BEES AND FRUIT-GROWING 



Pears produced by crossing are larger and more perfect than 

 those which come from self-fertilization. 



Like the pear many varieties of apple are self-sterile. Of 87 

 varieties tested by Lewis and Vincent in Oregon, 59 were found 

 to be self-sterile; 15 were self-fertile, but gave better results 

 when pollinated by some other variety; and 13 were partially 

 self-sterile. Among the self-sterile varieties were Bellflower, 

 Gravenstein, King, Rhode Island Greening, Tolman Sweet, 

 Wealthy, and Winesap; among the self -fertile were Baldwin, 

 Oldenburg, Shiawassee, Washington, and Yellow Newton; 

 partially self-sterile were Ben Davis, Stark, Spitzenburg, and 

 Yellow Transparent. In the majority of cases cross-pollina- 

 tion is necessary to secure a profitable crop. Cross-pollinated 

 fruit was finer and larger, with well-developed seeds. (Fig. 116.) 

 Do not plant in solid blocks, says Waite, but plant mixed 

 varieties ; and be sure that there are sufficient bees to pollinate 

 the blossoms properly. (Fig. 117.) 



In the A B C of Bee Culture the writer has given the follow- 

 ing description of the pollination of sweet cherries: Among 

 the orchard-trees of Oregon the cherry ranks fourth in impor- 

 tance, being surpassed only by the apple, prune, and pear in the 

 order named. A poor cherry-crop affects the income of many 

 persons. The rapid increase of the area planted with cherries 

 has been followed by complaints that in spite of the heavy 

 bloom there was not sufficient fruit to be profitable. In some 

 cases new orchards have never paid expenses, while old orchards 

 became less productive. Although sorely perplexed by these 

 conditions, the cherry -growers, unfamiliar with the mutual rela- 

 tions of flowers and insects, have been slow to believe that lack 

 of proper cross-pollination was the chief cause of the failure of 

 their trees to set fruit. But the cherry-orchards of a decade 

 ago were of small size and of mixed varieties; while more re- 



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