CHOP TALK NO. 2. 185 



pollinated are not so large or vigorous as the fruits from cross- 

 fertilized blossoms on the same tree; besides, a much larger 

 proportion of the self-fertilized fruits drop before they reach 

 the size of a hazel nut. With many varieties not more than one 

 blossom in a hundred sets fruit when self-fertilized. Out of forty- 

 two self-sterile varieties (the Wealthy one of these) and nineteen 

 other varieties capable of producing some fruit when standing 

 alone, scarcely a good crop was secured, and in nearly every in- 

 stance the fruit was smaller and less desirable than cross-pollin- 

 ated fruit. The conclusion seems inevitable that large blocks of 

 a single variety of apple should never be planted. The varieties 

 placed together should be such as will blossom about the same 

 time and capable of cross-fertilizing each other. Strong rather 

 than weak pollen bearers should be planted together in com- 

 mercial orchards, and since varieties behave differently toward 

 each other in different sections of the country great care should 

 be exercised in choosing varieties for cross-pollination. 



Fruit Color. I saw at the American Pomological Society 

 meeting, in Boston, some very fine, highly colored named and 

 seedling apples from Canada that have given me food for thought 

 along the line of how are we to develop seedlings of high color, 

 thus adding to the commercial value of our fruit products. Not 

 every one can be expected to grow fruit of highest color on ac- 

 count of their peculiar soil, but no doubt they can in a measure 

 modify their soil conditions by the use of proper mineral and 

 vegetable fertilizers. We have large areas of natural fruit soils 

 which if properly utilized will produce fruit of the finest texture, 

 quality and color. I have here a sample of the Wealthy and Ben 

 Davis apple grown on what was once timber land, on a steep 

 hillside, a clay loamy soil underlaid with a stiff yellow clay mixed 

 with sand, gravel and stones. Apples grown from trees planted 

 on this hillside are invariably of the finest quality and command 

 the top of the market on account of their high color. I believe 

 fruit grown on a clay soil of this kind will keep much longer 

 than when grown on a thinner, sandy soil. In saying this, I 

 do not by any means wish to discourage the planting of fruit 

 trees even if one has not the very best of soils ; by all means plant 

 trees and seeds, and by giving good care and cultivation you 

 will be rewarded with fruit having remunerative, if not the high- 

 est, commercial value. 



Thinning of Fruits. At the state fair there were exhibited 

 three branches of seedling apples very heavily loaded with small 

 sized fruit, and samples from the same tree taken from limbs not 



