The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-21
EXPERIMENT BULLETIN.
The Station Reports on Pollina-
ton and the Pear and
Cherry Slug.

Coote, on the subject OF polllnatlon and
blooming of the apples, pears. plums and
cherries in the experiment orchard, its ex.
perience with the pear and cherry slug and
the result of it's cultivation OF certain vege-
tables. Speaking generally of pollnation,
the bulletin says:
.'The first step toward successful fruit
culture is an orchard wisely planted. The
several varieties must be so located that
each may assist in the pollination of one
another. This can only be done by care
full study of the different varieties as to their
time of blooming and amount of pollen pro-
duced by each variety.
Every careful observations and notes were
taken on all varieties on the college farm.
1t will be understood that all varieties of
fruit trees do not have the same power of
producing pollen. If large number of
trees of single variety be planted which
are shy pollen-producers the lack of pollen
will undoubtedly cause failure in the crop
of fruit; and this danger of failure will be
greatly increased if the weather Is damp at
the time of blooming.
"The pollen is conveyed from flower to
flower by bees and other insects. Their
object is the discovery of honey; and whilst
searching the recssses of the flower they un-
Intentionally cover their bodies with pollen
which they convey to the next flower, and
unavoldably deposit 1t on its stigma, If the
amount of pollen produced be small, there
will be but small amount I'd be distributed
and the fertilization of each flower would be
either failure or imperfect. This shows
the necessity of planting trees which are
shy producers of pollen along with those
rich in pollen. Hence to arrange the trees
in an orchard it is necessary to know the
pollen. producing powers OF each variety.
sIt will be seen that the list of varieties
in the following table is comparatively small.
But it must be remembered that this is but
a beginning of work which must be con-
tinusd through series of years We have
many other varieties On the college grounds
which have not yet come into bearing, and
hence are not reported.
AS SUOu as d EepOEG VI al Chi
be made, classification will be made and
published for the benefit of all interested in
such work. The following table shows the
date of blooming and pollen producing pow
er of each variety:"
This is followed by table showing the
date of first bloom, date of full bloom, date
of fallen maturity and date of stigma recep
tion of 2l varieties OF cherries. % of plums,
IL of peaches, IA of pears and % of apples.
A mark before each variety indicates
whether it is strong, medium or scant in
pollen. In regard to the apples tested, the
report says:
'sThe experimental orchard Was planted
in the spring of 1891. The soil is a basaltic
loam 1t had bsen in wheat and oats for
many years without the application OF fer
tilizers of any kinds. Before planting the
trees the soil was plowed and subsoiled.
Cultivation of the soil has been kept ur
through all the growing season; under this
treatment the trees are making rapid growth.
SO far but few have fruited. There are now
l3O varieties of apples, and nine of crabs
growing on the ground, and others will be
added as fast as means will permit.
Experiments with the peach and with
bees are spoken of rs follows:
''When the peach is grown in glass houses
and forced by artificial heat ont of its sea
ison, it is necessary TO pollenize the stigma
of each flower by artificial means either by
small brush or by some other process
The use of the brush is expensive and tedious
aud not always successful, much of the fruit
dropping at the stoning period.
''To save labor in transferring the pollen,
some trees wers sprayed when in full bloom
with warm and others with cold water,
This proved very unsatisfactory, more fruit
dropping at the toning perio than in th'
case OF trees pollenized with the brush.
'tAs a further experiment a hive of bees
was placed IN this house when the trees com
menced to bloom. This was in November,
and heavy tog prevailed for Is days, ant
although the flowers were constantly open
ing, not bee showed ITSELF During the
night of the 18th the fog lifted and the mex
morning was bright and clear, causing th
pollen to burst. Then the bees came oa
from the hive and kept up their work fo
eight or nine days. The result was tina
not a single peach was observed to drop a
the stoning season. So great was tn
amount of fruit on the trees that it wa
necessary to thin it. One tree in the hous
was securely protected, so that bees coul'
not gain access to it, and all of the frui
dropped at the stoning period.
'FThese facts show the value of bees t.
the horticulturist, and no fruitgrower shoul
be without them"
The pear and cherry slug (selandria cerai,
was treated successfully with ir.slacks
lime. The bulletin says:
''On July 4th the slug commenced to al
tack the pear and cherry trees. They wer
The trees were literally busted with all
Stacked lime. 1t was thrown from the han
into the trees, the operator taking care t
stand to the windward side, so that tn
lime might be better distributed among th
branches.
sThe slugs being naturally moist th
lime readily adheres to them, and the small
est particle seemed to make them commenc
TO curl up and to cause them to fall to th
ground.
'As an experiment, earth dust was use
on few trees. Two days after these ap