7© Bulletin 393 



TABLE 24. Set of Fruit on Strong and on Weak Spurs 



The fact that fruit-setting spurs are heavier on the average than those 

 that do not set fruit, suggests that the presence of the fruit on the spur 

 may in itself be a stimulant to increase the weight of the spur. It is 

 probable that the food which is translocated to the developing fruit accu- 

 mulates just beneath the fruit stem, and in that way increases the weight 

 of the fruit -bearing spur. Such an accimiulation of food, however, is 

 usually not apparent until after the fruits have attained considerable 

 size. The presence of a fruit on a relatively weak spur does not materi- 

 ally increase its weight early in the season, nor does the absence of a fruit 

 from a vigorous spur put it in the weak class. The weight of the spur 

 is closely correlated with other conditions, as may be seen from the 

 following paragraphs. 



RELATION BETWEEN WEIGHT OF THE SPUR AND NUMBER OF FLOWERS TO 



THE SPUR 



As previously shown, spurs with many flowers have a greater tendency 

 to set fruit than those with a small number of flowers. The question 

 whether there is a relation between the number of flowers on the spur 

 and its weight, naturally suggests itself. Representative data regarding 

 this question are contained in table 25. The figures are based on a con- 



TABLE 25. Relation between Weight of the Spur and Number of Flowers 



ON It 



sideration of spurs on a limb from a Maiden Blush tree. It is seen that 

 spurs with many flowers are usually heavier than those with few flowers. 



184 



