New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 421% 
cold, as should sepals and petals of heavy texture, or sepals with 
much pubescence. It would seem that short pistils and stamens 
would be less easily injured by frost than would long ones because 
better protected. A careful study of the biology of blossoms ought 
to show that some varieties are much less easily injured at bloom- 
ing time by frost than others. 
The writer has given in a paper read before the New York 
State Fruit Growers’ Association in 1907 a list of peaches hardy 
and tender as regards frosts and a report of an investigation which 
shows that there is considerable difference in peaches as to sus- 
ceptibility to injury from frost.? 
Less easy to understand is the fact often reported that there is 
a difference in the individual trees of a variety as to the suscep- 
tibility to frost injury. We are forced to assume that the numer- 
ous trees of a variety vary in vitality and that those having most 
vitality are best able to withstand frost and low temperatures. Since 
the vitality of a tree is greatly influenced by the care it receives — 
pruning, cultivation, spraying and feeding, we may further assume 
that blossoms of trees well cared for, whereby thrifty, vigorous 
plants are produced, are less likely to be injured by frosts than 
those not well cared for. It may be laid down as a rule that a 
tree or a variety that ripens its wood well in the autumn, and 
stores up an abundance of plant food, will best endure frosts and 
trying weather conditions at flowering time. If the assumption 
should prove to be not well founded, certainly the treatment sug- 
gested is neither harmful nor a waste of energy. It is at least 
believable that a thrifty tree, covered with blossoms each giving off 
an appreciable amount of heat and moisture, should have more 
blossoms set fruit than a less vigorous tree with a less number of 
blossoms. 
Experiences in California and Florida in fighting frosts warrant 
the statement that much of the loss from light frosts in growing 
erapes and small fruits, at least, can be prevented. Indeed, there 
are seemingly no reasons why the losses from such frosts, con- 
sidered unavoidable in the tree-fruit orchards of New York, cannot 
be prevented as well as in the citrus orchards of California and 
Florida. 
In frost fighting the fruit-grower must keep in daily touch 
with the nearest Weather Bureau office. He should, too, be pro- 
vided with several simple instruments for determining the dew- 
*Report of New York State Fruit-Growers Association, 1908. 
