Appendix. 175 



«ties are best for pollinizing purposes to plant with the Bartlett, select- 

 ing pears valuable for shipping, such as Cornice, Bose, Beurre Clair- 

 ^eau, and others? This question can be determined by those having the 

 different varieties for observation and a list of such varieties as are 

 suitable for planting togethei", in an orchard, in this latitude, would 

 be of great value to those who contemplate planting pear orchards. 



A similar question may well be asked in regard to apples. What 

 ^ood market apple would be best to plant v/ith the Gravenstein, and 

 what with the Spitzenberg? 



Observation of the orchards in the Willamette Valley leads to the 

 conclusion that a wise selection of varieties would have made a vast 

 difference in the profits of many of them, considering productiveness of 

 the orchards only. 



It is a question worthy of consideration whether the uncertainty of 

 our Italian prune crop is not, in part at least, because of the fact that 

 they are planted in solid blocks and given no chance for cross-pollination. 



In an old orchard we have an example of the need of cross-pollination in 

 the case of the Washington plum. In this orchard were originally, a 

 number of rows of plum ti-ees, the Peach plum, Yellow Egg, and the 

 Washington being planted in alternate rows across the orchai'd. Some 

 ten years or more ago these trees were all top-grafted to the French 

 prune except one Washington plum tree, which stood near the center of 

 the orchard and was unusually large, vigorous and productive. Since 

 that time it has retained its unusual vigor, but stands barren and has 

 not borne a crop of plums during the whole ten years. 



That the Royal Ann cherry is far more productive when properly 

 ci'oss-pollenized is well known, but experience has convinced me that 

 care should be taken in selecting the varieties to be used for such cross- 

 ing. The Black Republican has, with us, very often bloomed too early 

 to properly pollenize the Royal Ann, while the May Duke usually has its 

 pollen ripe when the stigma of the Royal Ann is withered. The Bing, 

 apparently, has shown no effect as a pollenizing agent, but the Deacon 

 and Lambert appear to be very effective in cross-pollenizing the Royal 

 Ann. Please understand that this is only given as experience in the 

 orchard with reference to trees standing in proximity where cross- 

 fertilization would naturally be expected, and not as a result of care- 

 fully conducted experiment. The importance of securing the best 

 cherry for crossing with the Royal Ann is increased, if, as some experi- 

 ments seem to indicate, the different crosses exert a direct influence on 

 the fdze of the fruit, since the value of this fruit for canning depends 

 largely upon its size. 



A series of careful experiments upon this subject would be of great 

 value. 



A problem which will become more important as the acreage in fi'uit 

 increases is that of competent help for the harvesting of our crops. In 

 some of the districts of California this has already become a question of 

 vital interest. Our berries, cherries and other small fruits are delicate, 



