REVIEWING THE CASE 



403 



Ejfect of Pollen on the Size, Shape, and Color oj the Fruit. 

 Fruits of the apple and pear which result from cross-pollina- 

 tion are often of better shape, size, and color than those result- 

 ing from self-pollination, but their shape and color are typical 

 for the variety regardless of the kind of pollen used. For in- 

 stance, the pollen of a yellow variety like Grimes does not 

 cause yellow streaks to appear on red apples ; neither does the 

 pollen of a round apple change the shape of an oblong or flat 

 apple. Fruits which are cross-pollinated generally have more 

 seeds, appear to set and start into growth sooner, hang on bet- 

 ter, and, because of increased vigor, generally are of better size 

 and color at picking time. The better shape often encountered 

 in crossed apples and pears is generally due to the fact that all 

 cells contain seeds and thus develop normally. Seeds are often 

 missing in some of the cells of self-pollinated fruits, and this 

 generally results in lopsided or misshapen fruit. 



Qualifications of a Good Pollenizer. Several factors should 

 be considered when selecting a pollenizer for cross-pollination. 



1. It is necessary first to be sure that the pollenizer selected 

 produces plenty of viable pollen, and that it will cause a set 

 of fruit on the variety to be pollinated. In other words, the 

 varieties must be cross-compatible. 



2. The blooming periods of the two varieties should over- 

 lap. 



3. The pollenizer should come into bearing as early as the 

 variety to be pollinated. 



4. The pollenizer should be an annual bearer, if possible, or 

 at least should produce some blossoms every year. 



5. The pollenizer selected should, if possible, be desirable 

 commercially. It should not be necessary to select some unde- 

 sirable market variety just for pollination purposes. There 

 are usually enough good market varieties which are also good 

 pollenizers from which to make a selection. 



Cortland is an excellent pollenizer for Mcintosh; Rome 

 will pollenize Northern Spy; Delicious and Wealthy will pol- 

 lenize almost any varieties with overlapping blooming periods. 



