244 JOURNAL OF THE BOYAL HORTTCULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Cherriefi. 



In 1911 I made trials in an orchard the tenant of which did not 

 know the names of the varieties when in flower. I chose what I 

 considered to be 9 different varieties. No blossoms set fruit where 

 insects were excluded and no pollination was done ; of nine different 

 varieties pollinated with their own pollen none set fruit save the 

 * Kentish Morello ' (a small variety of Morello cherry that comes true 

 from seed) and 'Florence,' whilst each variety when pollinated with 

 pollen of another variety set fruit. A good many were pollinated from 

 this semi- wild Morello cherry. 



In 1912, Mr. Egbert Amos, of Perry Court, Wye, most kindly 

 gave me the use of his large cherry orchards for experiments. 



In trials this year * Napoleon,' * Turk,' 'Bundles,' and * Morello ' 

 proved themselves self-fertile, whilst * Eivers' Early Black,' * Knight's 

 Black,' 'Black Eagle,' 'Amber Bigarreau,' 'Elton Heart,' 'Early 

 Frogmore Bigarreau ' were self -sterile, but some of these may on 

 further trial be found to set fruit with their own pollen. It is advisable 

 in such trials to choose the unopened buds in the most favourable 

 position for fruit setting. 



Peaches and Nectarines. 

 In trials on several trees of different varieties those that were cross- 

 pollinated seemed to st'art off best, but, being on wall-trees in the open, 

 frost ruined the crop and upset my experiments. 



Insect Visitors to Fruit Blossoms. 



From observations in 1911 and 1912, it seems to me in districts 

 where hive bees are in the neighbourhood the relative value in pollina- 

 tion of fruits of the different insects is, roughly, 80 per cent, due to I 

 hive bees, 15 per cent, due to the various bumble bees, and the | 

 remaining 5 per cent, due to other wild bees, ants, tiny beetles, and 

 flies. j '.-i^JFj 



It is to be remembered that at the blossoming time of our fruits, 

 particularly at the beginning, there are few insects about except hive 

 bees and bumble bees, which hibernate and so .are ready for work early j 

 in the year. These insects have hairy bodies and tongues specially I 

 adapted to transferring pollen, also by habit they are busy going from 

 flower to flower of the same variety collecting pollen and nectar; 

 whereas some of the insects only sip the nectar or seem merely to ] 

 play with the flowers ; whilst other insects (as weevils ,and other beetles) 

 eat the pollen and other parts of the flower and move but little from 

 flower to flower. In the case of fruit-trees, many of these insects 

 move very little from tree to tree, and consequently are useless as 

 pollinizers on self-sterile varieties. Very strong wind and rain stop 

 insect visits to a great extent, and if there is much of this unfavourable 

 weather whilst the plant is in flower it very much affects the quantity 

 of fruit, especially in a district in which there are few poUinizing 

 insects. 



