February, ipso 



If then, under the most favorable con- 

 ditions 31.8 per cent constitutes anormal 

 set of fruit when two or more varieties 

 are planted together, we can readily see 

 that the majority of the varieties listed 

 in Table I would not produce a crop if 

 planted in large blocks by themselves. 



Methods of Determining Self-Sterility. 

 Fletcher states that "merely enclos- 

 ing the unopened blossoms of a variety 

 in paper sacks is not a fair test of the 

 ability of the variety to set fruit with 

 its own pollen." This method, how- 

 ever, is one followed largely by investi- 

 gators at the present time. If the bag- 

 ging method is not a conclusive test 

 for self-sterility, what method then 

 should be followed? In 1912, two 

 methods were tested out: First, en- 

 closing unopened blossoms in paper 

 sacks; second, erecting tents of cheese 

 cloth over individual trees. The results 

 secured by the two methods are given 

 in Table III. 



TABLE 3.— BEHAVIOR OF DIFFERENT VARI- 

 ETIES TO SET FRUIT UNDER THE TWO 

 METHODS— 1 91 2— UN IVERSITY 

 OF IDAHO. 



Number Number Percent 

 Blossoms nagged blossoms fruits of fruit 

 bagged set set 



Grimes 1485 78 5.2 



Jonathan 1788 86 4.8 



Rome 2418 72 3.0 



Wagener 2456 302 12.3 



Number Number Per cent 

 Blossoms Caged blossoms fruits of fruit 



in cages set set 



Grimes 8232 149 1.7 



Jonathan 15588 461 2.9 



Rome 6870 398 5.7 



Wagener 3659 651 17.7 



It is evident from the results secured 

 that there is very little difference be- 

 tween the two methods used. 



To determine if there was any differ- 

 ence in the temperature within the 

 cages and the temperature on the out- 

 side, thermometers were placed in dif- 

 ferent positions among the branches. 

 The readings show that the differences 

 under the two conditions were very 

 slight. 



T\BLE 4.— TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE 

 CAGES. 



Grimes Golden. 



Position of Temperature Temperature 



Thermometer in cage in open 



Under branches 21J°C 21°c 



Exposed to sun 22i°c 23°c 



Center of tree 22°c igj'c 



Side of tree 215°c 20J°c 



Upper branches 24°c 22i c 



Seed Development. 



In view of the fact that seed produc- 

 tion is supposed to be the exciting cause 

 of the growth of the flesh of the fruit, 

 a study was made of the self-fertilized 

 and cross-fertilized fruits. In Bulletin 

 No. 104 of the Oregon Experiment Sta- 

 tion, it was found that the majority of 

 the fertile and partially fertile fruits 

 were seedless fruits or fruits with only 

 a few seeds. Fletcher in his work with 

 pears found that the fruits produced 

 from Bartlett pollen had shrunken seeds 

 and failed to germinate. Our results 

 confirms those already recorded as 

 shown in the following table: 



BETTER FRUIT 



Page 13 



Test \>7 Mr. Richard Reulter. 

 Valley City. Ohio. 

 Average Yield per Tree 

 Sulphate of Ammonia. 



4 lbs per tree IT ou- 



UnfertUlzed • ■ • 11 O"- 



Northern Spy variety. 



t^ FERTILIZED Z'\ 



^ WITH —1 _ 



SULPHATE 





; AMMbNiA_r]r:rr::x"K| -— 



TOP DRESSING TALKS, No. 4 



Nitrogen Pays in the Orchard 



"Orchards in a somewhat run-down or devi- 

 talized condition are greatly benefited by the use 

 of nitrogen. 



"Nitrogen added in March causes a larger per- 

 centage of set of fruit in April, an immediate 

 change in the character of the foliage, and a stim- 

 ulation of the wood growth." (From Oregon Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station Report 1914-1915.) 

 This station also reports that in an apple orchard test in 

 Hood Valley, Oregon, "$30.57 worth of fertilizer for each acre 

 increased the yield from 68 to 756 boxes, approximately 11.1 

 times in two years.' ' 



ARCADIAN 



Sulphah of Ammonia 



Arcadian Sulphate ofAiniuonia is the best form of nitrogen for orchard 

 fertilization. The following are its advantages: 



Arcadian contains "i' more nitrogen than any other top dressing fertilizer. 



The nitrogen is all soluble, quickly available and non-leaching. 



Its crop-producing power per unit nitrogen is equal to or greater than any 

 other nitrogenous fertilizer. 



In addition to its high nitrogen content it is rich in sulphur, an important 

 plant food often lacking in Western soils. 



It comes in fine mechanical condition and can be applied by hand or fertil- 

 izer distributor without previous grinding or screening. 



It is low priced per unit ammonia. 



Top dress the orchard with from 100 to 200 lbs. per acre in the zone 

 of the feeding roots, just before blossoming time. 



FOR SALE BY 



CALIFORNIA: San Francisco, Hawaiian Fertilizer Co.. Pacific Boiie Coal & Fertilizing Co.. 

 Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Co., Western Meat Co., California Fertilizer Works; f'°^-J"5f", 

 Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Co., Pacific Bone Coal & Fertilizer Co., Agricultural Chem.ca' 

 Works, Hauser Packing Co.. Hawaiian Fertilizer Co., Southern California Fertilizer Co. 

 OREGON: North Portland, Swift and Co. 



The (^^^0 Company 



For information 

 as to application, 

 write 



510 First National Bank Building, Berkeley, Cal 



Agricultural 

 Department 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FRUIT 



