Pollination in Okchaeds. 



379 



cross-pollination, nor that the russet on Greening apples borne on 

 the side of the tree next a Roxburj was produced bj the influence 

 of the Roxbury pollen. 

 Most of the changes in fruit which are attributed to the influ- 



83. — Stark. Fi'om Wagener pollen 

 above, from Stark poUeii below. 

 Miirked benefit from cross-polli- 

 nation. 



ence of cross-pollination are due to 

 variation. Every bud on a tree is 

 different in some way from every 

 other bud on that tree and may 

 develop unusual characters, inde- 

 pendent of all tlie other buds, 

 according to the conditions under 

 which it grows. 



The best way to determine 

 whether there is an innnediate 

 influence of pollen is by hand 

 crossing. Among the forty-five 

 different crosses which were made in 1899 with this particular point 

 in view, not one showed any change which could be positively attrib- 

 uted to the influence of pollen. Even the concentrated sweetness of 

 Seckel made no impression on the poor quality of Kieffer ; nor were 

 there any constant differences in color, shape, or season of ripening 

 in any of the other crosses. Nearly everj'body who has crossed 

 varieties of orchard fruits has had a similar experience. 



Most of the evidence supporting the theory that there is an imme- 

 diate influence of pollen in the crosses of fruits comes from obser- 

 vation ; most of the evidence against it comes from experiment. 



