36 



on any system of nomenclature which is 

 based on the internal structure of the 

 fruit. I do not say that some system will 

 never be discovered, for I believe that 

 we shall sooner or later find some method 

 by which we shall be able to separate and 

 classify all the various species and 

 genera. With apples it is different. Thanks 

 to the careful and long-extended researches 

 of such eminent pomologists as Diel, 

 Dochnahl, and thd veteran, Dr Hogg, it 

 has been discovered that there are certain 

 variations in the structural form of the 

 ovary which are sufficiently marked and 

 constant to enable a system of nomencla- 

 ture to be based upon them. I will 

 briefly describe the process of identifica- 

 tion. On cutting an apple in halves from 

 top to bottom it will be noticed that there 

 is an openmg from the crown or flower 

 end of the fruit extending towards 

 the core, and that this opening, or tube 

 as it is termed, is shaped either like 

 a funnel, or else is conical. At 

 various positions on the sides of this 

 opening will be found the atrophied re- 

 mains of the stamens, which are on the 

 inside of the tube, while on the outside of 

 the tube will be seen the remains of the 

 sepals or flower. Patient research has 

 shown that these characteristics are 

 sufficiently invariable to enable the 

 pomologist to separate the different 

 varieties of apples into distinct classes, 

 such as : Apples with a funnel-shaped 

 tube, and apples with a conical tube. 

 These may again be sub-divided into three 

 classes, viz : — Apples with marginal 

 stamens ; apples with rpedian stamens ; 

 and apples with basal stamens. There 

 are also other differences of structure 

 which are sufficiently constant in each 

 variety to enable a reliable classification to 

 be made. Turning to another subject, 

 which, as far as 1 am aware, has been 

 completely overlooked by our orchardists 

 — I refer to the pollination of fruit trees — 

 I would point out the great importance 

 which this process of nature is to the 

 fruitgrower. It is the answer to the often- 

 repeated question, " Why do not my trees 

 bear better ? ' Fruitgrowers have long 

 known, though they may never have 

 tried to discover the reason why, 

 that certain varieties of fruits are 

 less fertile than others. It is, however, 

 now recogoised by experts that there is a 

 simple reason for such infertilicy, and 



that many fruits are practically self* 

 sterile. What I mean is, that it has been 

 proved that some fruits are almost 

 entirely incapable of being fertilised by 

 their own pollen, and require cross- 

 fertilisation Defore they can become 

 fruitful. This is a very interesting ques- 

 tion, and presents some striking features. 

 Ii has been proved to demonstration that 

 certain fruits should never, as is ordinarily 

 the case, be planted in blocks together. I 

 need not point out how important such a 

 question is to anyone who intends to 

 plant out a new orchard. It is probable 

 that all our fruits would be improved by 

 affording them the fullest change of 

 pollen that can be obtained. This can 

 be easily effected by alternating rows of 

 different kinds, and without adding very 

 materially to the difficulties of picking 

 and separating the varieties. To show 

 how real the advantage is which may be 

 gained by adopting this course, I may 

 mention the case of a large pear orchard 

 at San Jose, in California, which containsd 

 4000 Bartlett, or, as we know them here, 

 Williams's Bon Chretien pear trees. For 

 some years this orchard was absolutely 

 unproductive, but when the owner, in 

 despair, cut down alternate rows and 

 regrafted them with other kinds, imme- 

 diately the fruit began to set. and he has 

 obtained a good yield ever since. Long 

 before I had heard of this and similar 

 experiments, my attention had been 

 drawn to the subject, and as far back as 

 1889, I began to make a series of experi- 

 ments, which, to my mind, were con- 

 clusive. As I believe they afford a com- 

 plete proof of the contention I am 

 making, that certain kinds of fruit are 

 naturally more or less self-sterile, I will 

 briefly describe them. I took a series of 

 32 blossoms of the Winter Nelis pear, 

 one of the shyest bearers we have, and for 

 a number of years in succession, I 

 fertilised the blossoms — one-half with 

 pollen from the same cluster of buds 

 or from the same tree or variety, 

 while the other half I cross fertilised 

 with pollen from some other variety, 

 which was generally that of the 

 Napoleon or Vicar of Winkfield. The 

 results of these experiments for the first 

 three years were as follows : — Out of 16 

 Winter Nelis blossoms, fertilised with 

 Winter Nelis pollen, on an average only 

 one fruit set ; out of 16 Winter Nelis 



