RESULTS FROM THINNING 



445 



2. Consider Results That May Be Expected from Thin- 

 ning. Thinning under proper conditions gives the following 

 results: 



(a) Increases proportion of high-grade fruit. 

 (6) Reduces breakage of top. 



(c) Reduces handling costs at harvest. 



(d) Does not decrease total yield. 



(e) Does not insure annual bearing. 



(a) Increases Proportion of High-Grade Fruit. Thinning 

 insures a much larger proportion of fruit in the higher grades 

 by increasing the size of the remaining specimens and by re- 

 moving defective fruits at the time of the operation. This is 

 its greatest service to the grower and one which has been estab- 

 lished and confirmed many times by careful experimental 

 work. 



The fruit on a twelve-year-old Stayman Winesap apple 

 orchard of medium vigor was thinned in 1926 by the Mary- 

 land Experiment Station. The results are indicated in 

 Table 48. 



TABLE 48 



Influence of Thinning on Size of Stayman Winesap Apples 



Distance Thinned 



(Diameter of Fruit in Inches) 



Total 

 Yield 



0-2 M 



2M-2H 



2H-2K 



214 Plus 







hu. 

 .75 



percent 

 5.3 



bu. 

 2.25 



percent 

 15.0 



bu. 

 10.5 



percent 

 71.2 



bu 

 1.25 



percent 

 8.47 



bushels 

 14.75 







0 



0 



.12 



.96 



2.38 



19.4 



8.75 



79.6 



12.25 





Unthinned check . 



2.25 



15.28 



6.0 



40.68 



6.38 



43.21 



.12 



.81 



14.75 



It can be seen that all the thinned trees produced fruit of 

 much better size than the checks. The total yields on trees 



