Fig. 81.—Section of Strawberry Bloom.
In the strawberry the stigmas are ripe long before the pollen is ready; and hence we understand why the Creator has arranged that the nectar of these blossoms should be so attractive to the bees, whose visits are so necessary for the development of the fruit. When fertilisation takes place, growth proceeds in the ordinary manner, and with results so satisfactory to mankind. Where pollen fails to fall on any of the multitudinous stigmas, we have a shrunken, hard, greenish mass. Any dish of strawberries will show where this has happened. It is said that to produce one perfect specimen of the fruit, from 100 to 300 separate fertilisations must be effected.
In the raspberry and blackberry again, each drupel, or little fleshy portion, of which very many make up one so-called berry, has had its own stigma, which an insect has visited; and hence again, we understand how it is that the flowers have been so largely endowed with nectar, as to entice the bees most freely to visit them.
Fig. 82.—Section of Apple Bloom.
In apple and pear blossoms we have other instances of the stigmas coming to maturity before the anthers; and, therefore, they require the intervention of bees for their fertilisation. Peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, greengages, and, we might almost venture to assert, all our choicest and most valuable fruits, are dependent for their perfection upon the busy searchers after honey; and many a market-gardener would greatly increase his chances of good crops of fruit, were he to maintain a few stocks of bees in his orchards, and allow access for the active workers to his trees blossoming under glass-houses.
From the vegetable world we might adduce many other evidences of the marvellous interdependence of the two great kingdoms of organic nature. Enough, however, has been said to illustrate this point, and we trust that some of our readers may be led to further investigation in this field, which opens up such wonders, and such pleasurable surprises, for all who care to trace evidences of the Creator's infinite resources, wisdom, and care for all that He has made.
Everywhere, also, on earth may be seen at work the grand law of self-sacrifice for others' needs. Very many facts which we have detailed in the natural history of bees, illustrate this most thoroughly. We may, indeed, say that the life of a worker, who will neither have progeny of her own, nor see many of the race for whom she spends her powers, is one continued offering of herself for the welfare of the community. As the Latin poet says, Sic vos non vobis, mellificatis apes; and thus these unselfish toilers, beside teaching us many another lesson, seem to foreshadow, and to lead our thoughts to, the infinite gift of Him "who gave Himself for us" that we in and through Him might have life.
God has written tokens of His wisdom and love around us everywhere. None who reverently observe any of His works can fail to see His attributes embodied throughout all nature.