748 Joiiniul of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Dec, 1917. 



These results would indicate tliat the yield of dry fruit from a given 

 variety grown in the Northwest is practically what the same variety 

 yields in other apple-producing regions of the United States. Extensive 

 comparative studies of the chemical composition of the leading varieties 

 of apples when grown under the various conditions of rainfall and 

 irrigation occuring in the Northwest are badly needed. Such studies 

 have thus far been made only for Idaho apples. Jones and Colver, of the 

 Idaho Experiment Station, have made extensive series of analyses* of 

 the chief varieties of apples and other fruits grovni in that State, with 

 and without irrigation, and the results strongly indicate that there is 

 no substantial ground for the widely current statement that North- 

 western apples are higher in water content, lower in sugar and total 

 carbohydrate content, and lower in nutritive value than apples grown in 

 other sections of the United States. While the variations in composition 

 of any given variety shown by the analyses of Jones and Colver are very 

 considerable, equally great variations are found when analyses of 

 varieties grown in other regions are compared, and the averages 

 of any two sets of analyses made in different portions of the 

 United States fall very nearly together when compared. Consequently, 

 no one need give credence to statements to the effect that North-western 

 apples will yield a materially smaller quantity of evaporated product 

 than is obtained from the same varieties in the East. 



• Jones, J. S., and Colver, C. W., The Composition if Irrigated ami Xon-iriigatid Friiils. Bull. 75. 

 Idaho Agric. Exp. Sta. 1912, p. 54. 



In spite of the fact that abundance of blossoms is produced, it some- 

 times happens that our orchard trees fail to hear fruit. The failure is 

 due to_ one or more of several causes, which a bulletin of the Colorado 

 Experiment Station summarizes as follows : — 



First. — ^Many varieties of apples and pears are self-sterile. That is, 

 they are not capable of setting fruit properly unless pollen from another 

 variety is used. For example, Bartlett and Kiefer pears, in many 

 locations, when they are planted in solid blocks, give less satisfactory 

 results than when they are planted with such varieties as Lawrence, 

 Duchess, and Anjou. With apples and pears it is good practice to mix 

 varieties. However, if varieties with proper affinities are selected, one 

 variety to furnish the pollen is as good as a number. 



Second. — The pistil, the part of the flower to develop fruit, is more 

 easily frozen than other parts of the flower. Hence the pistil may be 

 frozen while otherflower parts are not affected; consequently, blossoms 

 are formed, but fail to set fruit. 



Third. — Trees in a weak condition, although blooming abundantly, 

 often fail to set fruit. 



Fourth.— The pistil may be mechanically injured, and the pollen 

 washed away by rain at the time when blossoms are open. 



Fifth. — ^Blossoms often drop in great numbers when the tree is form- 

 ing an excessive amount of wood. 



Sixth. — Over-abundance of nitrogen fertilizers. 



Seventh. — Diseased buds. 



Eighth.--Heavy spraying of trees, especially before pollination has 

 in some few instances resulted in a loss of blossoms. This is not .serious, 

 however. 



