274. MASS. EXPERIMKXT STATION BULLETIN 271 



DEPARTMENT OF POMOLOGY 

 F. C. Sears in charge 



The yield of apples and peaches from the station orchards in 1930 was 

 by far the largest in recent years. The quality was also good. Bloom was 

 heavier than iisnal, and the crop harvested was more than twice that of 

 last year. 



The Interrelation of Stock and Scion in Apples. (J. K. Shaw and J. S. 

 Bailey). Tlie usual observations of growth, bloom and yield have been 

 continued. In some parts of the orchard the trees are crowding each 

 other, and a general thinning out of the orchard is necessary. The results 

 of this work suggest that root influence is more likely to dwarf a variety 

 than to invigorate it. The results from the main orchard have been sum- 

 marized and will soon be prepared for publication. 



The young orchard of Mcintosh and "Wealthy set in 1928 has made a 

 good growth and shows that the East Mailing Stocks have a strong influ- 

 ence on growth. The trees are much dwarfed by stocks 8 and 9, while 12 

 and 16 have thus far developed trees equal in vigor to budded or own- 

 rooted trees. The two varieties are influenced about alike except that 

 there is a striking difference when propagated on stock No. 1, which 

 dwarfs the "Wealthy distinctly while Mcintosh makes a fairly vigorous tree. 



Root cuttings from five-year-old Mailing Stocks gave poor results, while 

 scions grafted on nurse roots started well, as did rooted layers. An effort 

 is being made to increase the supply of these Mailing Stocks. 



Tree Characters of Fruit Varieties. (J. K. Shaw and A. P French') . 

 "Work on this project has continued both in Amherst and in various 

 nurseries. A nursery containing nearly 1-50 varieties of apples, including 

 all varieties commonly grown by nurserymen, has been established. De- 

 tailed observations and photographic records will be made. • The leaders 

 of this project have continued the work of certifying varieties in certain 

 nurseries for several years. Recently the practice of examining all trees 

 when one year old has become established. Thus the propagation of mix- 

 tures is avoided and the .stock in these nurseries is now almost free from 

 misnamed trees. 



The Genetic Composition of Peaches. (J. S. Bailey). No additional 

 crossing work was done in 1930. Of the 1260 seedling trees from pre- 

 vious work in the orchard, 717 fruited for the first time. Of those fruit- 

 ing, 289 seedlings are crosses and 428 selfed. The fruits of 27.5 seedlings 

 are white fleshed and of 442 yellow fleshed; 119 are clingstones, 22 semi- 

 cling, and .576 freestones. Fifty-three seedlings are considered worthy of 

 further observation. Yield was better in the higher parts of the orchard 

 where more fruit buds survived the winter. Hence yield was more de- 

 pendent on hardiness and location in the orchard tlian on inlierited ability 

 to form fruit buds. 



Although one year's results are not enough to draw conclusions from, 

 yet certain statements can be made when the results check with the work 

 of other investigators. The reniform type of foliar glands is dominant, 

 glandular is recessive, and globose is intermediate. White flesh color is 

 dominant, and yellow recessive. Belle is a heterozygous white. Hale, 



