Abscission of Flowers and Fruits of the Apple 



69 



June drop, were obtained in the case of a large limb taken from a Baldwin 

 tree in July, 191 5. The scars on the spurs that had lost frtiits during the 

 June drop were easily distinguishable from the smaller scars of the flowers 

 and fruits that had been lost earlier. The data are recorded in table 22: 



TABLE 22. Weights of Spurs Holding Fruits for Varying Lengths of Time 



Time spur held fruit 



Number 



of 



spurs 



Total 

 weight 

 (grams) 



Average 

 weight 

 (grams) 



Until first drop. 

 Until June drop 

 After June drop 



30 

 28 



30 



««.I2 



92.23 



128.23 



2.94 



3 29 



4.27 



The spurs that finally set fruit are heavier than the others. Those 

 that hold fruit until the June drop weigh more than those that lose all 

 fruit during the first few weeks. 



Relation between weight, or vigor, of the fruit-bearing spur, and number of 



fruits borne by it 



In several cases the fruit -bearing spurs from a given limb were divided 

 into two lots. One lot consisted of spurs that produced one fruit, the 

 other of spurs that produced two fruits. The average weight of each lot 

 was obtained. The figures are recorded in table 23, and show that spurs 

 bearing but one fruit are not so heavy as those bearing two fruits: 



TABLE 23. Relation between Weight of the Spur and Number of Fruits 



Borne by It 



The relation between the vigor, or weight, of a spur and its tendency 

 to produce more than one fruit is further emphasized by the data in 

 table 24. The spurs included in the strong lot had much larger leaves, 

 and more leaves to the spur, than those in the weak lot. All spurs were 

 taken from the same branch. The table shows that the strong lot con- 

 tained more spurs with two fruits than did the weak lot. 



183 



