REPORT OF THEl HORTICULTURAL 

 DEPARTMENT. 



THINNING APPLES.* 



S. A. BEACH. 



SUMMARY. 



Tests are here reported on thinning apples in June and July during 

 a period of four years. Mature trees of Baldwin, Rhode Island 

 Greening^ and Hubbardston Nonesuch were included in the tests. 

 These trees stood in a good commercial orchard. They were well 

 cared for and were all similarly treated except that some had their 

 fruit thinned while others did not. The thinning was usually done 

 when the fruit had grown to about one and one-half inches in diame- 

 ter. 



Observations were made on the effect of thinning upon the color, 

 size and market value of the fruit and upon the amount and regularity 

 of fruit production. Some data were obtained for a comparison of 

 different amounts of thinning but the results are not regarded as 

 conclusive. 



Color. When the trees were well filled with fruit, thinning gener- 

 ally improved the color. At harvest time the various hues were 

 heightened and tended to be more brilliant on fruit from thinned 



* A reprint of Bulletin No. 239. 



^ The name accepted for this variety by the Amer. Prom. Soc. is Rhode Island 

 Greening. In this bulletin the common name Greening will hereafter alone be 

 used. The name Hubbardston Nonesuch will also be shortened to Hubbardston. 



