The fruiting of trees in consecutive seasons

Extract

Points of considerable interest, both scientific and practical, are raised by the question as to whether a tree which fruits exceptionally well as compared with its fellows in one season, will tend to fruit exceptionally well, or the reverse, in the following season. We know of no definite reason why the behaviour of a tree as regards fruiting should alternate in consecutive years, and no such behaviour has been observed in the case of animals. Its doing so would imply that fruiting is due to the gradual accumulation of some substance in the tree, which becomes exhausted whenever heavy bearing occurs, and that the stock of this substance does not become properly replenished till after another season has elapsed. This is quite possible, but quite unproven. Indeed it seems to be actually opposed to the well established fact that growth and fruiting are antagonistic to each other; for the exceptionally feeble growth which accompanies exceptionally heavy cropping, must tend, as all restriction of growth does, to the formation of an increased number of blossom-buds for the following season, and probably, therefore, to heavy cropping also, during that following season; unless of course, the cropping has been so heavy as to seriously impair the vigour of the tree; but this is an excessive condition which need not be considered here. We might also expect similar behaviour as regards fruiting in consecutive years, on the general grounds that individual trees must differ from each other in fertility, as in every other respect. On the other hand, there is a strong belief amongst horticulturists that a tendency to alternate fruiting, as it may conveniently be termed, does really exist; so much so, that the recommendation is often made, to severely thin the fruit from a tree which is bearing heavily, with the object of destroying this tendency, and of obtaining moderate and more uniform bearing in future years.