Laws against spraying fruit trees while in bloom.—The spraying of fruit trees while in bloom is not now advised by economic entomologists, and to prevent the practice some States have passed laws making it a misdemeanor. Such spraying not only kills off honey bees, causing a loss to the bee keeper, but interferes with the proper pollination of the blossoms and is thus a detriment to the fruit grower. Bee keepers should do everything in their power to prevent the practice.
Laws against the adulteration of honey.—The national food and drugs act of 1906, and various State pure food laws, are a great aid to the bee keeper in preventing the sale of adulterated extracted honey as pure honey. Bee keepers can often aid in this work by reporting to the proper officials infringements of these laws which come to their notice.
When bees are a nuisance.—Some cities have passed ordinances prohibiting the keeping of bees in certain areas, but so far none has been able to enforce them. If bees are a nuisance in individual cases, the owner may be compelled to remove them. The National Bee Keepers' Association "will help any of its members in such cases, if they are in the right, as well as in cases where bees sting horses. Bee keepers should be careful not to locate bees where they can cause any trouble of this kind.
SUPPOSED INJURY OF CROPS BY BEES.
Bee keepers are often compelled to combat the idea that bees cause damage to fruit or other crops by sucking the nectar from the flower. This is not only untrue, but in many cases the bees are a great aid in the pollination of the flowers, making a good crop possible. A more frequent complaint is that bees puncture fruit and suck the juices. Bees never puncture sound fruit, but if the skin is broken by some other means bees will often suck the fruit dry. In doing it, however, they are sucking fruit which is already damaged. These and similar charges against the honey bee are prompted by a lack of information concerning their activities. Bees may, of course, become a nuisance to others through their stinging propensities, but bee keepers should not be criticized for things which their bees do not do.
JOURNALS AND BOOKS ON BEEKEEPING.
The progressive bee keeper will find it to his profit to subscribe for at least one journal devoted to beekeeping. Several of these are published in the United States. The names and addresses of such journals may usually be obtained from a subscription agent for periodicals, or from a supply dealer.
It will also be advantageous to read and study books on beekeeping, of which several are published in this country. These are advertised in journals devoted to beekeeping, or may usually be obtained through the local book dealer or through dealers in bee keepers' supplies.
PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON BEE KEEPING.[4]
[4] List revised to April 1, 1911. (VII.)