Mottled color chimeras are to be found as russet mixtures in 
Baldwin, Rhode Island, Greening, Grimes Golden, and Golden 
Russet apples, and in Bartlett pear. The fruit markings resemble 
spray injury and the fruit has no commercial value. When a 
whole tree or large limbs of the russet variation occur in an 
orchard, the same variation appears as specimen apples scattered 
among the normal ones in other trees of the same propagation. 
Russet colored sports appear as segregations from transitional 
limbs bearing mottled chimeras. The Bartlett pears in the accom¬ 
panying illustration were taken from such a limb, one spur of 
which has sported to the russet color. 
Nature teaches her first lesson in Bud Selection in colors. 
From color we progress gradually to understand that trees vary 
in other characteristics in the same way and for the same reason. 
A variation limb coming from a Rhode Isl and Greening tree on 
the farm of Frank Fergunson, Bangor, Mich., producing what 
were known in the community as sweet and sour Greenings, 
helped us to classify the imperfectly shaped fruits, that were 
formerly considered freaks, as size sectorial chimeras. In these 
interesting apples, one sector, the raised portion, was green 
and sour, while the sun ken area in each apple was yellow and 
sweet. It was a chimera, a mixture of Rhode Island Greening, a 
large green sour apple, with a smaller yellow sweet apple. 
Sectorial chimeras combining large and small sizes are found 
in many of the varieties of apples including Baldwin, Ben Davis, 
Duchess, Grimes Golden, Jonathan, Maiden Blush, McIntosh, 
Northern Spy, Rome Beauty, Roxbury Russet, Steele Red, 
Yellow Transparent, Wealthy, and Winter Banana, besides 
Bartlett and other varieties of pears. Size variations in any variety 
may be either smaller or larger than normal. 
Gorrelated with the giant or large sized fruit factor are dis¬ 
tinct growth characteristics of the tree. The trees are low spread¬ 
ing and branched at wide angles. Everything about the tree is 
large. The twigs and both fruit and vegetative buds are large, 
and the foliage is oversized and thick. Giant trees of Duchess, 
Grimes Golden, McIntosh, Northern Spy, and Wealthy are 
remarkably similar and progeny tests have reproduced fruit and 
tree characters. 
Size chimeras affect horticulture in various ways: (1) the 
presence of traces of either the giant or small factors mixed in 
propagating buds causes imperfectly shaped cull apples to grow 
among perfect ones in transitional trees. (2) Bad mixtures of the 
two factors, cause limbs and trees to produce nothing but 
worthless fruit. (3) Segregation to the small si zed variation 
causes the tree to produce fruit that is too sma II for commercial 
grades. (4) Selection by nurserymen of large sports may result 
in stable strains of larger fruit. 
The apples illustrated on this page were taken from a tree 
from which a new variety is to be propagated. The new Greening 
Graham apple. It has characteristics of McIntosh, Northern 
Spy, and Delicious. It is transitional. It produces sectorial color 
chimeras, mixtures of three types, red, red striped, and striped. 
In propagation we will select for the red and red striped colors 
and eliminate insofar as possible the striped. 
Bud selection accomplishes three things which are vital to 
modern horticulture: (1) prevention of deterioration,- (2) im¬ 
provement of commercial varieties,- (3) final stability of the true 
characteristics of the strains for which it acquires its value 
commercially. 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Bureau of Plant Industry 
P. O. Box 586, 
Horticultural Investigations Riverside, Calif., 
10 January 1927 
The Greening Nursery Company, 
Monroe, Michigan. 
Gentlemen: 
I have just received and read v>/ith great interest and pleasure your 
publication “The Voice of the Orchards,” by Mr. Roy E. Gibson. 
I feel that this is one of the most important publications in horticultural 
literature. Our experience is directly confirmatory of yours and we have 
much additional evidence, both scientific and commercial, as to the funda¬ 
mental importance of bud selection. For example, in a short survey of one 
large commercial peach orchard in Central California last summer we found 
eighteen very striking limb sports in the trees of four leading canning varie¬ 
ties. Equally marked limb sports were found last summer in Bartlett pear 
trees, French prune trees and apricot trees. 
Our citrus work has proved beyond all question the vital importance of 
bud selection in the propagation of the citrus. I am very happy to find 
additional proof that the same principle applies in the propagation of 
deciduous fruits. I feel sure that none of us realize as yet the full possibilities 
of this work. 
I would like to have you send your book to the following addresses, if 
possible. I am sure that it will be appreciated and that it will be of service. 
I would also like several extra copies for our use here if it is not asking too 
much. 
Very truly yours, 
A. D. SHARNEL, 
ADS/MME Physiologist 
READ WHAT DR. V. R. GARDNER, OF THE 
MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE, SAYS 
“In 1922, the Horticultural Section of the Michigan Station began a 
study of this question, limited to field observations at first, then expanded 
to include propagation tests and laboratory studies. In assembling its present 
collection of over 400 'Selections’ the Station has had the cooperation of 
the Greening Nursery Company of Monroe, Michigan, which had begun 
such a collection in 1910. Especially valuable has been the assistance of 
Mr. Roy Gibson, of the same firm, whose field observations, yield records, 
and other records of individual trees and limbs in hundreds of Michigan 
orchards extend back to 1917.” 
Pears showing marked variations taken from one limb 
7 
