A STUDY OF VARIATION IN APPLES. 



J. K. SHAW. 



Beginning with the crop of 1908 the apples borne by certain Ben Davis 

 and Baldwin apple trees growing in the college orchard have been measured, 

 both their transverse and longitudinal diameters being taken, and this has 

 been continued up to and including the crop of 1913. This period in- 

 chides six successive seasons in each of which the Ben Davis trees have 

 borne at least a moderate crop, but the Baldwins have shown some irregu- 

 larities in bearing. Tliis method has given opportunity for the study of 

 the number of apples borne, the size of the apples and the index of form. 

 Inasmuch as the fruit of each tree has been divided into four lots by bi- 

 secting the tree with one plane perpendicular and extending east and west, 

 and with another, horizontal, and about midway of the head of the tree, 

 we have further the opportunity of comparing these factors for what we 

 have called the upper south, lower south, upper north and lower north 

 portions of the trees. Two partial reports of the observations on these 

 trees have been made. For a statement of the method used the reader 

 may be referred to these earher reports. ^ The present paper reports 

 results to date, and is probably final for this phase of the problem. 



The Pkoductiveness of the Trees. 

 We are not aware of any pubhshed data giving the number of apples 

 borne by individual trees for a number of consecutive years. Several have 

 reported the measured quantities produced over a considerable period, 

 and these records have shown marked differences in yield of individual 

 trees. Macoun gives the total yield for several varieties. These figures 

 are taken from his report. ^ 



Variety. 



Wealthy, 

 McMahon, 

 Mcintosh, 

 Patten, 



Age of 

 Trees 



(Years). 



Years of 

 Bearing. 



Number 



of 



Trees. 



Yields (Gallons). 



Lowest. Highest. Average 



57.0 

 226.0 

 367.5 

 291.5 



203.0 

 SS9.0 

 761.0 

 597.5 



113.5 

 604.4 

 564.0 

 406.1 



1 Repts. Mass. Expt. Station: 22, Pt. I. (1910), p. 194; 23, Pt. I. (1911), p. 177. 



2 Rept. Central Expt. Farm., 1910-11, p. 118. 



