticultural
productions, there Is another side which
must be mentioned. The honeybee IS
great factor In plant hygiene and
- orchard and garden sanitation Some
, OF the hard problems of the present
day horticultursts have to do with the
maintenance of health and the control
;, OF disease. Many orchard and garden
= diseases are distributed by bees These
little creatures will visit diseased plants
:. while In search for food and ar, as
. likely 10 carry the spores OF disease as
= they are to carry grains OF pollen in
the visitation of flowers The brown rot
OF pluins. the blight OF pears. the wilt
OK cucumbers, are familiar illustrations
. Of diseases which are widely distribut cd
by bees and other insects. Thus we see
the possibility Of the harmful effects Of
4, bees II the orchard man or gardener
Is careless enough to allow the above
mentioned malad!es to become establish.
: ed within his plantations.
The important point to grasp in this
connection Is this: Every effort must be
made to eliminate unhealthy specimens
Of any kind which make possible the dis
| tr!bution OF diseases through the agency
!, Of insects.
a There is still another serious ASPECT 10
d the present proposition. According to the
r United States census there has been in
" Vermont rapid decrease in the domesti-
a Gated bee. During the past ten years
, there has been a decrease Of over 70 per
cent Less than four farms in over a
hundred reported bees in 1910. As Grover
Cleveland once wisely remarked. 1--WE
are facing condition OF seriousness. -
= We should keep more rather than fewer
bees and not let this dwindling bee popu-
lation jeopardize our horticultural opera
| tons.
:, The speaker said that there should be
" a hive Of bees for every acre OF fruit or
=. vegetables. and showed by means Of Ian.
'. tern slides many interesting points In con.
- rection with the structure of flowers and
ices. and the relation and adaptation OF
insects and plants.