96 



Bulletin 393 



is that even tho the fruits were equally large in all cases, and even tho the 

 leaf area was approximately the same on all spurs, some fruits remained 

 firmer than others. The leaves on the spurs having the firm fruits dried 

 before those on the .spurs bearing the shriveled fruits. Examination 

 showed that the badly shriveled fruits had fewer seeds than those which 

 were comparatively firm. The greater the number of seeds, the less water 

 was withdrawn from the fruit by the leaves. 



In several cases the fruit had not shriveled uniformly, but one side 

 remained firm while the other was decidedly wrinkled. In most cases 

 of this nature, the shriveled side corresponded to a seedless cavity while 

 the firm side usually contained two seeds in the corresponding cavity 

 (fig. 6). Similar results were obtained in repeated experiments, altho 

 exceptions to the general rule were occasionally found. Such exceptions 



Fig. 6. cross sections of apples, showing the relation between 

 seeds and the ability to withhold water 



The dotted area indicates the wilted part. It is associated with the seedless cavities 



might be explained on the basis of seed value. In these experiments 

 it is essential to choose spurs that bear fruit under exactly similar con- 

 ditions, as is emphasized later. 



Depression of freezing point by sap from fruits with varying numbers of 



seeds 



As Chandler (1913) has shown, sap obtained from leaves freezes at 

 a lower temperature than sap obtained from green fruit. The movement 

 of sap from fruit to leaves is accounted for by osmosis. Since leaves 

 withdraw water from many-seeded fruits less rapidly than from few- 

 seeded fruits, one might expect that the sap from fruits with many good 

 seeds would depress the freezing point more than sap from few-seeded 

 fruits. 



A few preliminary determinations regarding this point were made in 

 August, 191 5. The results obtained are very suggestive. The sap was 



210 



