CROPS OF FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 19

CROPS OF FRUIT

TWO IN ONE YEAR POSSIBLE.

(By W.H.T.)

The occurrence of a second'crop of fruit is frequently recorded. It is generally accepted as,proof of exceptionally firie weather, and it rests at that. Very few stop to think that it is really an extraordinary phenomenon, .-' almost a miracle of vegetative growth. Also, it occurs to very few to doubt the truth of the statement that ■ fine weather -is responsible, for- the ;■ second r crop.; ; J "As/a matter of fact, it has nothing to do with it, second crop being/ due to something that .-occurred much earlier iv the season. It is' pears that usually1. bear the second crop, and mostly it is the Bon Chretien variety that does so. It is not rare for other varieties to produce a second crop, but the frequent variety is as stated. The writer knew of several trees of Bon Chretien at Manukau that bore a fah> second crop of useable fruits every yeaiy:.:but has lost sight of them during the past ten years. . In most cases" the fruits are not worth eating. Other ■fruits occasionally produce a few second crops, but this occurrence is comparatively rare. \ The "writer had charge ■for some years'of a large orchard in which were'two trees of a Japanese plum, name not known, that produced every year two heavy crops of normal fruit. ■' These trees were evergreen, not naturally, but by abortion. The course is a puzzle, and .'I: have heard no solution of it... . , To return to pears, it is Well known that the buds take two or more years to develop fruit, except that the terminal buds' on this year's laterals in some varieties bear fruit'next-year. The Bon' Chretien is one of these varieties on whic'U this, occurs.' These ' bearing laterals are utilised by orchardists to bring their trees_ into fruit, in the case of apples as well as pears. The apple.known as Delicious is one that would be far too long coming in to bearing were it not that young lat-_ erals are left to ,bear,, and bearing fruit checks vegetative growth and induces a bearing habit. Second-crop fruits .are almost entirely, borne on yonng shoots of this kind, but there is the wonder of the buds having grown to maturity in a few months^, instead .of in twelve months—the shortest normal 'time. _ How is this done? Well, it is caused by the tree having been, early, in summer; sub-' iected to a shock: or severe check by dry weather. This has ,the effect of hardening the shoots and bringing them to maturity before their due time. But ' the shoots are not able to remain dormant while the tree is in active growth, so instead of lengthening as they should, £he i-ipo buds break, and we get growth that should really havo been postponed till the, following year, and the resultis some usually useless fruit. It was really \clue to adverse'weather in early summer that fine weather in autumn may, "at times, improve- the fruit, .but that ' has nothing to do- Ayith its occurrence. .. ■