534 FUNDAMENTALS OF FRUIT PRODUCTION 



tion in many other fruits. In most grape varieties, for instance, seedless 

 fruits are much sweeter than seed-containing berries of the same kinds. 

 On the other hand, the differences in composition are often negligible. 

 There is no general rule that can be laid down stating that seedlessness 

 tends either to improve or to detract from quality. 



Seaso7i of Maturity. — There is often a considerable difference in the 

 time intervals between fruit setting and maturing of seedless and seed- 

 containing fruits of the same variety. As a rule the parthenocarpic or 

 seedless fruits are slower in reaching maturity than the seed-bearing 

 specimens. Munson^^ mentions several instances in which flowers of the 

 cucumber, pumpkin and summer squash were induced to set fruit by 

 applying to their stigmas pollen of certain other species of cucurbits. The 

 resulting fruits which were seedless required over 2 months longer for 

 maturity in some cases and in all cases a somewhat longer period than was 

 necessary for the development of normal fruits from intra-specific polli- 

 nation. The so-called "second bloom" fruits of the apple and pear that 

 set 2 to 4 weeks after the usual blossoming period and are very often 

 seedless frequently never mature properly and such maturity as they do 

 attain is reached only after they have persisted on the trees much longer 

 than the extra 2 to 4 weeks that would compensate for their late setting. 

 Caprified figs of the Smyrna type drop from the trees at full maturity; 

 uncaprified figs tend to persist and usually must be cut or pulled from the 

 trees, as they will fall only when past their prime. '**^ In the Japanese 

 persimmon seed-containing fruits usually ripen earlier. Zengi commonly 

 matures its seed-bearing fruits in late July, while its seedless fruits may 

 not be ready for harvest untilDecember.^" In other varieties there may 

 be less difference in ripening periods, though they are often quite distinct. 

 Fruits bearing only one or two seeds show a tendency to ripen with the 

 seedless, while those with a greater number show a tendency to ripen with 

 the normal fruits. '''' 



In almost all cases the relation of seed number to season of maturity 

 is of very secondary importance. 



Specific Influence of Pollen on Resulting Fruit.- — Much has been 

 said on the supposed specific influence of the pollen on the characteristics 

 of the fruit resulting from the pollination. For instance, it has been 

 claimed that the red color of striped apple varieties is intensified after 

 pollenizing with a dark red sort. The pollination of varieties with 

 an acid flesh with pollen from a sweet or subacid variety has been said to 

 result in fruit less acid in character. Early maturing sorts are claimed 

 to mature their fruits somewhat later if pollinated by late ripening kinds. 

 These conceptions are based on a misunderstanding of the processes 

 actually involved in pollination, fertilization and fruit development, or 

 on faulty observations, or on a wrong interpretation of field observations 

 that may have been accurate. 



