A B C of Bee Culture (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...the latter very small. Dr. Grant originated the Iona, by fertilizing the blossoms of the one, with the pollen of the other; but, in his first attempts, he failed repeatedly, because the bees were sure to upset all his experiments by their intermeddling. 10 When he thought of the idea of covering the flowers from which he wished to produce the hybrid.seed with lace, or something of a similar nature, to keep the bees away, he succeeded at once; and we now have the Iona, as the result, a grape that is just about half way between the Delaware and Catawba, having very ('.istinctly the flavor of each. Throughout the animal and vegetable kingdom, there seems to be a constant struggle for the perpetuation of their species, which is secured only by ripening perfect seeds. Notice how the weeds in our garden will struggle and fight, as it were, to get a foot hold, until they can get a crop of seeds ripened, and then remark the numerous ways they adopt, to scatter this seed as widely as possible. If the plants were animated beings, we might almost call it tricks and sharp practice; some of the seeds have wings and fly like a grasshopper; others have hooks and catch on our clothing, and on the fur of domestic animals, in the hope of being carried to some spot where they may have a more favorable place to germinate. Fruits and berries, instead of clothing themselves in the sober green of the foliage surrounding them, when the seeds are fully ripened, affect scarlet red and other bright colors, and sometimes, fancy stripes, just to induce the birds to take them in preference to the fruit of other trees. Why do they want their fruits to be eaten by the birds, if it is their purpose to secure a place for their seed r Well, if you examine, you will find that the...