64 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit for a series of years, and then for a year, or perhaps more than 

 one year, the blossoms will be without pistils. Harrison s Peach is 

 known as a very shy bearer, though not deficient in pollen; ninety 

 per cent, of the blossoms are usually without pistils, while with 

 Rollingstone, Desota and other regular bearers not more than one 

 or two per cent, are so. 



Another striking difference is in the form of the pistils. Some are 

 short and stocky, others long and slim; some never reach beyond 

 the anthers or pollen, and some protrude one-third or more of their 

 length; whatever the shape, it is always uniform in that variety. All 

 kinds are visually provided with sufficient pollen, and a very small 

 portion is sufficient to perforin its office, though it is much more 

 abundant in some kinds than in others. Its vitality is, however, 

 easily destroyed. The most reliable trees to bear are those hav- 

 ing blossoms with short, stocky pistils and with small incurved 

 petals. This form appears to be more exempt from the vicissi- 

 tudes of the weather than those with long, slim pistils and broad 

 open petals. Among other fruits it has been questioned whether 

 the pollen has a secondary influence or modifies the fruit to any 

 extent; the plum is so variable from season to season, that it is 

 difficult to demonstrate a secondary influence, but it has been 

 observed that where freestones and clingstones have been planted 

 near together that both kinds of fruit have been found on both 

 trees. 



Non-hearing. — What has been said in regard to blossoms, inci- 

 dentally covers some of the ground in regard to non-bearing, time 

 of blossoming, structure and peculiarity of the blossom and hab- 

 its of the tree. In some cases trees that have been known to 

 bear well in their wild state, refuse to bear when transferred to 

 cultivation. Mr. Weir was among the first to discover that one of 

 the difficulties was want of pollenizing, and obviated it by planting 

 different varieties near together, being careful to plant those that 

 bloom at the same time closely together. This is found to be 

 quite essential with some varieties, while others bear abundantly, 

 whether isolated or in groups. The Miner when standing alone is 

 not reliable, though considered an excellent pollenixer for other 

 varieties, and is itself very susceptible of the pollen of others. The 

 Desota does not apj^ear to be dependent upon these conditions, but 

 will bear fruit when among others or when standing alone. Cut- 

 ting the tree closely for scions has a tendency to check the bearing 

 for the following season, as the energy of the tree is then directed 

 to making wood; but cutting off some of the large branches in the 

 spring has the effect to promote the growth of both wood and fruit. 



Proi)agation. — In a natural .state the trees most iisuall}' reproduce 

 themselves by suckers or sprouts from the roots. This tendency is 

 increased under cultivation, if the roots are cut or broken. In such 

 cases the young trees always produce fruit of the same kind and 

 quality as the parent tree. But if trees are grown for seed, the 

 fruit may vary widely from that of the parent in size, quality and 

 appearance, unless the parent was entirely isolated at time of blos- 

 soming and not exposed to the influence of other pollen. Red 



