500 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



POMOLOGY. 



(M. B. Davis, B.S.A., Assistant in Cliargc.) 



As the writer was not appointed to the Horticultural Division until after the 

 growing- season of 1913 was over, he was unable to take charge of the field experiments 

 for that season, hence the matter which follows is the result of work done or informa- 

 tion gathered since that time. 



WINTEE-KILLING OF CHEKEY BUDS. 



In view of the fact that the cherry crop has in the past been a very uncertain 

 crop in this locality owing to winter injury of the fruit buds, it was decided to carry 

 on a simple experiment this last winter in order to ascertain, if possible, at just what 

 time or under what conditions the injury took place. 



By gathering buds from the orchard at intervals during the winter and examining 

 them carefully, the period of injury can be arrived at within very close range. At 

 every gathering, three lots of buds were gathered, one lot being placed in cold storage 

 at about 40 degrees, one placed in the greenhouse at 70 degrees, and the other being 

 examined at once. In no case were the counts appreciably different. The lot placed 

 in the greenhouse was allowed to stand in water until they blossomed, the lot in cold 

 storage only remained there until they were thawed out; they were then taken to the 

 greenhouse to blossom. With the exception that these were a few days later in 

 blossoming, there appealed to be no difference in the lots. 



This went to show that the sudden transference of the buds from a cold 

 temperature to a warm temperature did not apparently do any injury, when the 

 conditions of moisture were such that the buds could not dry out. In all, eight 

 gatherings were made. The dates and other information in detail are contained in the 

 following table. 



It might be well to note that the first injury took place betwecH February 26 and 

 March 10, and that no injury took place after that date. It is also noteworthy that 

 the buds withstood the 30° below zero weather of January and February without 

 incurring any injury. 



From the 21st of February to the 25th, we had a fairly severe cold spell with the 

 thermometer well below zero. This was immediately followed on the 2Tth by a warm 

 period, with day temperature nearly always well above freezing'. The buds, during 

 this period, received their injury. 



PERCENTAGE OF INJURY, AND DATES OF GATHERING. 



Ott.\wa. 



