S. Pickering 135 



the results with each variety separately. This has been possible in 

 the case of four sets only (2 to 5 in the above table), and, consequently, 

 more weight must be attached to these than to the results from those of 

 the mixed plantations, 1 and 6. 



The good and poor fruiting of a plantation as a whole in alternate 

 seasons, must argue against any tendency in the individual trees towards 

 alternate fruiting, for it shows that this alternation of bearing has 

 been determined by some extraneous circumstance which has affected 

 all the trees alike; whereas if there were any innate tendency towards 

 alternation, it would not be exhibited by different individuals in the 

 same year: in a plantation consisting of many individuals, therefore, 

 even of the same variety, an average uniformity of production would 

 result. As already stated, the chief factor affecting the cropping at 

 Ridgmont is the incidence of spring frosts, and there certainly appears 

 to be a tendency for these frosts to recur in alternate seasons, causing 

 an alternation in the cropping of the plantations. The results with 

 Stirling Castle, Bramley and the Variety plantation are set out below, 

 the numbers giving the relative magnitude of the crops compared, 

 in the case of Stirling Castle, with the crop in 1900 as 100, and, in the 

 other cases, with that of 1911 as 100. 



A plus or minus sign has been placed after the values showing whether 

 they are above or below the means of the preceding and succeeding 

 seasons, and the extent to which these signs alternate, though not 

 without some irregularities, is very remarkable ; and this alternation 

 may now be extended by another season, for the crops this year are 

 far below the average. In the case of Cox and Potts no such 

 alternations were recognisable, but, of course, owing to differences in 

 the dates of blossoming, and the hardiness of the flower buds, all 

 varieties would not be affected to a like extent by frost in any given 

 season. 



{Received May Isf, 1916.) 



