206 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



FEUIT BLOSSOMS. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRUIT BLOSSOMS. 



C. AV. H. HEIDEMAN, NEW ULM. 



The season of 1892 was an extraordinary one, particularly ttie spring and 

 early summer. 



The writer with the assistance of Mr. O. M. Lord of Minnesota City had 

 mapped out a series of observations on fruit blossoms, especially those of 

 our native plums, but owing to the backwardness of the season all of the 

 data obtained early in the season had to be abandoned later, as far as en- 

 abling us to draw the conclusions desired from a series of observations 

 under favorable circumstances. 



A few bright days in April gave vegetation a start; plum blossoms began 

 to swell, and in a few days had nearly arrived at the opening or bursting 

 period; cold cloudy weather set in and continued steadily for 5 or 6 weeks, 

 with scarcely a bright warm day in tne interval. 



Plum blossoms that in 1891 opened from May 3rd to 10th, this year, 

 ready to open upon the advent of one or two bright warm days, did not 

 open generally until May 24th to June 5th, and at that time the weather, 

 though warmer, was cloudy and damp. 



Juneberries in 1891 were in full bloom May 1st, and although quite 

 severe frosts were recorded almost every night from April 29th to May 5th 

 the days were bright and warm; the blossoms set fruit freely. This year, 

 1892, Juneberries under about the same conditions as plums bloomed May 

 24th to June 1st and set no fruit at all. During 1892 plums, cherries, 

 sand cherries, bird cherries, Juneberries and other fruits bloomed from 

 May 24th to June 5th, while heretofore a difference of at least 10 to 15 days 

 has been observed in the period of blooming. 



About 20 varieties of grapes observed were at least 15 days later in leav- 

 ing out and about a week later in blooming. 



Examination of plum blossoms during May showed weak and aborted 

 organs, with but very little pollen, and that washing away by rains. The 

 blossoms continued a longer period, and those that set fruit soon aborted 

 and dropped. Even by protection of the blossoms and hand pollination, 

 about 80 per cent of my recorded crosses failed in setting or maturing 

 fruits, and these did not reach full size. The organs of reproduction had 

 evidently become vitally weakened by their long wait in a semi-dormant 

 state. Cherry blossoms, on the contrary, did not begin to swell until 

 about May 20th, were in full bloom between May 25th and 31st, and set 

 and matured a good crop of fruit. 



