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Home , Ben Davis (apple), Champion (apple), Rhode Island Greening, York Imperial

BULLETIN 618 JANUARY, 1941

Bloom Period and Yield of

C. W. Ellenwood

OHIO AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Wooster, Ohio CONTENTS

Treatment of Orchards 3 Periods Covered by Record ...... 4 Methods of Taking Records ...... 5 Relationship of Air Temperature to Bloom and Yield of ...... 6 Relation of Date of Bloom to Growing Season ...... 11 Bloom Period in Relation to Pollination ...... 12 Date of Bloom of Red Strains and Standard Varieties ...... 13 Age at Which Varieties Come into Bearing ...... 13 Bearing Habits of Varieties ...... 14 Age When Maximum Production is Reached ...... • . . . . • . . . . . • . . . . . 15

High~yielding Varieties ...... 15 Productivity of Newer Varieties ...... 16 Summary ...... 21 Literature Cited ...... • . • • • . • ...... • . . . • ...... 21

(1) This page intentionally blank. BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES A 30-year Average, 1910-1939

C. W. ELLENWOOD

The period when the trees blossom and the time the fruit is harvested are important factors in determining the value of an apple variety. Records of these dates and other phenological data have to be taken over long periods of years to be valuable. This bulletin is the third publication issued by the Ohio Agricultural Exper­ iment Station dealing with like material. Bulletin 385 (1) contained a report covering a maximum of 15 years of records; Bulletin 472 (2) presented data covering records on varieties for a 20-year period. Blooming dates, date of harvesting, yield records, and other related data on 146 varieties of apple are presented in this publication. The records for 61 of these varieties extend over a 30-year period, 1910 to 1939 (table 12). Data on the other 85 varieties include records ranging from 29 years to only a few years (table 13). Ninety­ three varieties are included in table 13, but eight of these are duplicated in the data over the longer period as shown in table 12. Data on blooming dates may be helpful in selecting and properly locating varieties in new plantings to ensure good conditions for cross-pollination, timely spraying, and convenient harvesting. The bearing habits and age at which trees reach commercial production are important economic factors to be con­ sidered in selecting varieties. The blooming dates and yield records shown in the tables of this publica­ tion are from the Station orchards located at Wooster, Ohio, approximately 55 miles south of Lake Erie. The dates shown in these tables are, of course, applicable only to a rather narrow latitude. The relative difference between the dates of bloom of the varieties, however, should have state-wide application. Oldenburg and Dolgo are early blooming varieties anywhere in Ohio as com­ pared with Rail's and Rome Beauty, which bloom late in all sections. Compre­ hensive bloom data for other sections of Ohio are not available. Generally, a given variety will reach full bloom at Wooster 10 days to 2 weeks later than the same variety will in southern Ohio. It has been observed, however, that this difference in bloom dates between southern Ohio and Wooster varies greatly from year to year. Varieties reach full bloom at Wooster from a week to 10 days ahead of the same varieties in the region of Chardon, in Geauga County. TREATMENT OF ORCHARDS

Most of the Station orchards from which the data presented here were taken have been grown under the grass mulch system of orchard management. Some of the plantings were cultivated for 6 or 8 years before they were seeded to a mixture of clover and grasses. Bluegrass is the predominant grass in the older orchards. In addition to the grass produced in the orchards, straw and similar materials from outside have been used as supplementary mulch materials. (3) 4 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

A comparatively small amount of nitmgen fertilizer has been used, and only an occasional application of phosphorus. In recent years, poultry manure has been used to some extent in the variety trial orchards. The trees have had a light annual pruning. Trees planted since 1915 have been trained so far as possible to a central leader. Those in older plantings were trained to a more open center. The spray treatment has varied from year to year but has at all times been in close conformity to the schedule recommended for commercial orchards. In recent years, the tendency has been toward more dilute fungicides, particularly for the after-bloom applications. Thinning has been practiced with the, idea of preventing breakage and reducing cull fruit at harvest time but has probably not greatly modified total yields in the variety orchards under discussion. Approximately one strong colony of bees per acre has been supplied to ensure favorable conditions for pollination.

PERIODS COVERED BY RECORD In table 1, the average dates of full bloom for 28 of the better-known varie­ ties are shown at the end of 4 intervals of the 30-year period, 10, 15, 20, and 30 years.

TABLE 1.-Date of full bloom, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-year periods

10-year 15-year 20-year 30-year Variety period period period period 1910-1919 191Q-1924 1910-1929 191Q-1939

Astrachan...... May 6 May 5 May 4 May 4 ...... 6 8 6 6 BenDavis ...... 9 10 8 8 Delicious ...... 8 9 8 8 Fallawater ...... 9 8 8 8 Grimes...... 7 7 6 6 ...... 9 8 8 8 Mcintosh ...... 7 7 7 7 Mann ...... 6 6 5 5 ...... 11 10 10 1(} Northwestern (Greeninll') ...... 10 10 9 9 OldenburJl' ...... 5 5 5 5 Ralls...... 16 15 14 13 Rambo...... 8 8 7 7 Red Canada ...... 8 8 8 8 Rhode Island (Greening) ...... 8 8 7 7 Rome Beauty ...... 12 12 11 10 Roxbury (Russet) ...... 9 8 8 8, Stark ...... 8 7 6 6 ...... 9 8 8 8 ...... , ...... 7 7 6 & ,,, .•...•...... •...... •..•.•.••..•.. 9 9 8 8 White Pippin ...... 8 7 7 6 Winesap ...... 10 10 8 8 ...... 8 6 8 8 Yellow Bellflower ...... 7 7 7 7 Yellow Transparent ...... 9 9 8 7 ...... 8 9 9 g, Average ...... May 8 May 8 May 8 May 7

It will be noted by referring to table 1 that the weighted average date of full bloom for the 28 varieties for the 30-year period was May 7 (plus), or about 1 day earlier than the average for the first 10 years of the period. The average for the 30 years was practically the same as that for the first 20 years BLOO~l PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 5 of the period. This result suggests that a 20-year record is more reLiable for the establishment of the average bloom dates than 10- or 15-year records. It also indicates that a 20-year record will be approximately as accurate as one for a longer period. METHODS OF TAKING RECORDS Detailed tree-by-tree records of date of bloom and yield were first taken in the Station apple orchards in 1910. Each year since then, data have been taken for all the varieties, showing the date on which the variety opened its first bloom and the elate on which the maximum number of blossoms was open (full bloom). In 1930, observations were begun on the length of the period the trees were in full bloom. This period has been defined by noting, first, the date when an individual tree reaches what seems to be the stage when the maximum number of blossoms is open, but before the petals start to fall, and, second, the

TABLE 2.-Length of bloom period, average, 1930-1939

Date of Date of full bloom Number of Variety first bloom days in Begin End bloom

Arkansas ...... May 1 May 7 May 10 10 Astrachan ...... Apr. 30 5 8 9 Baldwin ...... May 2 6 8 7 ...... May 1 5 7 1 BenDavis ...... •...... May 3 7 10 8 ...... May 2 7 11 1() Delicious ...... •...... •...... May 2 7 9 8 DolgoCrab •...... •...... •...... Apr. 28 3 6 ~ Early Harvest ...... Apr. 28 4 7 10> Esopus...... May 1 7 13 13 Fallawater ...... •...... May 1 7 8 8 Galli a Beauty ..•...... May 5 10 12 8 Gano.••...... •...... May 3 7 10 8 ...... May 4 9 11 8 ...... Apr. 30 5 8 9 Grimes ...... May 1 6 8 8 Hubbardston ...... May 2 6 8 1 Hyslop Crab...... •...... •.. Apr. 30 4 7 8 Jonathan ...... May 1 6 9 ~ Linville ..•....•...... •...... •...... May 1 6 9 9> Mcintosh ...... May 2 7 9 8 Maiden Blush ...... May 1 6 9 9> Mann ...... Apr. 30 6 8 9> ...... May 1 7 10 1() Minkler ...... May 1 6 9 9' Mother...... May 4 8 11 s Northern Spy...... May 5 9 12 s Northwestern (Greening) ...... May 3 8 11 9 Oldenburg ...... Apr. 30 5 8 9 Oliver (Senator) ...... May 2 8 11 1() Ralls ...... May 6 10 12 7 Red Canada ...... May 1 7 9 9> Rhode Island (Greening) ...... May 1 6 9 9 Rome Beanty ...... May 5 9 12 8- Stark ...... May 1 5 8 8- Stayman Winesap...... May 2 8 10 9' Tompkins King ...... •...•.•••...... Apr. 30 4 1 8 Wealthy ...... May 1 6 8 s Williams ...... May 3 8 12 1() Winesap ...... May 3 8 10 8- Winter Banana...... May 3 8 10 8 Yellow Transparent ...... May 2 6 8 7 York Imperial...... May 5 9 12 s: Average, 43 varieties...... May 2 7 9 S+ Earliest .•...... •••...... •...••.••...... Apr. 28 3 6 Latest ...... •....•...•...... May 6 10 13 6 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

Fig. 1.-Stayman Winesap in full bloom, 1939 date when practically all the buds are open and the petals are beginning to fall in profusion. The first date of this full-bloom period is designated "begin" and the second, "end." By including the three dates in the record as shown in table 2, the actual time covered by the entire blooming period is more clearly defined than by using just the dates of first and full bloom. The records presented here have been taken and compiled by just two observers during the whole period of 30 years. An effort has been made to make the observation for each tree at approximately the same time each day. No mechanical or mathematical measurements were used to determine just when a given stage was reached, but every effort was made to make careful and uniform observations. When the records were begun, 48 pounds of apples constituted a legal bushel in Ohio, and orchard crates designed to hold that quantity were built. The yield records as shown in the tables are based on orchard crates holding somewhat more than the present recognized measured bushel.

RELATIONSHIP OF AIR TEMPERATURE TO BLOOM AND YIELD OF APPLE

It is generally recognized that spring frosts constitute one of the most serious production hazards in Ohio apple orchards. During the 30-year period covered by this report, the Station orchards were comparatively free from com­ mercial frost injury. Frost destroyed a considerable number of fruit buds or blossoms but did not appreciably reduce yields in the Station orchards in 191S, 1925, and 1929. During the 30-year period, the most serious damage occurred in 1938, when the total crop of apples in the Station orchards was materially reduced by frost injury. The injury in 1938 occurred on the morning of May 12, about 18 days BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 7 after the average elate of full bloom. The lowest temperature recorded by the thermometer in the weather station shelter located at the edge of the orchard was 29° F. The apples were the size of peas or larger at this time. Tempera­ tures as low as 29° F. had been experienced in other years at about the same relative stage of fruit development with comparatively little injury. It may be worth recording that the weather had been dry during May preceding the freeze and that the rate of evaporation during early May was comparable to that typical of July. The night of the frost, the air was exceptionally calm. In the vicinity of Wooster, the injury was not as serious on elevations above 1,100 feet as on those below. Frost also reduced the crop in 1910. Frost damage to fruit is frequently local. Observations made in the Sta­ tion orchards during frosty periods have shown differences of 3 or 4 degrees ir, temperature between places where the difference in elevation was not more than 25 feet. In table 3, are shown the average daily mean temperatures for the month of May, as well as the lowest temperatures recol'ded eluTing that month for the 8 years from 1932 to and including 1939. These temperatures were recorded from United States Weather Bureau instruments at two stations on the Experi­ ment Station farm. Weather station No. 1 is located near the Administration Building at an elevation of 1,040 feet; No.2 is in the orchard at an elevation of 1,100 feet.

TABLE 3.-Relationship between elevation and temperature at Wooster during May, 1932-1939

No.1 station No. 2 station Elevation 1,040 feet Elevation 1,100 feet Year Average Lowest Average Lowest temperature temperature temperature temperature

1932 ...... 58.8 28 60.6 30 1933 ...... 61.8 39 62.3 40 1934 ...... 62.4 31 62.6 32 1935 .•. , •...•.....•.....•.•...•.••...... 54.2 30 55.2 30 1936 ...... 61.8 32 63.8 33 1937 ...... 58.5 34 60.6 36 1938 ...... 59.1 28 62.3 29 1939 ...... 60.9 29 62.5 29 Average ...... 59.7 61.2

It will be noted that the mean temperature for May during the 8-year period was 1.5 degrees higher at the No.2 station and that generally the lowest temperature reading was 1 or 2 degrees higher at the higher elevation during these years. The yearly date of full bloom for 10 standard varieties and some of the more important seasonal weather data are shown in table 4. The weather data in table 4 were those recorded at the weather station ( 6, 7) approximately 1 mile from the orchard and at an elevation 50 to 75 feet lower than that of the orchards. 00 TABLE 4.-Date of full bloom of 10 standard varieties and weather data, 30-year period, 1910-1939 - I Notes on temperatures from date of full bloom to and including May 31 Mean Stay- Average temper~ Mean Yellow Olden- Weal- Mcln- Jona- man Rome ature, temper- Number 0 Year Trans- Grimes Delicious Baldwin Wine- Beauty for 10 March ature, Mini- of days ~ parent burg thy tosh than varieties Date of ...... sap and May mutn temper- lowest 0 April tem- ature temper.. per- was ature tr-j ature below X freezing '"d ------tr-j 1910 ...... Apr. 22 Apr. 13 Apr, 20 Apr. 20 Apr, 17 Apr. 22 A.pr. 25 Apr. 24 Apr. 26 May 1 Apr. 22 48.7 54.8 25 5 May 6 ,.....~ 1911 ...... May 12 May ll May 12 May ll May 11 May 12 May 14 May 12 May 13 May 15 May 12 40.7 63.6 33 0 14 iS: 1912 .... ·- May 8 May 6 May 7 May 8 May 7 May 7 May 8 May 10 May 8 May 8 May 8 40.2 61.2 36 0 13 tr-j 1913 ...... May 5 May 4 May 6 May 4 May 4 May 5 May 5 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 5 43.7 57.9 25 3 11 1914...... May 15 May 11 May 16 May 10 May 12 May 14 May 12 May 12 May 12 May 18 May 13 41.3 59.8 30 1 16 z 1915 ...... May 10 May 4 May 10 May 9 May 8 May 10 May 9 May 8 May 10 May 12 May 9 42.2 55.6 28 2 27 >-3 1916 ...... May 17 May 11 May 16 May 12 May 12 May 13 May 12 May 13 May 15 May 16 May 14 39.4 60.2 34 0 20 w 1917 ...... Ma.y 22 May 19 May 20 May 20 May 21 May 20 May 21 May 21 May 21 May 24 May 21 42.1 52.6 34 0 26 1918 ...... May 6 May 5 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 7 May 6 May 7 May 7 May 9 May 7 45.9 65.0 37 0 ll 1919 ...... May 8 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 5 May 7 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 8 May 6 44.2 58.1 35 0 6 ~ 1920 ...... May 18 May 12 May 19 May 17 May 17 May 20 May 19 May 19 May 19 May 21 May 18 43.0 56.4 42 0 29 ~ 1921...... Apr. 21 Apr. 22 Apr. 19 Apr. 21 Apr. 21 Apr. 21 Apr, 21 A.pr. 20 Apr. 25 Apr. 22 51.6 60.6 31 1 17 0 1922 ...... Apr. 30 . i.:j,~: '26- May 1 Apr. 30 May 2 May 2 May 2 May 2 May 2 May 6 May 1 46.2 62.2 33 0 1 1923 ...... May 14 May 8 May 14 May 14 May 13 May 15 May 15 May 15 May 15 May 18 May 14 42.1 56.9 35 0 14 z 1924...... May 11 May 8 May 12 May 12 May 12 May 12 May 12 May 12 May 13 May 17 May 11 41.7 54.5 32 0 22 1925 ...... Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr, 26 Apr. 24 Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr. 27 Apr. 26 46.1 53.6 29 5 12 to 1926 ...... May 16 May 14 May 16 May 16 May 17 May 17 May 17 May 17 May 18 May 19 May 17 37.8 58.0 40 0 27 d 1927 ...... May 4 ...... May 8 May 5 May 6 May 7 May 6 May 7 May 7 May 9 May 7 45.3 59.0 37 0 28 t:-< 1928 ...... May 12 May 10 May 11 May 13 May 12 May 11 May 13 May 12 May 15 May 16 May 13 41.3 57.4 30 1 13 t:-< 1929 ...... Apr, 28 Apr. 24 Apr. 27 Apr. 26 Apr. 26 Apr. 28 Apr. 28 Apr. 28 Apr. 28 May 1 Apr. 27 48.4 57.7 28 4 17 tr-j 1930 ...... May 1 Apr. 29 May 1 Apr. 30 Apr. 30 May 1 May 1 May 1 May 1 May 2 May 1 44.2 61.1 30 2 27 ...... t-3 1931...... May 10 May 8 May 10 May 10 May 10 May 11 May 11 May 11 May 11 May 14 May 11 41.8 57.4 31 1 24 1932 ...... May 8 May 7 May 9 May 8 May 8 May 8 May 8 May 8 May 8 May 11 May 8 39.5 58.8 31 1 18 z 1933 ...... May 9 May 4 May 6 May 6 May 7 May 9 May 8 May 9 May 11 May 13 May 8 44.0 61.8 40 0 17 0> 1934 ...... May 7 May 5 May 6 May 6 May 6 May 7 May 7 May 6 May 7 May 7 May 6 40.6 62.4 31 1 16 r"' 1935 ...... May 8 May 5 May 9 May 9 May 9 May 9 May 10 May 9 May 10 May 12 May 9 45.0 54.2 33 0 24 00 1936 ...... May 9 May 7 May 8 May 9 May 8 May 9 May 9 May 9 May 9 May 10 May 9 42.8 61.8 32 0 15 1937 ...... May 14 May 11 May 13 May 12 May 14 May 14 May 15 May 14 May 14 May 18 May 14 40.3 58.5 36 0 20 1938 ...... Apr. 25 Apr. 23 Apr. 25 Apr. 24 Apr. 24 Apr. 25 Apr. 25 Apr. 25 Apr. 25 Apr. 27 Apr. 25 46.5 59.1 28 1 12 1939 ...... May 9 May 7 May 8 May 8 May 9 May 8 May 9 May 9 May 9 May 11 May 9 40.9 61.0 31 l 14 Average. May 8 May 5 May 7 May 7 May 7 May 8 May 8 May 6 May 8 May 10 May 8 43.3 58.7 BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 9

Impediment of air currents by windbreaks or other obstructions modifies the effect of elevation on temperature. A few years ago it was noted that an evergreen windbreak located on the west side of one of the Station orchards served to create a frost pocket in this orchard in the area near the windbreak. The lowest elevation in this orchard was adjacent to the windbreak. The east­ ern side of the orchard was only 15 to 20 feet higher than the western, but trees in the east half of the orchard were relatively free from frost injury, whereas those near the western side of the orchard were frequently injured to the extent that the crop was appreciably reduced. Experience has shown that it is unwise to have an obstruction near the edge of an orchard, particularly where the adjacent land is at a lower elevation than the orchard itself. In table 5, are presented some temperature records taken at Wooster from 1910 to 1939. The average maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures for the months of March, April, and May and the mean for March and April com­ bined with the annual State production of apples are shown. It is recognized that it is the daily temperature rather than the monthly mean which determines the amount of frost injury. It is to be noted, however, from the data presented in table 5, that the years of high production were nearly always years in which

TABLE 5.-Maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures at Wooster,* March, April, and May, 1910-1939

Mar. Apr. May Mean Total for produc- Year Mar. tion of Max- Min- Mean Max- Min- Mean Max- Min- Mean and apples imum imum imum imum imum imum ------Apr. ---inOhiot Btt. 1910 .••. 84 18 47.2 81 23 50.2 82 25 54.8 48.7 5,900,000 1911.. .. 67 4 35.0 77 16 46.4 92 28 63.6 40.7 18,700,000 1912 .••. 68 6 30.4 78 23 50.0 86 36 61.2 40.2 1913 •... 74 1 38.5 83 20 48.9 86 25 57.9 43.7 11:~~~·88& 1914 •.•. 67 6 34.2 87 19 48.4 91 29 59.8 41.3 13,aoo:ooo 1915 ••.. 54 8 31.2 88 21 53.2 78 28 55.6 42.2 17,952 000 1916 .•.. 76 -1 32.0 78 21 46.8 86 34 60.2 39.4 8,600,000 1917 ••.. 72 2 36.3 82 20 47.8 86 31 52.6 42.1 5, 760,000 1918 .... 76 17 43.1 79 22 48.6 89 31 65.0 45.9 7,005,000 1919 .... 68 16 39.7 77 15 48.7 94 35 58.1 44.2 2,976,000 1920 .... 75 6 41.6 80 19 44.4 85 29 56.4 43.0 13,213,000 1921. ... 77 20 48.0 85 21 55.2 87 31 60.6 51.6 3,040,000 1922 ... 74 12 41.2 80 22 51.2 83 33 62.2 46.2 6,355,000 1923 .... 63 7 36.8 77 7 47.3 84 29 56.9 42.1 10,050,000 1924 .•.. 73 15 35.1 75 21 48.3 85 32 54.5 41.7 6,412,000 1925 ..•. 76 1 40.2 90 24 52.0 90 29 53.6 46.1 6,480,000 1926 .... 67 -1 32.6 81 18 43.0 85 31 58.0 37.8 12,804,000 1927 .... 73 14 41.4 83 24 49.1 87 30 59.0 45.3 5,310,000 1928 .... 75 10 36.9 79 19 45.7 88 29 57.4 41.3 6,578,000 1929 .... 81 10 45.0 84 25 51.7 90 28 57.7 48.4 2,592.000 1930 .... 72 9 37.4 87 23 51.0 87 30 61.1 44.2 4,172,000 1931. ... 59 14 35.1 82 25 48.4 85 28 57.4 41.8 15,494,000 1932 ...• 65 1 32.4 75 21 46.5 83 28 58.8 39.5 5,512,000 1933 .... 64 8 37.3 78 27 50.6 87 39 61.8 43.9 4,755,000 1934.. .. 68 0 33.4 76 24 47.7 92 31 62.4 40.6 4,459,000 1935 .... 70 17 44.6 77 19 45.4 81 30 54.2 45.0 9,016,000 1936 .... 74 13 41.5 75 19 44.1 90 32 61.8 42.8 3,059,000 1937 .... 56 9 33.0 70 24 47.6 88 34 58.5 40.3 12,636,000 1938 •••. 80 9 43.0 84 22 49.9 85 28 59.1 46.5 3,5~5,000 1939 .... 78 7 37.2 72 22 44.5 90 29 60.9 40.9 Aver- age .. 70.9 8.6 38.0 80 20.9 48.4 86.7 30,4 58.7 43.3 7,968,793

*From Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 608 (7) and weather records of the Ohio Experiment Station. tData for 1910-1918 from Yearbook of Agriculture, U. S. D. A., fol" 1919·1939 from Bureau of A~ricultural Economics, U. S. D. A. <:No est1mate for total production for 1939 was made. Estimate on commercial produc­ tion for 1939 was 5,800,000 bushels, for 1938, 1,950,000 bushels. 10 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618 the mean temperatures for March and April were lower than the average. Including 1939, there were 10 years in the 1910-1939 period when the total yield in Ohio exceeded 10,000,000 bushels. In 5 of these 10 years, the mean tempera· ture for May was lower, and in 5 years higher, than the average May mean for the 30-year period. Apparently, low mean temperatures in March and April have been more associated with high yield than high mean temperatures for May. The yields in the Station orchards over the 30-year period have been influ­ enced more by the natural habit of varieties toward alternate bearing than by the effects of frost injury. It has been pointed out that because of favorable elevation and air drainage, frost injury has been serious in only 2 years in the Station orchards. Table 6 shows the mean temperatures for the State for March, April, and May for a 10-year period, 1921 to 1930. During this period, there were only 2 years when the total yield of apples in the State exceeded the average for the entire 29-year period (shown in table 5). During this particular decade, the lowest State yield in the 30-year period (1929) was recorded; the yield for 1921 was the third lowest yield in the 30 years. These low yields of 1921 and 1929 resulted from widespread frost injury several days after the full bloom period. In both 1921 and 1929, the date of full bloom was appreciably earlier than the average. It is also significant that the mean temperatures for March and April in 1921 and 1929 were considerably above the long-time average. This condi­ tion contributed to an early bloom in both years. TABLE 6.-Mean temperatures* for State, March, April, and May, and total production, 1921-1930

Mean monthly temperatures Total produc­ Year tiont of apples Mar. Apr. May in Ohio

Bu. 1921...... 48.9 55.1 62.1 3,040,000 1922...... 42.2 52.6 64.0 6 355 000 1923...... 37.7 48.4 58.3 10:oso:ooo 1924...... 36.2 49.8 54.6 6,412,000 1925...... 41.8 54.2 55.6 6,480,000 1926...... 33.2 44.4 60.5 12,804,000 1927...... 42.7 49.8 60.1 5,310,000 1928...... 38.1 46.5 59.1 6,578,000 1929...... 45.8 53.2 58.5 2,592,000 1930...... 38.3 52.1 62.8 4,172,00() 10-year average, 1921-1930...... 40.5 50.6 59.6 6,379,300 55-year averag-e, 1883-1937...... 38.7 49.7 60.5

*Mean temperatures as reported in Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 608 (7). tTotal production o£ apples :from Bureau of Agricultural Economics, U. S. D. A.

No practical way has yet been devised to delay the bloom period. White~ washing has delayed bloom a day or two some years (3) but cannot be con­ sidered as a very important method of preventing frost damage. The influence of soil, slope, and other local factors on determining date of bloom of any given variety is minor. The geographical location of the trees does influence date of bloom. Rome Beauty will bloom a week or 10 days earlier in southern Ohio than it does at Wooster. Choice of the site that has been most free from temperatures below freez­ ing in late April and May has proved the best security against irregular crop­ ping. BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 11

RELATION OF DATE OF BLOOM TO GROWING SEASON

One of the indexes for establishing picking dates for apple varieties is to count forward a given number of days from the date of full bloom. This figure is established by observing the average bloom and picking dates for a long period of years. Temperature, sunshine, and rainfall influence the length of the relative growing season of varieties, and the order of ripening at Woos­ ter would, therefore, not be applicable to southern Ohio or the extreme northern area. Data from the bloom and yield records for 15 well-known varieties are pre­ sented in table 7. These data cover the 10-year period from 1930 through 1939 and were taken at Wooster. It is to be noted that there was a great variation between the fewest and greatest number of days intervening between bloom and harvest. For the 15 varieties, the average variation was 20 days. In table 8, data similar to those presented in table 7 are shown for 10 of the com­ mercial apple varieties for the full 30-year period.

TABLE 7.-Number of days from full bloom to first picking, 10-year average, 1930-1939

Number of Fewest number Greatest number days from full of days from full of days from full Variety bloom to first bloom to first bloom to first picking, aver­ picking in any picking in any ag-e for 10 years season during 10 season durin1r 30 years years

Yellow Transparent...... 65 60 74 . ··•••••••··•·••··· ...... ••...... 81 76 88 Oldenbur~r. .•...•.•..••...... 89 82 97 Melba...... 92 89 95 Joyce...... 106 96 124 Wealthy • • • .. .. • ...... • ...... • ...... 112 95 131 Mcintosh...... 129 119 136 Cortland ...... • . . • ...... • ...... 144 133 155 Grimes...... 147 133 155 Jonathan...... 151 134 159 Delicious ...... 154 144 163 Baldwin ...... • • ...... 161 147 166 Golden Delicious. . . . • • ...... • ...... 163 154 182 Rome Beauty ...... • ...... 167 155 178 Stayman Winesap ...... 168 162 183

TABLE 8.-Number of days from full bloom to first picking, 3C-year average, 1910-1939

Number of Fewest number Greatest number days from full of days from full of days from full bloom to first bloom to first Variety bloom to first picking in any pickin~r, aver­ pickinll' in any season durin1r 30 season during 30 a~re for 30 years years years

Yellow Transparent ...... 75 61 85 Oldenburg ...... 92 74 104 Wealthy ...... 112 95 131 Mcintosh ...... 132 119 141 Grimes ...... 147 133 155 Jonathan ...... 151 134 159 Delicious ...... 153 141 163 Baldwin ...... 161 147 166 Rome Beauty .•...... •...•...... 167 155 178 Stayman Winesap ...... 168 162 183 12 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

An accumulated record of bloom and picking dates should be helpful in establishing proper picking dates but cannot be used as a fixed rule. The daily blooming notes taken over a long period of years show that bud development is rather slow at temperatures of 55 o or less. The intensity and amount of sunlight, as well as the average daily temperature, influence the rate of bud development. Two or three days of temperatures of 70 to 85° when the buds have reached the full pink stage will cause very rapid changes, whereas the influence of the same sort of temperature 2 weeks earlier will not be nearly as noticeable. BLOOM PERIOD IN RELATION TO POLLINATION The length of the blooming period of 43 varieties over a 10-year period (1930-1939) is shown in table 2. These data are also presented graphically (fig. 2). The blooming period as shown in table 2 is divided into three sections: :first, the date of first bloom; second, the beginning of full bloom; and third, the end of full bloom. The terms used to define these periods have already been described. The average length of the blooming period for the 43 varieties dur-

Aprtl May Vanety l11i 1'1 30 1 7. ~ ll 5 .C, 7 l1 'I 10 II ll 13 Dolgo cro.b EarLy Harvest AstrllChUfL Oldenburg Grnvensteln Hyslop crab Klll.Q Mo.nn ArKansas Bo.tt1more Esopus Falto.wntcr Gnmcs Jonathan LU\Vllle Mn.UI.el\ Btusl\. Mctbn. Mml

DATE OF BLOOM OF RED STRAINS AND STANDARD VARIETIES A comparison of the dates of bloom of some of the standard varieties and red strains of these varieties is shown in table 9. This comparison has been made only over a period of 4 years, 1936-1939. It is to be noted that the aver­ age date of bloom of these red strains in most instances is identical with that of the standard varieties.

TABLE 9.-Date of bloom of red strains and standard varieties compared, 4-year average, 1936-1939

Full bloom Variety First bloom Beg-in End

Delicious ...... May3 May 7 May 9 Richared ...... 3 7 9 Starking- ...... 3 7 9 Gravenstein...... • • . • • • • . • ...... 1 4 7 Red Gravenstein ...... 1 4 7 Northern Spy ...... 5 9 12 RedSpy ...... 5 10 14 Rome Beauty ...... 5 9 11 Gallia Beauty...... 5 9 12

AGE AT WHICH VARIETIES COME INTO BEARING Early bearing, although desirable, should not be overemphasized. It is more important that an apple tree be productive of good-sized commercial crops between the years of 12 and 25 from planting than that it produce scattering fruit within a few years from planting. Some varieties tend to bear so heavily at an early age that the trees remain small and incapable of producing large crops at any period. Other varieties, like Northern Spy and , are notably tardy in reaching production, but once in fruiting, pro­ duce large crops. 14 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

In table 10, an attempt has been made to classify some of the varieties into three groups according to the age at which they have reached bearing age at Wooster. In order that some comparable measure might be used, an annual production of 1 bushel per tree was required before a tree was considered in bearing.

TABLE 10.-Age at which varieties have come into production at Wooster

8 years or less from planting 9 to 11 years from planting 12 years or more from planting

Baltimore Arkansas Esopus Cortland Baldwin Hibernal Golden Delicious Delicious Liveland Dolgo Northern Spy Jonathan Gravenstein Red Spy King David Grimes Rhode Island (Greening) Lodi Hubbardston Sutton Beauty Oldenburg Joyce Yellow Newtown Stayman Winesap Mcintosh York Imperial Wagener Melba Wealthy Milton Yellow Transparent Rome Beauty Starkmg Summer Rambo Turley Winesap

BEARING HABITS OF VARIETIES Varieties divide themselves into annual, alternate, biennial, and irregular bearers. Individual trees may depart from the average behavior for a variety, and even a variety as a whole may vary considerably under different soil and climatic conditions. Methods of pruning, fertilization, and the arrangement of varieties in an orchard as regards possible pollination also influence the waring habits of a variety. Varieties likewise change their bearing habits as they grow older. Golden Delicious, Oldenburg, Wealthy, and Yellow Transparent may all bear annually for a few years and then develop into alternate or biennial bearers. For instance, Golden Delicious comes into bearing rather early and bears relatively good crops for 4 or 5 years, then tends toward alter­ nate heavy and light crops, and, finally, goes into biennial bearing. The influ­ ence of thinning, pruning, and removing the buds by spraying has not been fully determined. The following classification is based on observations made in the Experi­ ment Station variety orchards at Wooster where the cultural practices used on all varieties have been uniform: Annual bearers.-Varieties which have tended to produce at least fair­ sized crops annually at Wooster are Baltimore, Ben Davis, Gallia Beauty, Grimes, Northwestern (Greening), Rome Beauty, and Stayman Winesap. Alternate bearers.-Varieties which produce a moderate to heavy crop one year followed by a lighter crop the next are Charlamoff, Cortland, Delicious, Esopus, Fallawater, Golden Delicious, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Mcintosh, Rhode Island (Greening), Stark, and Turley. Biennial bearers.-Varieties which produce a crop one year and little or no fruit the following include Arkansas, Baldwin, Boiken, Haralson, Hubbardston, Jefferis, Northern Spy, Oldenburg, Oliver, Ralls, Rambo, Summer King, Wealthy, Yellow Newtown, Yellow Transparent, and York Imperial. BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 15

Irregular bearers.-In this fourth class are a group of varieties with light average annual yields. They may produce a fair-sized crop one year, follow­ ing which there may be several seasons in which little fruit is produced. In this group are such varieties as , Greenville, King (Tompkins), Lankford, Pecks, Red June, Winesap, and Yellow Bellflower.

AGE WHEN MAXIMUM PRODUCTION IS REACHED Many of the varieties planted between 1893 and 1899 steadily increased their average annual production to and including 1939 (table 12). The average annual production per tree of the 61 varieties as a whole from 1910 to 1919 was 10.5; for the 20-year period 1910-1929, 12.7; and for the 30-year period 1910- 1939, 13.8 bushels. By 1939, some of the varieties which had shown a declining production in 1929 had actually reversed this trend and produced a higher average yield per tree for the third than for the second decade of the 30-year period. In this group of varieties were Baldwin and Fallawater. There were other varieties which had shown an increasing production at the end of the second decade which continued to increase in annual production. Included in this group were Ben Davis, Grimes, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Northwestern (Greening), Rhode Island (Greening), Stark, and Stayman Winesap. A good many varieties remained fairly constant in annual yield during the third decade as compared with the second. In this group wero J e:fferis, Late Strawberry, Oldenburg, Rome Beauty, Wealthy, and Yellow Transparent. In connection with these observations on production at the different age periods, it is worth noting that the most serious loss from spring frost occurred during one of the years included in the third decade (1938). There was another weather phenomenon which may have influenced production to some extent during the third decade. Following the extremely dry year of 1930, certain varieties which had previously shown a decided tendency toward biennial bear­ ing became annual or alternate bearers. Oldenburg was one of these. During the decade from 1930 to 1939, all the trees included in table 12 received an annual application of nitrogen fertilizer, whereas fertilizer had been used only 2 or 3 years preceding that. A survey (4) of Ohio orchards conducted by the Department of Horticul­ ture in 1939 revealed that approximately 70 per cent of the commercial orchard­ ists responding to the inquiry, "During what years of the life of your apple orchard has it been most productive?" listed the most productive period as between 15 and 40 years from planting. The experience in the Station orchards has been that production will increase well past 30 years from planting. Total production and economic production should not be confused. It has been observed (4) in the Station orchards that more spray material per bushel of production is required on the 40-year-old trees than on trees 25 years of age or younger. Pruning and thinning costs are also greater on the older trees. The quality of fruit, including size and color, has been poorer in the later years of the period reported. HIGH-YIELDING VARIETIES It should be borne in mind in appraising long-time production records that the differences in size of trees between varieties account for part of the differ­ ence in yield per tree. For instance, the average annual production per tree for the variety Wealthy has been low as compared with that of Rhode Island Green- 16 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618 ing, but the diameter of the head of 31-year-old Wealthy trees (table 11) was 25.7 feet, whereas that of Rhode Island (Greening) was 42.2 feet. Naturally, it would be possible to plant Wealthy trees closer together than Rhode Island (Greening). This difference in size of tree would tend to compensate to some extent for the larger yield per tree.

TABLE 11.-Comparative size of 31-year-old apple trees in Station orchards, Wooster

Variety Diameter of head of tree

Ft. Rhode Island (Greening) ...... 42.2 Northern Spy . . . . . • ...... 37.0 Northwestern (Greening) ...... ••...... 35.5 Baldwin ...... •...... •...... 34.4 BenDavis ...... 33.0 Jonathan...... 31.2 Rome Beauty ...... 31.0 Grimes Golden ...... •...... 30.7 Oldenburg ...... •...... 30.7 Winesap ...... 29.5 Wealthy ...... 25.7 'Wagener...... 25.5

Of the well-known varieties planted between 1893 and 1899, as shown in table 12, the following may be ranked as high yielding: Baldwin, Ben Davis, Fallawater, Grimes, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Northwestern (Greening), Rhode Island (Greening), and Rome Beauty. All these varieties had annual yield records exceeding an average of 15 bushels per tree for the 30-year period. Varieties having per tree production records of 10 to 15 bushels for the 30-year period included Boiken, Late Strawberry, Oldenburg, Red Canada, Stark, Stay-: man Winesap, and Yellow Transparent. Varieties having comparatively low yield records per tree were Early Harvest, Jefferis, Wealthy, and Winesap. :

PRODUCTIVITY OF NEWER VARIETIES Among the varieties included in table 13, the following have established records for good production: Anoka, Cortland, Dolgo, Glenton, Golden Deli­ cious, Hyslop, Linville, Mcintosh, Red Gravenstein, and Turley. BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 17

TABLE 12.-Average date of bloom and picking and yield per tree of trees planted between 1893 and 1899, 30-year record, 1910-1939

Average date Average annual yield High- Tree Crop Variety est fail- No. Full First 1910... 1910... 1910... annual yield ures bloom picking ---1919 --- 1929 ---1939 ------Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. 262 Arkansas ...... May g Oct. 26 13.0 12.0 16.0 42.5 4 264 Arkansas ...•...••...... Oct. 26 12.2 10.2 10.2 27.0 1 252 ...... 8 Oct. 28 12.6 13.5 12.6 46.4 0 301 Arkansas Black •.••••... 8 Oct. 28 12.4 13.5 16.0 39.0 1 281 Astrachan ...... 4 JulY 27 6.8 8.6 8.Z 19.3 6 213 Babbitt ...... 3 Oct. 11 11.7 15.4 19.6 46.0 0 299 Babbitt ...... 3 Oct. 11 7.0 8.8 12.1 28.8 1 117 Baldwin .....•••....•...•. 6 Oct. 15 14.7 14.3 13.4 a6.0 5 118 Baldwin ...... 6 Oct. 14 12.7 12.8 13.1 31.1 4 119 Baldwin ...... 6 Oct. 14 18.3 17.4 16.7 85.7 2 126 Baldwin ...... 7 Oct. 14 15.6 15.8 16.6 41.0 6 128 Baldwin ...... 6 Oct. 14 12.9 14.4 15.8 44.8 5 85 BenDavis ...... 8 Nov. 1 12.3 12.9 14.5 37.0 4 87 Ben Davis ...... 8 Nov. 1 16.4 17.4 16.6 46.6 2 394 Boiken ...... 10 Oct. 15 12.1 16.3 13.0 46.0 3 106 Bottle Greening .•...•.... 7 Oct. 20 4.9 6.9 8.6 24.3 2 181 Celestla ...... 8 Oct. 6 6.6 12.6 16.4 43.1 1 104 Centennial ...... 9 Aug.26 12.5 14.0 14.8 a0.9 3 180 Charlamoff •...... •...... 7 Aug. 6 6.1 7.6 8.5 18.5 1 108 Collins ...... 8 Oct. 29 5.0 6.0 8.9 26.5 2 105 Delicious ...... 8 Oct. 9 7.8 9.2 11.6 a5.5 1 102 Duling ...... 6 Aug.22 14.2 15.5 15.3 37.5 1 179 Early Harvest ...... 6 July 20 8.7 9.0 8.8 37.0 1 268 Fallawater ...... 8 Oct. 2 14.4 15.2 17.8 54.7 3 269 Fallawater ...... 8 Oct. 2 19.6 18.0 18.7 40.8 0 3aO FallJennetting ...... 9 Sept. a 8.7 8.0 7.1 20.8 13 331 Fall Jennetting ..•...... • 8 Sept. 4 8.4 10.5 9.5 27.1 5 332 Fall J ennetting ...... 9 Sept. 4 8.2 10.0 9.6 22.2 3 355 Fanny ...... 7 Aug.13 4.5 7.3 8.4 23.5 10 148 Gano ...... 8 Oct. a1 24.3 25.4 28.2 59.2 0 107 Gideon ...... 6 Sept. 8 6.0 10.4 11.5 33.0 6 97 Gillin ...•...•...... ••.• 8 Oct. a 14.8 16.9 17.5 34.0 0 98 Gillin ...•..••••.•••.•.•... 8 Oct. 3 13.1 14.2 13.5 32.0 5 188 Golden Russet ...... 6 Oct. 24 8.7 11.0 12.4 36.7 0 a15 Greenville ...... 8 Oct. 8 7.9 11.1 12.2 33.3 1 316 Greenville ...... 8 Oct. 8 7.7 9.2 10.8 27.6 4 317 Greenville ...... 8 Oct. 8 4.8 8.1 10.0 36.0 4 196 Grimes ...... 6 Oct. 1 16.0 18.0 20.6 58.0 1 214 Jefferis ...... 8 Sept. 1 8.5 8.6 8.6 25.9 13 243 Jonathan ...... 8 Oct. 5 10.3 15.6 17.6 44.3 1 244 Jonathan ...... 8 Oct. 6 8.1 12.6 15.5 45.7 2 248 Lankford ...... 8 Oct. 28 7.3 8.9 10.2 27.0 3 250 Lankford ...... 8 Oct. 29 5.9 6.9 8.2 26.0 1 199 Lansingburg ...... 6 Oct. 31 10.5 12.4 15.6 40.5 3 283 Late Strawberry .•.••.... 6 Sept. 2 10.5 9.4 9.8 22.8 4 284 Late Strawberry •..•...•. 6 Sept. 2 12.3 13.2 14.0 as.7 2 151 Loy ...... 9 Oct. 22 14.2 15.7 18.1 48.0 8 216 Mann .••...... ••••...••.•. 5 Oct. 26 11.3 16.4 17.5 49.5 5 293 Mann ...... 5 Oct. 26 8.9 10.2 12.4 38.7 6 294 Mann ...... 6 Oct. 26 13.3 13.2 13.7 33.0 1 129 Moyer ...... 8 Oct. 10 14.2 14.8 13.7 40.8 6 328 Munson ...... 7 Aug.18 10.4 10.3 11.7 40.4 4 144 Northern Spy ...... 10 Oct. 7 4.5 6.8 9.4 33.5 4 145 Northern Spy ...... 9 Oct. 6 12.8 15.3 16.8 34.2 4 146 Northern Spy ...... 10 Oct. 7 3.8 6.7 9.6 37.6 7 18 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

TABLE 12.-Average date of bloom and picking and yield per tree of trees planted between 1893 and 1899, 30-year record, 1910-1939---eontinued - Average date Average annual yield High- Tree est Crop No. Variety fail- Full First 191Q- 1910- 191Q- annual ures bloom picking 1919 1929 1939 yield ------Btt. Ett. Ezt, Bu. 169 Northern Spy ...... May10 Oct. 8 16.9 23.8 24.5 63.0 2 176 Northern Spy ...... 10 Oct. 8 3.9 10.8 Jl.5 44.0 5 178 Northern Spy ..•..•...•.. 10 Oct. 7 16.7 22.2 22.0 58.3 4 175 Northwestern (Greening~ 9 Oct. 20 11.7 15.8 15.7 40.0 3 352 Northwestern (Greening 9 Oct. 20 19.0 24.8 27.7 59.2 1 132 Oldenburg ...... 5 Aug. 4 9.0 11.6 12.6 30.8 8 133 Oldenburg ...... 4 Aug. 4 10.0 14.1 13.2 46.2 7 357 Oliver ...... 8 Oct. 14 6.9 10.4 12.6 42.5 9 323 Paradise ...... 7 Oct. 23 11.9 14.8 15.4 36.0 3 340 Peck ...... 8 Oct. 16 6.4 8.4 10.1 29.5 1 239 Ralls ...... ::::.:::::.:::: 13 Oct. 29 12.6 14.1 14.8 46.0 2 240 Ralls ...... 13 Oct. 29 9.6 12.9 12.6 30.0 3 241 Ralls ...... 13 Oct. 28 7.9 11.1 10.9 34.0 11 334 Rambo ...... 7 Oct. 10 11.6 11.4 12.9 29.7 6 342 Red Canada ...... 8 Oct. 14 8.6 10.8 12.0 32.4 5 343 Red Canada ...... 8 Oct. 14 11.0 11.0 11.7 32.0 7 344 Red Canada ... 7 Oct. 14 14.1 15.6 l6.6 41.7 7 227 Rhode Island (G;.;,~~·i;;g): 7 Oct. 3 10.1 17.2 19.6 55.7 1 229 Rhode Island (Greening). 7 Oct. 3 9.9 16.1 22.2 I 56.0 0 324 Rome Beauty ...... 10 Oct. 22 13.1 16.6 16.9 34.5 0 325 Rome Beauty ...... •.. 10 Oct. 22 19.2 20.6 20.2 41.0 0 326 RomeBeaut.v ...... ::. 10 Oct. 22 10.9 13.6 14.1 33.0 1 101 Roxbury ...... 8 Oct. 11 14.8 15.3 16.1 40.2 4 224 Salome ...... :::: 6 Oct. 26 11.2 16.7 20.6 42.5 1 91 Stark ...... 6 Oct. 20 10.6 11.4 14.0 37.0 2 92 Stark ...... 6 Oct. 20 R.4 10.2 12.4 34.2 2 121 Stark. 6 Oct. 20 16.4 14.9 14.9 33.6 2 158 Sta.vma:,; Win~~i..j,'::::::: 8 Oct. 23 8.0 12.2 15.2 34.8 2 212 Stayman Winesap ...... 8 Oct. 22 6.7 6.4 9.4 20.2 7 312 Stayman Winesap ...... 8 Oct. 24 15.5 13.7 16.3 31.8 1 354 Summer King ...... 9 Aug.15 8.5 12.0 15.4 51.5 14 219 Tompkins King ...... 5 Oct. 2 7.3 9.4 11.1 28.5 1 112 Twenty Ounce ...... 8 Oct. 6 5.8 11.6 13.4 31.7 2 124 Walbridge ...... 7 Oct. 27 8.1 10.3 11.2 28.9 2 125 Walbridg-e ...... 7 Oct. 29 9.5 10.2 10.8 24.6 2 289 Wealth.v ...... 8 Aug. 28 6.2 7.6 7.6 24.7 9 290 WealthY ...... 7 Aug.30 6.1 7.6 8.6 18.3 1 291 Wealthy ...... 8 Aug. 30 5.9 7.8 7.3 21.0 10 310 Western Wonder .... ::::: 9 Sept. 19 7.8 10.8 12.1 31.0 4 88 White Pippin ...... 6 Oct. 25 11.4 15.2 17.4 55.2 1 89 White Pippin ...... 6 Oct. 25 17.2 20.9 22.1 57.1 3 90 White Pippin ...... 6 Oct. 25 16.0 16.0 17.3 40.5 2 259 White Pippin ...... 7 Oct. 21 7.6 12.6 15.4 47.0 9 100 Winesap ...... 8 Oct. 26 6.3 6.8 7.4 17.5 3 266 Winter Banana ...... 8 Oct. 10 13.7 14.3 20.3 45.0 1 114 ...... 8 Sept. 19 12.3 13.4 14.8 47.0 5 251 Yellow Bellflower ...... •• 7 Oct. 21 5.2 6.8 9.0 26.0 2 83 Yellow Transparent ..... 7 July 22 8.7 11.5 11.1 32.0 9 84 Yellow Transparent ..... 7 July 22 9.8 12.2 13.1 29.7 7 232 Yellow Transparent ..... 7 July 22 6.0 7.4 7.6 20.2 7 l1l York Imperial ...... 8 Oct. 24 11.3 16.1 19.8 42.0 4 309 York Imperial., ...... 9 Oct. 23 5.0 8.3 8.6 32.7 10 Average 8 10.5 12.7 13.8 BLOOlVI PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 19

TABLE 13.-Date of planting, average date of bloom and picking, and yield per tree of trees planted in 1900 and later

Average date Aver­ Total age High­ Year pro­ annu- est Crop Tree Variety plant­ First No. crop due­ al annu­ fail­ ed Full First tion~ yield, al ures bloom picking 1939 193Q- yield 1939 ------1------Bu. 93 Ames ...... •... , ...... 1929 MayS Oct. 9 1936 7.0 625 Anoka ...... 1926 7 Aug. 8 1932 18.3 "'"3" 123-H Ascot ...... 1926 9 Sept.10 1935 11.6 :::::::. "'"5:6-- 1 124-H Ascot ...... 1926 8 Sept. 8 1937 6.9 ...... 3.0 0 121-H Atlas ...... 1926 7 Aug. 30 1933 11.3 ...... 4.0 2 122-H Atlas ... , ...... 1926 7 Aug. 30 1935 12.5 6.2 0 204 Baltimore ...... 1913 5 Oct. 14 1918 234.4 '"i:i:S'" 32.5 6 153 Blenheim ...... , . 1903 7 Sept. 15 1913 300.6 16.3 35.0 4 27Z Blenheim ...... 1903 7 Sept. 16 1913 289.9 12.9 20.0 1 106 Bottle Greening ...... 1905 8 Oct. 21 1916 222.9 10.6 24.3 2 152 Chautauqua ...... 1920 8 Oct. 15 1926 69.5 5.8 13.0 3 661 Cook Sweet ...... ••.. 1917 8 Aug.17 1926 45.1 3.6 11.0 4 173 Cortland ...... 1923 7 Sept. 29 1930 59.1 5.9 17.9 4 116-H Cortland ...... 1926 8 Sept. 28 1932 30.6 ...... 11.0 2 117-H Cortland ...... 1926 8 Sept. 30 1932 27.3 ...... 6.5 1 151-H Cortland ...... 1927 8 Sept. 28 1932 21.2 7.2 3 123 Delaware Red ...... 1922 8 Oct. 21 1931 38.7 ...4:r· 9.0 0 279 Delicious, top-grafted .... . 1914 7 Oct. 9 1919 399.8 23.4 38.8 0 652 Dolgo ...... 1917 4 Aug. 16 1926 84.1 6.8 13.6 2 635 Donald ...... 1916 9 Sept. 28 1927 133.4 12.1 29.3 4 627 Elmer ...... 1916 9 Oct. 18 1924 126.3 9.8 24.0 5 129-H Emelia ...... 1926 9 Oct. 10 1935 15.0 5.0 0 164 Esopus ...... 1915 6 Oct. 15 1927 88.3 ···7:7" 15.3 1 654 Evelyn ...... 1917 10 Oct. 4 1925 184.4 15.5 32.0 2 307 Fall Pippin ...... 1915 5 Sept. 22 1927 71.9 7.0 17.7 3 94 Family ...... 1901 6 Aug. 13 1911 215.9 11.5 32.7 13 95 Family ...... ••...... 1901 6 Aug. 13 1911 192.3 8.8 23.5 14 632 Garnet ...... 1916 6 Sept. 25 1925 252.6 21.7 44.7 2 623 Gasgoilrne Scarlet, , •.... 1916 11 Sept. 3 1925 96.3 7.8 19.5 4 255 GiantJeniton ...... 1909 8 Oct. 26 1918 161.4 1!.8 20.0 5 640 Gillifiower ...... 1917 8 Oct. 21 1926 124.7 1!.5 20.5 0 634 Glen ton ...... 1916 11 Sept. 6 1925 163.6 13.4 33.3 3 274 Golden Delicious ... , ...... 1921 10 Oct. 19 1929 31.2 2.9 9.3 3 411-A Golden Delicious ...... 1921 9 Oct. 13 1927 118.0 10.6 30.6 5 411-B Golden Delicious ..•...... 1921 8 Oct. 13 1927 105.2 9.9 29.3 4 411-C Golden Delicious ...... 1921 8 Oct. 13 1927 110.1 10.0 26.2 2 411-D Golden Delicious ....•.... 1921 8 Oct. 15 1927 75.3 6.5 19.0 2 411-E Golden Delicious ...... 1921 8 Oct. 14 1927 67.0 5.9 15.0 5 412-B Golden Delicious ....•.... 1921 8 Oct. 15 1929 73.0 7.0 18.2 2 412-C Golden Delicious ...... 1921 8 Oct. 17 1929 72.1 6.9 21.0 1 412-D Golden Delicious .•...... 1921 9 Oct. 17 1930 41.9 4.1 12.0 2 257 Golden Winesap ...... 1922 7 Oct. 19 1930 28.3 2.8 7.0 4 260 Golden Winesap ...... 1922 7 Oct. 17 1927 58.9 5.0 14.5 4 658 Gravenstein ...... 1922 5 Aug. 29 1931 56.2 5.6 16.1 2 617 Gra venstein., ...... 1922 4 Aug. 27 1931 63.7 6.4 18.7 0 130 Grimes ...... 1922 7 Sept. 25 1931 35.0 3.5 9.1 1 177 Grimes ...... 1924 8 Sept. 24 1931 23.8 2.4 5.7 0 81-H Haralson ...... 1926 5 Sept. 30 1932 23.5 ...... 9.0 4 101-H Haralson ...... 1924 4 Oct. 1 1934 16.0 3 165 Hibernal ...... 1909 6 Sept. 2 1922 128.0 ""8:3" 1~:~ 1 335 Hubbardston ...... 1903 8 Oct. 3 1914 268.3 13.9 27.5 10 138-H Hume ...... 1926 6 Sept. 3 1935 10.2 0 206 Huntsman ...... 1905 8 Oct. 24 1913 368.7 ..i9:7" ~J 5 611 Hyslop ...... 1916 4 Sept. 7 1927 88.9 7.9 19.2 2 145-H Joyce ...... 1926 6 Aug. 23 1935 15.7 ...... 6.1 2 146-H Joyce ...... 1926 6 Aug. 20 1934 24.8 ...... 6.2 0 147-H Joyce ...... 1926 6 Aug. 20 1934 25.3 ...... 5.8 0 153-H Joyce ...... 1926 6 AU'g. 23 1935 5.0 ...... 2.0 2 154-H Joyce ...... 1926 6 Aug. 20 1934 14.9 2 254 Kinnard ...... 1909 7 Oct. 20 1918 210.0 "'i2:i" aU 5 646 Lady Sudeley ...... 1917 8 Aug. 9 1930 38.9 3.6 10.0 1 141-H Lawfam ...... 1926 7 Oct. 2 1935 14.7 ...... 7.4 2 142-H Lawfam ...... 1926 7 Oct. 2 1937 7.3 1 464 Linville ...... 1905 7 Oct. 26 1913 255.3 "ii§' 2~J 4 356 Lobo ...... 1928 7 Sept. 22 1935 7.9 ...... 2.4 2 109-H Lodi ...... 1928 8 July 27 1934 14.4 ...... 5.5 3 97-H Lovett ...... 1924 6 Aug. 26 1932 33.8 ...... 11.9 4 20 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 618

TABLE 13.-Date of planting, average date of bloom and picking, and yield per tree of trees planted in 1900 and later--continued

Average date Aver- Total age High- Tree Year First pro- annu.. est Crop Variety plant- due- No. First Ct'OP al annuw fail- ed Full pick- tion. yield, a! ures bloom ing 1939 1930- yield 1939 ------Bu. Bu. Bu. 159 Loy ...... 1920 MayS Oct. 21 1929 100.8 9.6 22.0 2 110 Mcintosh ...... 1903 7 Sept. 16 1911 540.3 27.4 53.8 4 338 Mcintosh •.••...... 1903 6 Sept. 16 1913 484.0 28.1 42.0 2 662 Mcintosh ...... 1917 6 Sept. 15 1925 230.1 19.2 40.7 1 133-H McSweet ...... 1926 10 Sept. 16 1935 16.3 ...... 6.5 2 134-H McSweet ...... , 1926 10 Sept. 16 1935 14.7 6.0 2 358 Maiden Blush ...... 1900 8 Sept. 5 1914 112.7 "'6:5' 13.0 5 633 Melba ...... 1916 5 Aug. 7 1925 76.2 6.3 15.8 7 149-H Melba ...... 1927 6 Aug. 5 1933 9.4 ...... 3.5 2 15o-H Melba ...... 1927 6 Aug. 5 1933 8.0 ...... 3.0 3 155-H Melba ...... 1929 6 Aug. 5 1934 11.4 ...... 5.5 3 156-H Melba ...... 1926 6 Aug. 9 1935 3.3 ...... 1.2 2 99-H Milton ...... 1924 8 Aug. 29 1932 30.6 9.5 3 131 Milwaulree ...... •...•..... 1909 5 Sept. 11 1918 194.9 .. ii:i" 30.0 4 270 Minkler ...... 1916 6 Oct. 29 1924 113.7 10.3 34.2 2 157-H Monmouth Beauty ...... 1927 7 Aug. 16 1934 18.2 7.8 0 242 Monocacy ...... 1916 8 Oct. 29 1924 107.1 '"7<8" 19.0 3 238 Mother ...... 1913 8 Sept. 14 1922 106.8 7.6 23.5 4 304 Nero ...... 1909 5 Oct. 20 1918 214.0 14.7 29.7 3 125-H Newtosh ...... 1926 8 Oct. 2 1932 19.8 ...... 4.0 1 126-H Newtosb ...... 1926 7 Sept. 29 1934 21.3 6.0 0 626 Niobe ...... 1916 9 Oct. 12 1924 158.3 "i2X. 30.0 0 382 Nottingham ...... •...... 1900 8 Oct. 18 1914 346.2 18.8 43.4 0 234 Okabena ...... 1909 6 Aug.23 1920 118.6 7. 7 20.0 5 143-H Patricia ...... 1926 6 Sept. 19 1935 13.2 6.4 2 208 Patten Greening ...... 1909 5 Sept. 16 1918 210.6 "iH 24.5 4 135-H Pedro ...... 1926 8 Sept. 14 1935 21.9 ...... 8.4 2 136-H Pedro ...... 1926 8 Sept. 14 1935 9.3 . .. U .. 4.2 2 140 Pipers Best ...... 1922 5 July 19 1933 12.8 5.0 3 135 Pipers Fall Beauty ...... 1922 9 Oct. 6 1932 21.8 2.4 7.0 4 102-H Polly ...... 1924 7 Oct. 2 1934 30.2 6.5 0 103-H Polly ...... 1924 8 Oct. 5 1931 23.8 ········ 6.0 3 638 Porter ...•..•.•...•...... 1917 9 Sept. 8 1927 121.2 "ii:i" 32.5 3 303 Rambo ...... 1913 7 Oct. 10 1921 144.3 10.6 22.0 7 336 Ranier ...... 1924 7 Oct. 18 1934 27.1 4.3 5.5 0 118-H Red Gravenstein ...... 1926 5 Aug. 22 1934 20.0 ...... 4.0 0 152-H Red Gravenstein ...... 1927 5 Aug.24 1935 13.2 5.0 1 295 Red June ...... 1903 7 Aug. 2 1913 152.1 "'id" 13.5 2 98-H RedSpy ...... 1924 10 Oct. 5 1936 12.1 ...... 8.2 1 645 RedSpy ...... •..•.•.. 1926 10 Oct. 1 1936 15.2 ...... 12.0 1 119-H Red Spy ...... 1926 10 Oct. 5 1935 6.4 2.8 2 638 Rocket ...... •....••...... 1916 10 Sept. 12 1923 97.8 "'7:i" 18.5 7 233 Roman Stem .....• 1922 6 Oct. 26 1932 16.6 5.5 2 277 Roman Stem ...... :::::: 1922 6 Oct. 28 1931 14.1 ········ 4.5 4 298 Scarlet Beauty ...... 1922 8 Sept. 27 1929 40.4 '"3:8" 9.5 5 641 Scott ...... 1919 5 Aug. 8 1927 13.7 1.0 3.0 6 182 Shiawassee ..•..•...... 1903 7 Oct. 15 1914 186.8 10.3 22.5 8 110-H Starking ...... 1926 8 Oct. 3 1935 23.6 ...... 9.0 1 111-H Starking •...•...... ••.... 1926 8 Oct. 3 1935 10.5 ...... 4.2 l 112-H Starking ...... 1926 8 Oct. 3 1936 15.3 6.0 1 616 Stayman Winesap ....•.. 1918 7 Oct. 21 1925 64.7 '"5:7" 14.2 2 637 Stayman Winesap ...... 1917 8 Oct. 21 1923 184.1 14.2 26.0 1 659 Success Crab ...•...•.... 1917 3 Sept. 4 1925 83.7 7.8 22.5 4 150 Summer •...... 1909 6 Aug. 15 1918 169.7 n.o 22.5 3 1Qo-H Sweet Delicious ...... 1924 10 Oct. 3 1932 23.2 ...... 9.5 3 89-H Sweet Russet ...... ••..... 1924 8 Sept. 16 1933 25.7 7.5 1 631 Thurso ...... ••.•.•..... 1916 11 Aug. 31 1926 66.1 "'5:6' 13.3 4 477 Turley ...... 1919 8 Oct. 20 1929 66.2 6.3 13.0 2 639 Walker Beauty...... 1917 8 Oct. 2 1925 142.2 12.6 32.0 4 174 Walter Pease ..•...... 1922 3 Sept.l7 1931 42.1 4.6 18.0 3 160 Wealthy ...... 1912 6 Sept. 2 1919 148.1 9.4 23.0 5 230 Westfield ...... 1922 8 Oct. 14 1932 23.7 7.0 1 614 Whitney Crab ....•...... 1916 7 Aug. 19 1926 127.6 "iid" 19.8 0 185 Williams ...... •..•..•... 1913 8 Aug. 7 1927 47.5 3.3 10.0 6 665 Winesap ...... 1917 8 Oct. 20 1926 93.5 8.6 15.3 1 655 Wolf River ...... 1917 9 Sept. 12 1929 76.9 7.4 18.5 3 624 Worcester ..... 1916 8 Sept. 1 1923 102.5 8. 7 18.0 3 BLOOM PERIOD AND YIELD OF APPLES 21

SUMMARY A record of the average annual yield per tree and date of bloom is pre­ sented for 146 varieties of apples. The average date of full bloom for standard varieties for the 10-year period 1910-1919 was May 8; for the 20-year period 1910-1929, May 8; and for the 30- year period, May 7. Damage from frost injury occurred in years when full bloom was reached before May 1. These years were 1938, 1929, 1925, 1921, and 1910. The heavi­ est damage was in 1938. Frost injury in the Station orchard was much less a factor in modifying production than it was in the State as a whole. Low temperatures in March and April were associated with high yields. The average length of the blooming season for a large number of varieties for the 10-year period 1930-1939 was 8 days. The blooming seasons of all but a few early and late varieties overlap sufficiently in most years to provide opportunity for pollination. The average annual yield per tree of 61 varieties for the 30-year period 1910-1939 was 13.8 bushels. The same varieties for the 20-year period 1910- 1929 gave an average annual production of 12.7 bushels and for the period 1910- 1919, 12.7 bushels per tree.

LITERATURE CITED 1. Ellenwood, C. W. 1925. Blooming period and yield of apples. A 15 year average. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 385. 2. . 1931. Bloom period and yield of apples. A 20 year average. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 472. · 3. . 1931. Whitewashing trees to retard bud development. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bimo. Bull. 149: 46-51. 4. . 1940. The optimum life of an apple orchard. Ohio State Hort. Soc. Ann. Rep. for 1940: 96-101. 5. Howlett, F. S. 1927. Apple pollination studies in Ohio. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 404. 6. McClure, John T. 1940. Climatological survey for Ohio and Wooster, 1938 and 1939. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bimo. Bull. 204: 109-111. 7. Patton, C. A. 1939. Some observations on :fifty years of Ohio weather. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 608.