27 



Table IX, showing number of pounds of fruit per square foot of 

 bench surface obtained in our experiments, estimated on> 

 basis of five square feet per plant. 



1 stem 1.84 lbs. 



2 stems 2.24 " 



3 " 2.32 " 



4 " 2.25 " 



Normal 1.95 " 



3 stems 



leaders cut 2.43 " 



If we consult Table IX where is shown the number of pounds of 

 fruit per square foot of ground surface, it will be observed that our 

 results apparently do not agree with those of other experimentors. 

 The single stem plants showed the least amount of fruit 

 per square foot of ground surface, followed by the normals, 

 two stem, four and three stem and the three stem plants 

 with leaders cut. Our largest yield per square foot of ground surface 

 is shown in the experiments where the three leaders were cut back.. 

 It should be remembered, however, that we were not testing our yield 

 from the point of view of production per square foot of ground surface 

 and that our plants were in all cases at least 2 I/2 feet apart and some 

 times more than this, the single, double, three stem plants, etc. alter- 

 nating with one another. The amount of space, therefore, which the 

 single stem plants occupied on the trellis was practically only ^2 to 

 i^ of that occupied by the two and four stem plants respectively. 

 We have estimated five square feet of bench surface for each plant. 

 If, however, we consider the actual space which the different plants 

 occupied on the trellis then it would be necessary to estimate upon a 

 different basis, inasmuch as the three stem plants occupied about 

 three times more trellis space than the single stem plants, and if we 

 make comparisons on this basis we would obtain quite difterent 

 results. 



Estimating the yield on the approximate amount of trellis space 

 for the different systems we would obtain for the one shoot system 

 4.78 pounds: two stem, 3.74 pounds; three stem, 2.86 pounds; four 

 stem. 2.57 pounds; normals, 2.08 pounds and three stem with leaders 

 cut back, 2.99 pounds, or, in other words, for the amount of trellis- 

 space occupied by the single stem plants they were decidedly the- 

 best yielders, and the normal plants the poorest yielders. 



