THE FAILURE OF BLOSSOMS TO SET FRUIT. 221 



Size. The size should be medium to large, but the advatnage is 

 not given to "overgrown" specimens. Whereas good size is one indi- 

 cation of good' cultural conditions, each variety has a typical size which 

 is perfection for the particular sort under consideration. Thus in 

 selecting Winesaps, Ganos and Wolf River apples for exhibit a differ- 

 ent size standard is used in each case. 



Form. Form has to do with the general shape of the fruit, it 

 should be smooth, regular, and typical of the variety. ]\Iost orchard- 

 ists are familiar with general shape of eacch variety, and should 

 by all means select specimens true to type., 



Fiiiit Mu.st he Correctly Named. Another point of importance is 

 the correct naming of the fruit. Any fruit exhibited udner a false 

 name should be disqualified. If the grower is not sure of the variety 

 names he can have them named free of charge by sending typical 

 specimens to the Horticultural department. — Bulletin issued by Utah 

 Agricultural College. 



(The Synonym Committee of the Nebraska State Horticultural 

 Society will name all unnamed varieties at the Fair or Winter Apple 

 Show.) 



Note: Another good score card for apples would be one that is 

 used by the University of Nebraska in their student-judging work and 

 is as follows: 



Quality; freedom from blemishes; soundness; 30 pet. size, (uni- 

 formity) 3 0. Color 3 0. Form 10. 



THE FAILURE OP BLOSSOMS TO SET FKUIT. 

 W. AV. Robhins. 



The failure of orchard trees to set fruit, in spite of the fact that 

 an abundance of blossoms was produced, is due to one or more of 

 several causes. These are as follows: 



1. Self-Sterility. — Many varieties of apples and pears are self- 

 sterile. That is, they are not capable of setting fruit properly unless 

 pollen from another variety is used. For example, Bartlett and 

 Keiffer pears, in many localities, when planted in solid blocks, gives 

 less satisfactory results than when they are planted with such varieties 

 as Lawrence, Duchess and Anjon. With apples and pears it is good 

 practice to mix varieties. However, if varieties with proper affinities 

 are selected, one variety to furnish the pollen is as good as a number. 



2. Frozen Pistils. — The pistil, which is the part of the flower to 

 develop fruit, is more easily frozen than other parts of tiie flower. 

 Hence the pistil may often be frozen while other flower parts are not 

 affected; consequently, blossoms are formed but fail to set fruit. 



3. Weak Trees. — Trees in a weak condition, although blooming 

 abundantly, often fail to set fruit. 



4. Rain and Snow. — The pistils may be mechanically injured and 

 the pollen washed away by rain or snow at the time when blossoms 

 are open. 



