Pollination in Orchards. 



369 



The Blossoms May Be Injured by Strong or Drying Winds. 



Near the sea and large lakes, fruit blossoms may be whipped oflf 

 by very severe winds. In such cases a mixed windbreak of decidu- 

 ous and evergreen trees may be used to advantage. Drying winds 

 during the blossoming season are not common in the east but are 

 often serious in some parts of the west. Luther Burbank, one of 

 our best observers and experimenters in orchard pollination, says a 

 dry wind sometimes causes a short fruit crop in some parts of Cali- 

 fornia by drying up the juices of the stigma so that the pollen can- 

 not germinate. 



II. SELF-STERILITY. 



There have been described in the preceding pages some of the 

 influences which decrease the settinc; of fruit. These were men- 



tioned only to make more clear a talk 

 about self-sterility, an influence which 

 is second only to the winter injury of 

 fruit buds in the loss caused to the 

 ■■■ '^Mmr^^^, commercial fruit-grower. Since the 



loss from unfavorable weather usually 

 cannot be prevented, while the loss 

 from self-sterility can in a large meas- 



79. — Coe Golden Drop. But one fruit has set ; the others will soon drop. 



ure, the latter subject deserves more than the brief notice which has 

 been given to the former at this time. 



There are some trees which blossom full year after year but set 

 little or no fruit, even in the most favorable seasons. These trees 



