New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 617 



stands out clearly that the heavy crop in 1911 resulted in an off-year 

 and a light yield in 1912, as is so often the case with many standard 

 varieties of apples. The second ringing apparently had no influence 

 in increasing the yield. The health and vigor of the trees seemed not 

 to be decreased. All except two showed, at the close of the season, 

 complete new bark formation. The two trees in question had failed 

 to cover the entire ring and were not as vigorous as the others. It 

 is possible that these trees lacked vigor from the time of planting. 

 In the early part of June, 1912, additional ringing was performed 

 upon these same trees. This time rings 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 

 inches in width were made, four trees being used for each of the various 

 widths. These wounds were made around the trunks just above the 

 former rings, all of the bark, whether in three-inch strips or 

 twenty-one inch strips, being removed with equal ease. This ringing 

 had no effect upon stimulating fruit production, for the crop bome 

 in 1913 was about the same as that of 1912 — so similar that further 

 averages need not be given. Table II explains the effect of the 

 ringing upon the vigor of the trees. 



Table II. — Effect of Ringing on Vigor of Apple Trees. 



No. of trees with 

 various sized rings. 



No. of 

 trees 

 entirely 

 dead. 



trees 

 trees 

 trees 

 trees 

 trees 

 trees 

 trees 



ringed 3 in. 

 ringed 6 in. 

 ringed 9 in. 

 ringed 12 in. 

 ringed 15 in. 

 ringed 18 in. 

 ringed 21 in. 



wide . 

 wide . 

 wide . 

 wide . 

 wide . 

 wide, 

 wide . 



From the foregoing data it would appear that ringing tends to have 

 injurious effects upon apple trees and that the wider the bands the 

 more serious will be the injury. It may be stated again at this point 

 that the trees used in this experiment were exceptionally strong and 

 uniform in vigor and were therefore possibly in a better condition 

 to withstand wounding than average orchard trees. All of the trees 

 making a weak growth showed smaller foliage and less wood produc- 



