112 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ill an extensive and systematic way several years ago by scientists of tlie 

 Department of Agriculture in the citrus groves of California. For a 

 long time, some growers liad observed a distinct difference in different 

 trees in groves of uniform age, variety and growing on apparently uni- 

 form soil. A few unusually close observers had detected a slight differ- 

 ence in the shape or growth habit of the tree. One successful grower 

 was found to have a grove of lemons of very uniform trees. It developed 

 that all of these trees had been propagated from buds from one especial- 

 ly desirable tree. 



FRUIT TREES VARY. 



A very elaborate and extensive investigation disclosed the fact that in 

 groves of citru>s trees, oranges, lemons and grape fruit, and also in 

 orchards of peaches and apples, that the trees may be of a certain variety 

 and the care and culture may be uniform and the soil the same yet the 

 yield or preformance record of many trees may vary a great deal. The 

 dilferences were not limited to yields alone but to time of ripening; to 

 well marked peculiarities of the fruit, from very undesirable tyi^es to 

 those of very superior types and in one case, grape fruit a seedless ty[)e 

 was discovered. Very great differences in peach trees have been found 

 in Connecticut. 



CROPS SHOW VARIATION. 



You will, of course, be interested to know that your own Experiment 

 Station is investigating this question for apples in cooperation with the 

 Department of Agriculture. The work was started this ]jast fall at Beld- 

 ing and Ionia. In the Northern Spy orchard of L. E. Hall at Ionia we 

 have what we call and ask you to do the same, "performance records" 

 (rom a large number of trees. Understand, that these trees are all Bald- 

 wins, the same age, the soil in which they grow is apparently uniform, 

 the trees look as near alike as you will find in any commercial, well 

 cared for orchard. Yet the ''performance record" shows that the 3'ield 

 of these trees runs as follows: 



343/4 bu. 



202/3 



21% 



151/0 High Color 



88^/5 Ripens unevenly 



8% Alternate-bearing not High Color 



17 bu. One side heavy 



HYj, bu. Extra Pine quality — (Mr. H. always saves this for his own 



use) 



30/ 

 73 



151/3 



PERFORMANCE RECORDS VALUABLE. 



Not only are there differences in the actual yield but in the type and 

 quality of the fruit. Some trees produce fruits of an unusual shape, it 

 may be desirable or undesirable. Further observation will reveal the 

 fact that these differences did not always extend over the whole tree. 

 Often they were to be found upon only one limb and sometimes only one 

 spur- would show an unlike fruit. You are asked to recall any observa- 



