| Show OUR DEBT TO bumblebees the aart these busy worker workers aisy 1 in the fertilization of flowene flo were barney hoskin standish writes an article on tho the bumblebee for st nicholas mr standish says the work of the bumblebee in bringing about the cross crass fertilization of flowers is ss as important as that of the honeybee and these two stand at tho the head of the list of insects useful ia in this respect each has its flowers which it aleno ale air no visits but there are many flowers flowen on neutral ground visited by both so wa vo may way say of the bumblebee as of the honeybee the more bumblebees the more seeds the more seeds the morti mort flowers especially wild flowers as thoi the tall bellflower touch me not solomons Solomon amil seal gentian breeches and turtle bead head but probably tho the most important work this insect does for agriculture Is upon the fields of red clover there is abundant proof that this plant will not produce seed without tho cooperation of the bumblebee it is impassible impossible for the wind to bring about tho the fertilization of the seed as it may do in the case of indian corn grain and some forest trees the tube of red clover blossoms too is so long that oi other r insects including 1 the honeybee are not regular visitants tants here is proof that this plant must have visits from the bumblebee this insect is not a native of australia and rod red clover failed led to produce seed there until bumblebees were imported As eoon own as they became numerous the plant could bo be depended upon for seed again the blossoms of the first fird crop of he the medium bed red clover of our own ca country U try are just as perfect as those of the second crop but there are too few bumblebees in the field so early in the season to produce fertilization hence little arlio or no seed in this crop if bumblebees wore WOM sufficiently num numerous emus there 16 i is no reason why much larger yields of clorer seed might laight not bo be expected than at present horo is what a well informed farmer says about it it was formerly thought that the world rested on the of atlas I 1 can prove that its prosperity rests on the bumblebee the world cannot prosper without the farmers product the form farm will not bo be productive without clover we cannot raise clover without seed and we carnot have hato clover seed without the bumblebee because it I 1 t is this insect that carries the pollen from flower to flower flowers securing its development and continuance let us Is learn to know and to protect our friends |
