Page 12 



BETTER FRUIT 



By C. 



Experiments In Cherry Breeding 



E. Schuster, Assistant Professor of Pomology, Oregon Agricultural College 

 Experiment Station 



PREVIOUS work by this station has 

 established the fact that the Bing, 

 Lambert, and Napoleon (Royal Ann) 

 cherries are both self-sterile and in- 

 tersterile varieties. These varieties 

 cannot be expected to bear much 

 fruit when self-pollinated; neither 

 will they bear fruit when polli- 

 nated by either one of the other two 

 varieties. Where these varieties have 

 been planted singly or in combinations, 

 the crops have been very small or noth- 

 ing at all. Many reports are being con- 

 stantly received that cherry trees ten, 

 twelve and fourteen years old blossom 

 profusely each year, but produce no 

 fruit. Investigation of this condition 

 generally shows that the trees belong to 

 the Bing, Lambert or Napoleon variety 

 and are receiving no pollen from any 

 other varieties. 



Wihile these three above mentioned 

 varieties are inter-sterile with one an- 

 other, they respond readily to' cross- 

 pollination from several other varieties 

 like the Black Republican, Black Tar- 

 tarian, or the Waterhouse. The first two 

 varieties mentioned being unsuitable for 

 canning are not in general favor except 

 for home use. The W(aterhouse more 

 nearly approaches the Napoleon in size, 

 color and solidity; it is more satisfac- 

 tory to the canners as it brings a better 

 price to the canning trade than any of 

 the other varieties used for pollination. 

 Two types of Waterhouse are in cultiva- 

 tion, the long-stemmed and the short- 

 stemmed of which the long stemmed is 

 the more desirable. 



If one were to go' back to the early 

 history of horticulture in Oregon, he 

 would find that the Napoleon was often 

 propagated by means of seed. Many of 

 these seedlings were inferiot, while 

 others were almost identical with the 

 parent and worthy of being kept as or- 

 chard trees. They were sometimes 

 known as Napoleon or Royal Ann Seed- 

 lings ; at other times simply as Na- 

 poleon or Royal Ann trees, and were 

 often propagated by owners and set out 



in orchards. From these orchards they 

 were scattered by propagation in the 

 nurseries over the state and as a result 

 we often have a Napoleon type rather 

 than a strictly Napoleon variety. Many 

 of these are more or less inter-fertile 

 with the Napoleon, Bing and Lambert 

 varieties. This will undoubtedly ex- 

 plain the reason for the partial crop of 

 Napoleons in many of the commercial 

 orchards where they have planted the 

 Napoleon, Bing and Lambert varieties 

 in solid blocks. 



Besides the problems of sterility, 

 there comes up the question of suscepti- 

 bility to disease. All of the sweet cher- 

 ries are at times severely attacked by 

 bacterial gummosis. On account of these 

 problems breeding work with cherries 

 was started. Seed, resulting from crosses 

 on these varieties by several other varie- 

 ties, was planted in an endeavor to re- 

 produce a new heavy yielding variety 

 of high quality, free from gummosis, 

 self-fertile and inter-fertile with the 

 Bing, Lambert and Napoleon. A number 

 of seedlings were obtained, some of 

 which have been bearing for three or 

 four years. 



In the spring of 1920, eighteen of 

 the more promising of these seedlings 

 were placed under test for self-sterility. 

 Over 3300 blossoms were bagged and 

 allowed to self-pollinate. From these 

 blossoms a number of fruits developed 

 to one-third or one-half size and then 

 shriveled up and dropped off, but not 

 one developed to maturity, indicating a 

 condition of self-sterility for all of 

 these seedlings. 



On the trees where tests were being 

 carried on, good crops of cherries were 

 produced as a result of insect pollina- 

 tion. Due to the fact that there were 

 many other seedlings blossoming in this 

 lot, it is impossible to tell whether these 

 eighteen promising seedlings were inter- 

 fertile among themselves or were polli- 

 nated by the surrounding inferior trees. 

 The question therefore of inter-fertility 

 or inter-sterilitv between these trees re- 



"WENATCHEE ' FRUIT AND VEGETABLE 



PICKING BAG 



(Carpenter's Patent) 

 Made of heavy canvas, reinforced with 

 leather, stitched with waxed harness thread, 

 to a steel frame. Halter webb carries the 

 load from the shoulders as suspenders. 

 These patented features make it so popular, 

 serviceable, practical and labor-saving. 

 Send for Sample, $2.50 Postpaid. 

 Special Prices to Quantity Buyers 



C. A. CARPENTER 



3837 35th Ave. S. W. SEATTLE, WASH. 



Also write the Manufacturers and Distributors 



SCHEFFER & ROSSUM CO. 



ST. PAUL, MINN ESOTA 



WHEN WRITING ADVERTISERS MENTION BETTER FRUIT 



June, 1921 



Some Reliable Northwest 

 Nurserymen 



An Early Order 



For Fall or Spring 



Delivery 



Placed with 



SALEM NURSERY 

 COMPANY 



428 Oregon Building 

 SALEM, OREGON 



Will receive careful atten- 

 tion and give you good 

 choice of varieties 



Capital City Nursery 

 Company 



426 Oregon Building 

 SALEM OREGON 



Will supply you with 

 first class stock in 



FRUIT, NUT AND OR- 

 NAMENTAL TREES, 

 SMALL FRUITS, 

 ROSES 



Send for catalog 



PLANT NOW 



To Gain a Year 



Four dozen tested Everbearing 

 Strawberry Plants mailed pre- 

 paid $1.00. 



HYBRED 



(Trade Mark) 



New double crop variety — 

 mountain grown — best for the 

 West. Write for list to 



Evergreen 

 Plantations 



NEW MEADOWS, IDAHO 



