10 July, 1917.] 



Apple Culture in Victoria. 



397 



When planting an orchard of Jonathan on rich, well-drained soil, 

 the Yates may be used to interplant, as these conditions favour its 

 cultivation ; but when the soil is below the average fertility, and par- 

 ticularly if undrained, Gravenstein, Delicious, or Sturmer may be 

 employed. Commencing on the outside with two rows of Yates or 

 other variety chosen to inter-pollinate, then four rows of Jonathan, 

 two rows of Yates, and so on until the planting of the block is com- 

 pleted. One row of Yates or other variety employed for the same 

 purpose would be sufficient to secure the desired effect, but, in con- 

 nexion with sj)raying and general management of the orchard, it has 

 been found desirable to employ two rows successively. 



Insufficiency of fluid in the stigmas has been given as one of the 

 probable causes of sterility. This defect is most noticeable in the 

 Jonathan, which invariably shows under-development of the stigmas, 

 and this may be observed in the decentralized flower in Plate 105, 

 Fig. 1, as compared with the higher development of the stigmas of 

 the Bellflower, Fig. 2. As a rule, the larger the stignia, the more fluid 

 it contains. Illustrations of 216 varieties of stigmas will he given 

 later in connexion with nomenclature of the apple. 



The late-blooming varieties, London Pippin, Rome Beauty, &c., are 

 often sterile if not inter-planted, but an orchard containing a mixture 

 of these, other conditions being favorable, is usually most fruitful. 



The Part the Bee plays in Fruit Production. 



In order to fertilize a flower so that it may set fruit, it is neces- 

 sary that a pollen grain should lodge and germinate in the stigma. 

 In the case of self-pollination, the pollen may be carried from the 



Plate 110.— Bees in the Orchard. 



