1909 . 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
G67 
MIXING VARIETIES OF APPLES. 
Wliat are the facts about planting or¬ 
chards with different varieties of apples? 
Js it necessary or wise to do this in order 
to obtain a perfect pollenizing? 
I believe cross-pollenization is of 
great benefit some years, and while I 
have set some blocks for permanent or¬ 
chards of Baldwins and fillers, of early 
bearing apples, I intend to leave some 
of the fillers in to cross the Baldwins, 
I would plant different kinds both of 
apples and pears. As to the kinds, any 
kinds a man wanted for a variety, I 
think would be all right if they blos¬ 
somed at the same time. Senator Henry 
M. Dunlap of Savoy, Ill., is a firm be¬ 
liever in cross-pollenization. 
► CLARK ALLIS. 
In the orchards I have planted during 
the past 40 years I have made it a rule 
to mix my varieties, in this way: I 
plant two or four rows of one kind and 
then alternate with a variety that blooms 
at about the same time. My trees have 
always borne well. I do not know 
whether this cross pollenization has had 
any great effect or not, but I would not 
plant any other way. It is just as easy 
to gather the fruit if two rows are 
planted together, as it would be if a 
variety was planted in a solid block, 
and we are in a position to reap the 
benefit if there is any. 
Pennsylvania. Gabriel hiester. 
There are many varieties of apples 
that are self-sterile in their blossoms. 
For this reason they should not be 
planted in large blocks. In planting, we 
lay out orchards, in blocks of four rows 
of a variety. This gives more thorough 
cross-pollenization by insects, as they 
are the most important factor in the dis¬ 
tribution of pollen. The wind does not 
carry pollen to any large extent, but as 
insects do, it is better to have different 
varieties in narrow blocks. Four rows 
of trees of a variety in a block, econo¬ 
mizes the labor of picking, as a large 
force may work to good advantage. One 
or two rows alternating are not desira¬ 
ble. GEORGE T. POWELL. 
There certainly have been instances 
in which two varieties of apple trees 
near together have given excellent re¬ 
sults while large blocks of a -single vari¬ 
ety, in which conditions apparently were 
otherwise the same, have been failures. 
Some years this is the case and in oth¬ 
ers no difference in results is noticeable, 
the benefits being seen in years unfav¬ 
orable to pollenization, which seems to 
assert that the effect is purely a me¬ 
chanical one, making fertilization more 
perfect because of season or weather 
conditions, and not having any effect 
from the crossing of two varieties. Two 
varieties should be selected differing 
somewhat in the time of blooming; that 
is, one a little earlier than the other. 
This lengthens the period of blooming, 
and at some time of the bloom there 
is more apt to be a favorable time for 
pollenization. Some varieties are con¬ 
sidered less self-fertilizing than others, 
and should be alternated with other 
varieties. A block of trees as narrow 
as four rows across an orchard is re¬ 
commended. We have some blocks 10 
rows wide and have not noticed any 
difference in results between the center 
and outer rows. frank r. bryant. 
Illinois. 
I would mix varieties, yet self-pol¬ 
lination in blocks and rows of a kind 
is quite often sufficient and satisfactory 
But certain varieties are deficient in 
pollen and its production. If varieties 
are growing on soils that are not well 
adapted, pollen production is not so 
prolific, neither is the pollen so virile 
and effective as. if grown on favorable 
•soils. Excess of rain some Springs 
makes better pollen on some varieties, 
while drought in blooming causes im¬ 
pairment of its quality. I speck thus with 
reference to the whole range of fruits. 
Apple is no exception, and intermingling 
is better than single or block planting 
of any variety. I have an illustration 
of this this year. We have a block of 
Jonathan, 18 years old, planted in rather 
a favorable locality. Its cropping was 
lighter and less and quality below Jona¬ 
than that was planted intermingled with 
Ben Davis, or where we had them 
planted top-worked, making half Jona¬ 
than, half other varieties. Where Jona¬ 
than tops had other sorts intermingled 
directly in the tops they gave better 
crop, more fruit and higher quality and 
I am now convinced that two to three 
varieties top-worked on suitable stocks 
are especially helpful to regularity in 
cropping. As stocks to work on we re¬ 
gard the western (Fluke’s) Virginia 
crab as the best stock; also we find 
strong growers, as Gros Pommier or 
Haas, well adapted to Jonathan tops, 
also English Golden Russet for Grimes 
Golden. Hibernal is good for general 
list of varieties, hut so far the Virginia 
crab referred to we consider best. I 
live on a soil that makes' about all Chi- 
casaw varieties of plums imperfect in 
bloom, non-pollen bearing, or bearers 
of infertile bloom, while 80 miles from 
me the entire country anywhere will 
produce this class of plums until trees 
cannot stand their loads from breaking. 
A few townships in this county, with 
timber ridges and hill lands, will pro¬ 
duce heavy and full crops of standard 
gooseberries, while three-quarters of the 
county they bloom sparsely and light, 
because of poor pollen conditions. Prac¬ 
tically the same is true of red raspber¬ 
ries. W. M. BOMBERGER. 
Iowa. 
I have never given this subject much 
serious thought. From what I have 
read on the subject, cross-pollenization 
is more important with pears and plums 
than with apples. Our more important 
commercial varieties of apples, like 
Baldwin, King. Greening, and Spy, are 
generally conceded to be self-fertile in 
blossom, and are reasonably sure to bear 
in large blocks, but it is quite uncom¬ 
mon to find them thus planted, mixed 
orchards being the rule. It may be how¬ 
ever that cross-pollenization takes place 
between these varieties more than we 
are aware of, so that in planting a very 
large orchard it would, no doubt, be 
good policy to mix them. In order to 
get. the benefit of cross-pollenization 
varieties that bloom together should be 
placed next each other. A King and a 
Spy could not cross upon each other, 
as they bloom nearly a week apart. I 
should prefer to place King and Green¬ 
ing. adjacent, and Baldwin next to Spy. 
It is known that soil and environment 
have a effect upon varieties, so that in 
some localities a variety will be self 
fertile while in others self-sterile. Thus 
in our locality the Kieffer pear is ap¬ 
parently self-fertile, while in certain 
localities in Delaware and New Jersey 
this variety has to be fertilized with 
Le Conte or Garber, w. a. bassett. 
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