The Apple in Oregon : Part II. 125 



or six would need or use. In sucli case it is better to remove the extra trees tlian 

 to endanger the health and vigor of the trees and the quality of fruit upon the 

 remaining ones, as is only too frequently the result under such circumstances. An 

 excess of fruit tends to cheapness ; this induces an indifference which sooner or 

 later disastrously affects the care and attention that should be given the trees 

 every year. When once neglected, it requires double the effort to renew the care 

 formerly given. This is often "the straw that sets awry," and down goes an 

 orchard that otherwise might have been a pride and a joy to its owner, an untold 

 blessing to the family, and a boon to "the stranger that has tarried within thy 

 gates." 



I'OLLINATION. 



During recent years no one phase of orcharding has received more thought 

 than that of pollination. Though more or less regarded by the leading horticul- 

 turists of the past, at least since Knight's time, this svibject rose to one of para- 

 mount importance upon the publication of a bulletin upon the pollination of the 

 pear by M. B. Waite in 1893. Since the appearance of this bulletin many observa- 

 tions have been made upon this very important subject, and all have tended to 

 prove the importance of it. Today no intelligent orchardist contemplates plant- 

 ing varieties until he has fully investigated their self-sterility or self-fertility and 

 their fitness for cross-fertilization. However, it must not be understood that all 

 failures of crop can be ascribed to the impotency of pollen. Nor that the pollen 

 of relatively shy bearers like the Spitzenburgh or Northern Spy is altogether im- 

 potent, for it is known that in many instances tlie pollen of such varieties is effi- 

 cient as a fertilizer. 



Then, again, local climatic, soil, seasonal, or other conditions may be such 

 that the pollen of some individuals or varieties may be impotent one season, wliile 

 fully effective the following or subsequent years. This fact is particularly evidenced 

 in the conduct, one season with another, of the Italian prune. Large blocks of 

 this fruit are to be found in various parts of Western Oregon and Western Wash- 

 ington, in particular. Some years it bears a fairly full crop in all sections : in 

 other years the orchards in one or more localities will fail, or produce but a par- 

 tial crop, while orchards in other parts bear full crops ; and even individual or- 

 chards in a locality may bear a full crop, or none, while others are returning op- 

 posite results. 1 From the researches of Waite and others, there is reason to be- 

 lieve that the same general rules relating to the impotency of pollen will apply 

 equally to the apple, pear, plum, and cherry, though perhaps less noticeable with 

 this latter fruit, as large blocks of single varieties are not as common as with the 

 others. 



In summarizing the results of this work upon the apple and the pear, Waite 

 says : "Too much importance must not be attached to cross-pollination as a factor 

 in fruitfulness. There are other factors equally as important. The variety, vigor, 

 health, age, heredity, and vitality of the tree ; the presence of undue climatic, soil. 

 and site conditions, and fungous diseases are all vital factors in the fruitfulness 

 of orchards, and must net be overlooked,"* 



Varieties generally considered self-fertile — that is. safe to plant alone, are : 

 P.en Davis, Rome Beauty, Jonathan, Baldwin,** r'alla water. Oldenburg, Khode 

 Island Greening-, Astrachan. 



Varieties that are considered more or less self-sterile are : Spit/.enburgli. 

 Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Winesap, Belleflower, Willow Twig. 



iThere appears to be accumulating evidence tending toward this conclusion 

 rather than that slight frosts or rains are fully responsible for the failures of the 

 Italian to set fruit some years. 



♦Waite, M. B., U. S. Agricultural Report, 1898. 



**Trees of this variety have been observed to be apparently self-sterile. See 

 report quoted above. 



