Pollination 131 



Advantages and disadvantages of pistillate varieties. 



Pistillate varieties, however, have some advantages. 

 As a rule, their blossoms are somewhat hardier than those 

 of staminate varieties. The superior frost resistance of 

 pistillate blossoms has been observed by too many grow- 

 ers in all parts of the country to be questioned. J. L. 

 Budd explained this fact by the theory, "The develop- 

 ment of pollen is an exhaustive process ; hence, the ovaries 

 of the perfect varieties are not as well stored with starch 

 and as perfectly matured as varieties of those that have 

 no stamens or pollen." The immunity of pistillate varie- 

 ties to injury by the weevil is noted on page 272. 



On the other hand, it is decidedly inconvenient to be 

 obliged to set polHnizers with pistillate sorts. Solid 

 blocks of one variety are more convenient in every way, 

 especially in harvesting. Careless pickers are likely to 

 mix the two varieties in the box, giving it an uneven, 

 ungraded appearance. If prolonged rains occur during 

 blossoming time, the pollen is not well distributed ; under 

 these conditions, pistillate varieties have a larger number 

 of imperfect berries than staminate sorts. In the coast 

 region of British Columbia pistillate varieties are not 

 popular, for this reason. 



Pistillate varieties gradually disappearing. 



According to U. P. Hedrick, "from 1834 to 1870 there 

 were 185 varieties originated. Of these, 96, or 52 per cent, 

 were pistillate. From 1870 to 1900, 513 varieties w^ere 

 originated. Of these, 156, or 30 per cent, were pistillate." ^ 

 To continue his argument, but 28 per cent of the 482 

 varieties introduced between 1900 and 1916 are pistillate. 

 Hedrick concludes : " This shows a gradual tendency 



1 "American Gardening," XXII (1901), p. 226. 



