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BETTER FRUIT 



Page 



FLUCTUATING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE APPLE 



BY C. H. GOETZ, WASHINGTON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, PULLMAN 



IN taking up the study of fluctuating 

 characteristics in apples, the inten- 

 tion was to show in how far there 

 was a fluctuation of characteristics in 

 apples. 



In the fall of the year, as the apples 

 ripened in the orchard of the Washing- 

 ton State College, there was gathered 

 from the trees of fifty different varieties 

 of apples, enough fruit to make one hun- 

 dred apples of each variety, for use in 

 the investigation. These apples were 

 taken promiscuously from the trees. 

 They were stored in boxes in the cold 

 storage, each box being marked with 

 name and number. 



During the winter the apples were cut 

 up for investigation and study. One-half 

 of them were cut lenghtwise for a study 

 of the longitudinal outline form, for size, 

 shape, form and size of tube, for shape 

 of core line, depth, size and form of 

 cavity and basin, for position of stamens 

 and length of stem. 



The other half of the apples were cut 

 into cross sections for the study of the 

 core lines or fiber vascular bundles, for 

 size, shape and nature of cells, for cross- 

 section outline, for position, form and 

 nature of core. 



These halves of the apples were as 

 near as possible true halves. They were 

 inked with indelible pencil on the face in 

 such a way as to have them make clear 

 cut and true impressions of the form and 

 various characteristics of the apple as 

 they were pressed upon paper. 



Two impressions were made. The first 

 impression was made on an absorbing 

 paper, making a very strong impression. 



This was used for making a tracing of 

 the apples. The second impression was 

 made on a fine grained paper, to be used 

 for further study. For further investi- 

 gation photos or blue prints were made 

 from the tracings. 



The investigation of the fluctuating 

 characteristics of apples brings out the 

 following: 



First. That there is a more or less 

 fluctuation in certain characteristics, and 

 that this is true more of certain varieties 

 of apples than of others. 



Second. That certain varieties of the 

 apples show a tendency toward a con- 

 stancy of characteristics, while others 

 have a tendency to great fluctuation. 



Perhaps the most fluctuating charac- 

 teristic in all apples is found in the size, 

 shape and appearance of the cells. Sec- 

 ond to this comes the fluctuation in 

 length of the stem in a variety. Third 

 in line of fluctuation is the form and 

 outline of the apple, and with this the 

 core line. Fourth in rank of inconstancy- 

 is the tubes, while the stamens, basin and 

 cavity fluctuate least. 



As far as could be observed there is 

 very little fluctuation in shape, size or 

 form of the calyx in any one varietj^ of 

 apples. In general, while there are no 

 two apples formed alike in any one vari- 

 ety, j-et there is a certain similarit}' run- 

 ning through one variety that makes 

 them look alike. 



In the following table is shown the 

 characteristics of each variety studied as 

 to its fluctuations or constancy. No. 1 

 standing for constancy. No. 2 for fluc- 

 tuation: 



Cells 



1, Tanet, 1693 2 



2, North CaroHna, 1441 2 



3, Pickapoo, 942 1 



4, Smith, 1775 2 



5, Limber Twig, 936 2 



6, Houghtaling, 1067 2 



7, Ortley, 1166 1 



S, Rock, 1542 2 



9, Tones, 1203 2 



10, Gold Ridge, 1583 2 



11, Agrippa, 1111 2 



12, Xancy Tackson, 122 1 2 



13, Shaklefbrd, 1317 2 



14, Black Warrior, 1.537 2 



15, Nelson, 1402 1 



16, Huguenot, 1715 '2 



17, Coin, 1709 2 



18, Gill, 1721 2 



19, Duncan, 1259 2 



20, Stark, 1497 , . 2 



21, William's Early Red. 949 2 



22, Stone's Eureka, 1037 2 



23, Nansemond, 1083 1 



24, Black .Knnette, 1382 2 



25, Fink. 1125 2 



26, Stayman, 868 2 



27, Kinnaird, 870 2 



28, Red Siberian Crab, 978 1 



29, Andrew's Winter, 1523 2 



30, Crotts. 1267 2 



31, Red Romanite, 1501 2 



32, Vates, 1227 2 



33, Belmont. 1677 2 



34, Vanoz, 1714 2 



35, Marshal, 971 2 



36, Arabka, 1874 2 



37, Plumb Cider, 1459 2 



38, Latah, 1378 2 



39, Hiley Eureka, 16 — 2 



40, Bombshell, 1059 2 



41, Rome Beauty, 612 2 



42, Indiana Favorite, 1735 2 



43, Lawyer, 1007 2 



44, Fallenwater, 10 — 2 



45, Lankford, 1313 2 



40, Lake Winter, 611 2 



47, York Imperial, 1036 2 



48, Loy, 1462 2 



49, Superior, 1529 2 



50, Longevity, 1578 2 



Size Form Cainty Basin Stem Tube 



Core 

 Line 



Sta- 

 mens 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 



1 







1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 



Core 

 1 



Calyx 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 t 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 >2 

 1 

 1 

 1 



In conclusion it might be said that the 

 investigation, if it were continued with 

 all the different varieties of apples that 

 we have, would bring out the same facts 

 as has been brought out in the study of 

 these fifty varieties. 



There is a slight possibility that where 

 only one variety is grown in an orchard 

 there may not be such a great tendency 

 toward fluctuation of characteristics as 

 there would be in an orchard like the 

 State College of Washington orchard, 

 where there are hundreds of different 

 varieties of apples. 



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