
The Effect of Rainfall upon Pollination —Note 
on Preliminary Experiments.* 
The disastrous effects of excessive rainfall at blooming time 
upon the “setting ” of fruit has long been admitted by fruit grower 
but few experiments, so far as we are aware, have Leen nade 
to prove this Jong-accepted belief.§ 
The following is a brief account of two preliminary experi- 
ments made with the purpose of throwing light upon this ques- 
tion. The season being well advanced before it was possible to 
arrange for the experiments, the tests are upon a small scale 
and the results can not be said to prove conclusively anything 
in regard to the subject. 
The plants experimented with consisted of two Duchess grape- 
vines and two Mount Vernon pear trees. Of the condition of 
the experimental plants previous to 1892 we are not able to 
state definitely, but to all appearances all were equally healthy. 
The writers are aware that the lack of definite knowledge of the 
previous condition of the plants might lead to erroneous con- 
clusions, but they present this note as a purely preliminary one 
and hope to repeat and extend the experiments the following 
season. 
In order to produce an artificial rainfall 2 Vermorel nozzle, 
attached to an ordinary garden hose connected with the hydrant, 
was used. The nozzle was thrust among the leaves of the pear 
tree and while it did not always keep every part of the treated 
plant wet down, the foliage was decidedly moist during the 
* This paper, by D. G. Fairchild and the Station Horticulturist, was presented at the Chicago 
meeting of the American Horticultural Association, 1892. Inasmuch as the data on which it is 
based were secured by experiments at this Station, it is thought best to include it in this 
report. 
§ That of Dr. B. D. Halsted, published in the 1890 report of N. J. Expt. Station, pp. 330 to 382, 
is all we are cognizant of. 

