The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-04-26
FERTILIZATION OF FRUIT
BLOSSOMS BY HONEY BEES

supposedly interested III
tends toward bigger and better
,rn;t crop, says a writer in Better
Emit. Much attention is given to
selection Of the proper location
nature Of the soil, nursery stock
.,lt;vation, pruning and spraying.
This is all very we'll, Of course, but
= seems to me that one of the most
;mnortant details Of the business is
almost, in fact in some cases is en-
tirely, overlooked. This is the pol
lonation or fertilization Of fruit bios
COINS. It has been demonstrated by
actual experiments, that while a
tow varieties are self-fertile, that is
osnable of being fertilized by pollen
from their own blossoms, the great
majority require cross-pollenation
CO.. tho hest results. For this reason
the fruitgrower is advised to plant
different and suitable varieties in
alternating rows or divisions of the
orchard: but having done this. the
average grower is content to leave
the more important work OF carry
iue and distributing the pollen to
the individual blossoms to the tickle
winds and the few insects which are
abroad at this season of the year.
There are three methods OF pollen
distribution artificial, by hand, by
the means of winds and by insects.
Artificial fertilization is, of course,
impracticable except for scientific
experiments; and it has been proven
time and again that the wind is
very insufficient and unreliable
agent at best. Every orchardist of
experience has probably noticed
that if fruit bloom he accompanied
by weather 80 cool and cloudy as to
prevent the flight of bees and other
insects a very small percentage of
fruit will set, even though there be
no actual damage from frost, while
the reverse is true, provided condi-
tons are favorable to an abundant
flight Of honey, and pollen gathering
insects, by far the most important
Of which is the honey bee. This
being true and weather conditions
favorable, the fruitgrower may in
sure the abundant setting of fruit
by supplying plenty of bees at the
proper time, just as readily as he
can bring that same crop to a sue
cesstul maturity by spraying and
cultivation, and l expect to see the
DAY when every commercial fruit
grower will consider his equipment
incomplete without few colonies
Of bees. As to just how many bees
Wonld be a sufficiency under all
conditions would be very hard to
say but rest assured of this fact,
snere is absolutely no danger of hav-
ing too many for this purpose. A
great deal depends on the variety of
the bees, and still more on weather
conditions. If the days are bright
aud warm, twenty-five strong COL
onles OF Italian bees will cover every
'nlng in good shape for a distance
ol nall a mile; but, on the other
land, II it should be cool, windy or
cloudy weather at this time they
WI not range nearly so far in suffi-
' nc numbers to insure proper fer
u'lzatlon Of all blossoms. (This is
specially true of the common black
vet. } For this reason l would much
prefer a smaller number of hives at
s'0sef lntervals-say five or six
e'efy quarter of a mile, or on every
twenty or thirty-acre tract if the
Trees are large.
q, n'ay be contended by some
''a' 50 many bees in neighbor-
=. u00d would not be able to support
themselves, but l will venture the
Ss''''l0n that they will, provided
sVu 20 not rob them of their stores
th'. 'l"e when they cannot replace
hs eul' But suppose you should
49, W spend dollar or two for
vida, maintenance; what of it, pro-
fona1 you can by so doing lay the
o,o1 ''a'lon for a profitable fruit