BOBTICULTURE. 



39 



had nol been root pruned at all were unfruitful as usual. One of the latter trei 

 rool pruned later and gave results Bimilar to the earlier root-pruned tn 



In discussing the Bubject of fertilization and sterility, the author states thai prac- 

 tically all varieties of strawberries in England, with the possible exception of the 

 Hautbois type, bear both stamens and pistils, while in America many of these varie- 

 ties are distinctly pistillate. Crescenl Seedling is cited as a specific example. This 

 variety, which is perfecl in England, is generally pistillate in the United States. 



The staminate portion of flowers has generally been held to be more easily injured 

 than the pistillate portions, bul this lias not been found l>y the author to be the case 

 with our principal fruits when the temperature falls below the freezing point. Under 

 those circumstances the pistil and stigma are more quickly injured, though some- 

 thing depends upon the Btage the flower has reached. Bui even with small unopened 

 blossoms of apples, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, gooseberries, currants, 

 and strawberries, the pistils have repeatedly Keen found destroyed when the stamens 

 showed no damage. The greatesl injury to stamens appears with sudden variations, 

 especially from a low temperature to a high one w itii abundant moisture. 



The author's observations indicate thai "pollen production is the mosl serious tax 

 upon the strength of the tree, ami in consequence in the case of weakness 01 soil 

 poverty the stamens oranthers are the firsl to suffer." This has been noticed in the 

 apples Stirling Castle, Lord Suffield, and Cox Orange Pippin, and others, besides 

 several plums, penis, and peaches. "In such cases Bterility has been effectually 

 removed by liberal application of complete manurial aids; bul where the defect has 

 arisen from some other cause it has been necessary to plant other varieties with the 

 failing sorts in order to provide the requisite pollen." 



Under systems of classification examples are given of a number of methods which 

 have been adopted by English writers in classifying and describing fruits, with com- 

 ments on the usefulness and defects of the different systems. 



Plant food constituents used by bearing- fruit trees, L. L. Van Slyke, 

 o. M. Taylor, and \V. II. Andrews {New York Shit,' Sta. Bul. 265, pp. 205- . 

 Experiments were undertaken to ascertain the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 

 potash, lime, and magnesia used in one growing season by bearing fruit trees. 



From I to 3 standard varieties each of apple, peach, pear, plum, and quince were 

 examined. All t he trees were typical representatives of their kind and in the full 

 vigor of bearing. The plan of the work included the analysis of the fruit, leaves, 



and new growth of \\ 1 as represented by the tips of branches of each individual 



tree. A number of tables are given which show the data collected in the case of 

 each tree as regards the plant-food constituents of the fruit, leaves, and new w I. 



The varieties of apples used in the experiment were Rhode Island Greeningand 

 Baldwin; of peaches. Champion, Elberta, and Hills Chili; of pears, Kiefferand 

 Angouleme; of plums, Grand Duke and Italian Prune: and of quinces, Champion. 

 The fruit on the different trees was picked when ripe. The foliage was left until it 



showed a tendency to drop. The twigs of new wood were removed soon afterwards. 

 The following table shows the average amounl of plant-food constituents used by 

 each fruit tree of the different varieties studied: 



Plant food used during <> season's growth by a malurt fruit tree in full bearing. 



4393— No. 1—05 



