312 Report of the Horticultural Department of the 



erate crop and the thinning did not bring about any increase in 

 size of the fruit. Of the fruit fit for barreHng, that which was 

 thinned showed 69.9 per ct. in No. i grade, while the unthinned 

 fruit graded 72.9 per ct. No. i (p. 303). Similar results were 

 obtained in 1899 (p. 305). 



The only method tried with Hubbardston was the third, by 

 which the fruit was thinned to at least six inches apart. In 1896 

 under this method 71.4 per ct. of the barrel fruit graded No. i, 

 while only 54.3 per ct. of the corresponding unthinned fruit 

 graded No. i. Of the total barrel fruit in 1898 from the thinned 

 Hubbardston 74 per ct. graded No. i, while the unthinned 

 graded 75 per ct. No. i. The thinned fruit on the average was 

 certainly superior in size and made better grades than the un- 

 thinned fruit did. Moreover, the unthinned fruit showed over 

 60 per ct. more culls and eight times as many drops as did the 

 thinned fruit (pp. 308, 309). 



With Greening in 1897 under the third method 79 per ct. of 

 the barrel fruit graded No. i, while only 63 per ct. of the corre- 

 sponding unthinned fruit graded No. i. The thinned fruit was 

 distinctly superior in size, although the crop of both thinned and 

 unthinned fruit was light (pp. 308, 309). 



In these tests whenever the trees had a good crop the thinning 

 has had the effect of increasing the size of the fruit. This 

 occurred most often with Baldwin and Hubbardston and not 

 often with Greening. The Greening has a tendency to bear more 

 regularly than the Baldwin and does not usually carry so heavy 

 crops, consequently shows on the average less improvement from 

 thinning than does Baldwin. 



3. does thinning apples affect the market value? 



So far as the intrinsic value of the fruit influences its market 

 value this question must be answered in the affirmative. The 

 thinned fruit produced in these experiments was generally 

 superior to the corresponding unthinned fruit in size, color and 

 general attractiveness. It was much better adapted than the un- 

 thinned fruit for making fancy grades, packing in boxes, etc., and 

 where such methods of marketing can be used to advantage 



