18 N. H. Agri. Experiment Station [Bulletin 284 



Phosphorus Shows Slight Influence on Bud Formation 



In the Woodman Orchard at Durham, a series of field plots has been 

 used during the past six years in an effort to determine whether the incorpo- 

 ration of a large amount of phosphorus deeply in the soil will have a measur- 

 able effect upon blossom formation. The results at the close of the 1933 

 season seemed to indicate a slight but scarcely significant increase in the 

 blossom formation on trees receiving the phosphorus. The results in 1934 

 are inconclusive owing to the injury to the trees during the winter of 1933- 

 34. It is likely that the plots will have to be discontinued. (G. F. Potter — 

 Adams Fund.) 



Apple Pollination Studies 



Tests were begun in 1934 on pollination re(|uirements of the Melba, and 

 Milton, which are hybrid seedlings of the Alclntosh. Tests were continued 

 on the pollination requirements of Cortland and Mcintosh. None of these 

 varieties were found to produce satisfactory crops with self-pollination, al- 

 though Melba seems somewhat more self-fruitful than the others. Using 

 pollen of the Starking (a red sport of Delicious) as a control, it was found 

 that cross-pollination of these varieties with pollen of the Early Mcintosh, 

 the Mcintosh, Milton, Melba, Cortland, and Macoun produced good sets 

 of fruit except in the case of Cortland pollinated by Early Mcintosh. The 

 Starking was used as a control because over a series of years an exception- 

 ally good and regular set had been obtained with Delicious or its sports. 



When pollen of several triploid varieties, (those having an extra set of 

 chromosomes), namely Baldwin, Gravenstein. King. Rhode Island Green- 

 ing, Roxbury, and Staymared (a red sport of Stayman) was used, a reduced 

 set of fruit was obtained. This was accompanied by a low seed count, and in 

 most cases, also by a large percentage of misshapen fruit. In all cases of 

 unsatisfactory pollination there was an accompanying low seed count and a 

 high number of empty seed cavities. 



These results are of immediate practical importance in that they demon- 

 strate that triploid apple varieties cannot be depended upon as pollinators of 

 the varieties named. Where they have been set with this purpose in view, 

 other varieties should be grafted in to take their place. On the other hand, 

 the Mcintosh and its hybrids seem to be perfectly inter-fertile, with the 

 possible exception of Early Mcintosh and Cortland. (L. P. Latimer — Pur- 

 vcll Fund.) 



Changes in Apples During Storage 



In common storage Baldwin apples were found to soften in about thirty 

 days to almost f ull-rii)e ; they reached prime flavor by December 12th. 

 Thereafter they remained about constant in firmness until the first of May, 

 but continued to lose their dessert ({uality. Such apples are good only for ihe 

 early winter market. Baldwins at 32' F. softened at a more uniform rate 

 throughout the storage season and reached fine ([uality about the middle of 

 March. At 30°F. the rate of softening was not appreciably different, but 

 the flavor developed much more slowly and at its best was inferior to that 

 of the other two lots. 



As in previous years, it was found that fruit grown in different orchards 

 differed significantly in firmness, acidity and flavor. This confirms opinions 

 frequently held by practical fruit growers that apples from certain orchards 



