6o 



Bulletin 393 



by a dry, sunny season. Comparatively few of the fiowers arisinj^ from 

 such buds set fruit, as may be seen from the figures. Other observations 

 indicate that the length of the 19 14 wood influenced the setting ability 

 of the fiowers arising from the lateral buds. In a number of cases in 

 which the growth was twenty-five centimeters and the terminal bud pro- 

 duced a fiower, few, if any, lateral buds set. When the growth was less 

 vigorous, it was not uncommon to find fruits produced on the lateral buds. 



TABLE 1 1 . Set on Spurs Arising from Wood of Different Ages 



TABLE 12. Percentage of Flowers Developing into Fruits after the June 

 Drop, on Spurs Arising from Wood of Different Ages 



Year's wood 



1914 



1913. 



1912. 



1911 . 

 1910. 

 1909. 



Tompkins King, tree i 



Num- 

 ber of 

 flowers 



65 

 379 

 129 



Num- 

 ber 

 set 



3 

 46 

 29 



Per- 

 centage 



set 



4.6 

 12. 1 

 22.5 



Tompkins King, tree 2 



Num- 

 ber of 

 flowers 



25 

 191 



85 



65 



169 



96 



Num- 

 ber 

 set 



3 

 34 

 12 



4 

 27 

 12 



Per- 

 centage 

 set 



12.0 

 17.8 

 14. 1 

 6.2 

 16.0 

 12.5 



Such observations can be interpreted on the basis of nutrition, that is, 

 an adequate supply of stored food which is readily available in spring, 

 as well as a sufficient supply of water. So long as active growth continues, 

 the assimilate is probably translocated to the growing parts; little is left 

 for storage and fruit-bud formation in the lateral buds. After growth 

 finally ceases on long twigs, the time remaining for active assimilation 

 is inadequate for abundant storage. On the other hand, short twigs 

 sto]) elongating much sooner; consequently, the lateral buds on short 

 twigs can store the food which is utilized for continued length growth 



174 



