FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 105 



pollen and the stigma will remain active and receptive for several days 

 generally, and so when in donbt of the first efficient pollenization repeat 

 again after several days. Pollenate the emasculated flowers now by rub- 

 bing a pollen-shedding- stamen from the male parent on the stigma of the 

 female or use a brush to apply the pollen. The essential thing is to get 

 a single pollen grain upon a receptive stigma, and that no foreign pollen 

 has a chance to pollenate it. After pollenation cover the flower until the 

 seeds begin to form. 



The proper labelling of the flowers is very important and may be best 

 accomplished by tying on a tag bearings the following data: — Male par- 

 ent, female parent, date of emasculation and pollination. These tags 

 should remain until the seed or fruit is gathered and kept for fu- 

 ture planting. 



For the phase of plant breeding, selection, no exact rules can be given. 

 Too much depends on the individual worker and the end he has in view. 

 The following general principles should be observed: — First, see that 

 only matured seeds are properly planted. Second, give the seedlings the 

 best conditions possible for growth. Third, compare carefully the char- 

 acters of the seedlings with those of the parents. Pick out those which 

 show the ideal to which you are Avorking and breed from them. Fourth, 

 keep accurate records and make your work of scientific value. Be able 

 to give the parentage of your choice plants as we do now with our favor- 

 ite animals. 



THE APPLE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



BY P. R. TAYLOR, WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Horticultural Society : 



This map was prepared with the idea of illustrating as plainly as 

 possible the apple regions of the United States. Each dot represents one 

 liundred thousand apple trees, and the figures used were obtained from 

 the 1010 census. 



Owing to the shortness of time, it will be possible to consider only tlie 

 most important regions. On the south shore of Lake Ontario we find 

 four counties Avhich have over 2,000,000 trees, very largely Greening and 

 Baldwin. This year the crop is very large. In spite of this enonnous 

 crop, the price of these two varieties has' gradually risen, and apparently 

 will continue to rise during the winter. This is due to two facts, first. 

 the operation of the new law, which makes honest packing compulsory, 

 and second, the fact that more care has been used in the distribution of 

 the crop, in order to prevent an over-supply at any one place at any 

 time. 



Let us now turn to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, which produces 

 high quality fruit almost entirely, the varieties being Grimes Golden, 

 York Imperial, and Albemarle Pippin. The last named is exported al- 

 most exclusively and the others supply the high class eastern trade. This 

 is extremely profitable, and while the fruit requires extra care, still the 

 returns more than pay for the effort. 



