Growth 



Prior to bud break in 1990, a line was 

 painted 20 inches above the soil surface and the 

 trunk circumference was measured. After leaf 

 fall, height, spread, and trunk circumference 

 were measured. 



At the end of the third leaf. Gala strains 

 differed little in vegetative growth. The height 

 of all Gala strains was comparable, while the 

 spread of Scarlet was smaller than that of the 

 others (Table 1). The trunk circumference in- 

 crease of all Gala strains in 1990 was similar, 

 but the total cross-sectional area of Scarlet was 

 less. Scarlet Gala trees were smaller at planting 

 because they were bench grailed and grown for 

 only one year; the other strains were budded on 

 roots that were in the ground for one growing 

 season and grew an additional year after bud- 



ding. Therefore, the small spread and trunk 

 cross-sectional area of Scarlet Gala trees is 

 probably a reflection of the tree size at planting 

 rather than inherent vigor of the strain. 



Bloom, and Fruit Set 



Two limbs per tree were selected at the pink 

 stage of flower development and the circumfer- 

 ences were measured. The numbers of blossom 

 clusters on one-year-old and two-year-old wood 

 were counted. In 1991, fi-uit set also was as- 

 sessed on these two hmbs in July by determining 

 separately the fruit persisting on one-year-old 

 and on older wood. 



Spur bloom density was lowest on Scarlet 

 Gala and highest on Royal Gala in 1990, but 

 there were no differences in 1991 (Table 2). 

 Fruit set on all strains of Gala was comparable 



16 



Fruit Notes, Winter, 1993 



