202 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



the pollen of other varieties is likely to give better fruit, as will be seen 

 later on. 



SELECTING THE POLLENIZER. 



Let us suppose that we intend to plant a larg-e block of an uncertain 

 variety, as Kieffer, because it has distinct merit as a market sort. We wish 

 to plant with it some other vai-iety to make it fruitful. There are two points 

 to be considered when selecting a pollenizer for Kieffer or for any other self- 

 sterile variety : the choice should not be indiscriminate. These are simul- 

 taneous blooming, and mutual affinity. 



The first and most important point is that the two shall blossom together, 

 since the only way in which a pollenizer can make a self-sterile variety fruit- 

 ful is by supplying it with pollen. This means that the pistils of the self- 

 sterile variety must be receptive when the stamens of the pollenizer are 

 ripe, which is possible only with simultaneous blooming. 



The comparative blooming of varieties is more or less a local problem. 

 Differences of latitude, altitude, soil, nearness to large bodies of water, and 

 weather conditions during the blooming season not only hasten or retard the 

 time of blooming, but also disturb the order in which the dift'erent varieties, 

 open. Varieties blossoming together at one place may not at another. The 

 best that can be done in the way of generalizing on the question of simul- 

 taneous blooming for cross-pollination is to make a chart for each well- 

 marked geograjjhical district. To this end several hundred fruitgrowers 

 have kindly taken notes the past two seasons, and when sufficient data is 

 collected these charts may be published. This will indicate in a general 

 way which of our standard commercial varieties may be expected to bloom 

 together ; yet each fruitgrower should be prepared to make minor corrections 

 for his own farm. Until more definite knowledge is available, each orchard- 

 ist should learn how varieties bloom in his own neighborhood before planting- 

 them for cross-pollination. It is better, but not always necessary, that the 

 two should bloom exactly together : if they overlap two or three days that 

 is long enough. « 



It is sometimes desirable to plant varieties of different botanical species 

 together for cross-pollination, but this jvill often be impracticable because 

 of the dift'erence in their blooming seasons. Thus the oriental pears, as 

 Kieffer, and the European pears, as Bartlett, usually do not blossom together. 

 Kieffer generally blooms several days before Bartlett. hence it is necessary 

 to pollinate it with a variety of its own class, as Le Conte or (barber. In some 

 places, however, the two groups blossom approximately together, and then 

 varieties like Bartlett and Seckel should be used in preference to Le Conte 

 or Garber, since their fruit has a greater market value and the trees are 

 less likely to blight. Whenever the European pears are used as poUinizers 

 for Kieffer it would be well, if otherwise practicable, to work them on quince 

 roots. Standard Kieffers will often bloom two or three years before standard 

 Bartletts planted at the same time, and unless early blooming dwarfs are in- 

 termingled they may be unproductive these first few years. 



The three classes of commercial plums, ^Japanese, domestic, and native, — 

 will usually 'bloom at different periods in the order named : luit when a 



