Abscission of Flowers and Fruits of the Apple 



87 



a factor, together with the number of seeds, in determining the size of 

 the fruit. Accordingly, accurate weights of several hundred spurs, 

 together with the weight of the fruit borne on these spurs and the number 

 of seeds contained in each fruit, were recorded. The weighings were made 

 during July of 191 5 and July of 19 16. The data obtained in this way 

 are analyzed from several points of view in the following paragraphs. 



Size of fruit constant, number of seeds varying. — - In the cases recorded 

 in table 41, the fruits in each lot are approximately constant in weight 

 but the number of seeds varies. It should be mentioned that the fruits 

 in each lot were produced on the same branch. The branches were 

 approximately ten years old and measured about one and one-half centi- 

 meters in diameter at their bases. 



TABLE 41. Weight of Fruit Constant, Number of Seeds and Weight 



OF Spurs Varying 



Lot 



Variety 



Tompkins King 



Tompkins King 

 Tompkins King 

 Tompkins King 

 Rhode Island. . 

 Westfield 



Weight 

 of fruit 

 (grams) 



14 

 14 

 14 

 13 



16 

 16 



30 

 31 



95 

 97 



25 

 25 



21 

 21 



95 

 72 

 86 

 30 



05 

 96 



96 

 68 



90 

 10 



58 

 31 



64 

 87 



Number 



of seeds to 



the fruit 



2 



4 

 6 



7 



2 

 6 



3 

 6 



2 

 4 



3 

 8 



5 

 8 



Weight 

 of spurs 

 (grams) 



54 

 05 

 31 

 98 



97 



45 



09 



75 



05 

 40 



86 



28 



33 

 31 



If the weights of the spurs that bore the few-seeded fruits are compared 

 with the weights of those that bore the many-seeded fruits, it is seen 

 that in all cases the vigor was greater in the spurs bearing the few-seeded 

 fruits. In other words, the smaller the spur, the greater is the number 

 of seeds required to produce a fruit of a given size. 



Weight of spur constant, number of seeds varying. — The weight of spurs 

 in each group is approximately constant in the cases recorded in table 42. 

 The number of seeds in the fruits borne by these spurs varies. In each 

 lot, as before, the spurs were prodr'-^d on the same parent branch. 



201, 



