Full text of "Fruit notes"

CX' /i^

S-}^

FRUIT NOTES

JUL! 1935 - NOVEMBER 19U9

Extension Service
University of Massachusetts

Pel!
T943

p.fnr

" - ?^rr

«;»'.""•

(Set No. 2)

FRUIT NOTES
1936 - 1949 (inclusive)
(ComD.iled by V. H. Thies, Extension Horticulturist)

Since 1936, this periodical has been issued by the Extension
Service as a means of informing Massachusetts fruit growers on
matter of current interest. Both tree fruits and small fruits
have been included. The first mimeographed issue in March, 1936
was preceded by carbon copies of similar material mailed from
time to time to the County Extension offices. (Two of these releases,
July and August 1935, are here included).

It has been our purpose through the years to cover a wide
variety of items and to have the write-ups relatively brief.
Considerable attention has been given to abstracting Experiment
Station reports and to the presentation of timely information. A
casual survey of this material, month by month, will provide the
reader with a running account of the various problems confronting
the fruit grower in years past and the suggested solutions.

For various reasons, there are quite a number of missing
issues in this bound volume. In several of the months no issue
was prepared. In others, a demand for the extra copies exhausted
the supply. The missing issues are as follows:

1936 (Jan., Feb., March, April, July, Aug., Nov., Dec);
1937 (Aug., Ser)t., Oct.); 1939 (Oct.); 19A3 (Aug.); 1946 (Feb.,
Nov.,);1947 (Jan., Ma-js June, Sept.,); 1943 (Jan., Mar., May, Sept.,);
1949 (Jan., :SSS^, June, Sept, Dec.,).

■.si r

. (' , . ^ , ■.! nnj 9T ^ri SIC - : :.

c^n.-, ~n

r ST at:

FRUIT WOTjIS - January, 1S4-0

■tf. H. T-ies
■i^r.tension -horticulturist

_Int_er_nal_ _Corj^ P±_J^2J:es^,rK\_l;l^^Go:rtrol w'itli Boron

The prevo-lence of internal cork in a^rples in 1939 v;as related to
the shortaije of rainfall, according to A. B. Burrell of Cornell University.
The effect of drouth, however, is an indirect one, probably opcratin-^ throu[;h
a reduction in the absorption of boron. \Je are indebted to Dr. Burroll for
the follouin™ recommendations.

Insurance against a reciu're::ce of internal cork is bobt obtained
through application of boreix to the soil in a ring beneath the tips of the
branches. The fine granular fori", is best suited to the purpose, being lowest
in jrrice, easily spread, a:id not so subject to for;.j.ng hard lunps as the
pov/der forn. Application of straight bora;: v;ithout dilution is preferable
to i-dxing it with other ;uaterials, or depending on the boron in fertilizer
r.iixtures.

It is custonary to irake cor.nnercial app:lications at the sa.uG tiue
as nitrogen fertilizers are put on, i.e., around tlie ti;.ie of the delayed
dorasirc or early pre-pink sprays. Provided the i.iaterial is ¥/ashed into -the
soil a fe\-f v/eeks before the appearance of synptorjs, aiiy date during the grov/-
irig season seei":s satisfactory. Application of bora:c to trees whose fruits
showed sone external cork on June 30, 1S39, greatly reduced the developi.ient
of internal cork during the bala-ice of the sur.X;:er. On the untreated trees
in this e::peri;?.ent, late-season internal cork was severe. Late fall asid
v/inter are considered undesirable -'c±::es for applying bora;: sending furth-er
study.

The followiiig I'ates ox application have been found satisfaotorj-
under a wide range i:i soil co:iditions i;i tlie uajor fruit-growing districts
of I'lev/ York State. The availE.ble . evidence indicates thr.t one borax traatiAsnt

A;:,jrox. trunk diaiJ° 1' above ^rpj-li^^. ^■^.-. A^.-'.^. fP^. rJ-ytIL3(^'2?-ip^rJ-PP,S'I}-. soil

Up to 2v- iiiches

7
10
14
15 " up

hone

ounces

8 -

12 -

(Tlie size of a tree is nore dependable than the age for deter..n.n^n^, u. aui:
needed.)

lasued by the iixtension Service, V/illard A. Lunson, director, in further-
ance of Acts of Jf''!ay 8 a::d June 30, 1914, I--assachusetts State College, United
States Department of Agriculture, and Cou:ity ^^xtension Services cooperating.

-2-

As a result of a recent request in Fruit Uotes a number of growers
have responded with aii oiTer of scions for use in the variety orchard at the
State Golleje. But several of the uorthj^ old tiners are still r.dssine. If
you ho-ve a tree of any of these vejrieties or if you know of soi.ieone else
froir. v/iiom scions r.iay be obtained, you will ;.;erfori.i a service by dro;;.-in:2; a
postcard to the writer. Several of these varieties were forri.erly included
in our planting but the hurricane has reduced the nunber considerably.
These varieties are anonr; the riissing; Auturin Strawberry, Bailey Sweet,
Bottle Greening, fethead, Congress, Dudley, Fall Harvey, Fall Jennetting,
Gideon, Golden Pippin, Hightop Sv/eet , Holden, Jacob Sweet, Lyscor.: (l.]g.tthev/s'
Stripe), i.'inister, IJodhead (Jev/ett), Ralls, Rolfe, Oliver (Senator), Sops of
V/ine, V/ashington Royal, V/inter St. LavA'ence.

Fertilizer iil.er:ient_s

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassiun are the elements raost often
lacking for plant growth in soils in the United States. Other just as neces-
sary mineral elements are usually present in sufficient quantities to ade-
quately supply the needs of growing crops, including fruit trees. However,
it is interesting to note that a lack of one or r.iore of the so-called minor
elements produces consequences of real ecouor.iic significance in some fruit
sections. Some of the lesser knovm deficiency symptoms and rer.edial appli-
cations are as follows; leaf mottling and rosette of peach, citrus and
other fruits in California, apple trees in V/ashington, pecan trees in the
South - Sine J chlorosis and rosette of peach trees in South ^-ifrica and
die-back of citrus in Florida - copper^ chlorosis of citrus in California
and Florida - manganese ^ chlorosis of many plaircs in r»any parts of the
country on high calcium soils - iron; internal cork, rosette and die-back
of apples in many sections - boron. There are undoubtedly other exaraples.
It is consoling to realize that for fruit trees on inherently good and well-
handled I.Iassachusetts soils, nitrogen is usually the only limiting factor.
Under a heav^'- mulch system, even the usual nitrogen applications become less
necessary. L^ Southvdck

S ugges tions for the G_ood^ _of_ t]!®. .AZl1§.. Jil^.V.^J'^J'i

Of possible interest to I.assachusetts fruit growers are the remarks
of Senator Harry ¥. Byrd, who spoke last December 6 at a meeting of the Vir-
ginia State Horticultural Society at Roanoke, Virginia. Senator Bird is one
of the largest orchardists in the country. Spealcing of what can be done to
improve our fruit situation, he m^ide these suggestions;

(l) "A Virginia and a national cai.ipaign to cut dovm undesirable
and unprofitable apple varieties." (2) "Sliminate unprofitable marginal
orchards bjf a voluntary negotiation with the owner, and financed by some
method of assessm.ent on all apple producers." (3) "Agreements not to sell
cull and inferior apples in competition v/ith packed fruit." (4) "Promote
an apple juice, sold fresh and pressed from fresh apples by a machine just
invented." (5) "A general advertising ca:?.paign em.phasizing the health
giving qualities of the apple > an educational cainpaign to teach the consumer

-3-

the merits of different varieties for different puri^oses." (o) "The box,
v/itli individually UTap;;ed a;^:;^-los, should be standardized in size."

L. South wick

SPJi' -Sil^- .s.nd Pr°P,??- ^'^.'' _°?_ Fruit

Results this pa.st season indicate considerable proi.-dse in the use
of dilute concentrations of certain compounds (so-called horuones as ex-
plained in the last issue of Jruit llotes) to dele>.y fruit drop at harvest
tine. At the '.Vorcester iiieetin^^s. Dr. J. R. tiagness of the U.S.D.A. gave
a brief account of the situation, h'aphthalene-acetic acid at 2 - 5 parts
per million of water — approxi:.iately l/l5 - l/5 ounce in 250 gallons —
is reported to reduce and delay significantly the normal dropping of apples
at harvest tine. The spray is applied very thoroughly — up to 25 gallons
per tree — because evidently it is necessary to hit each a.pple ster.i. One
or possibly two applications will probably be adequate 5 (l) when the apples
are just starting to drop in Septer.iber, and (2) about 10 - 14- days later if
desired. Effects s.re first r.Tanifest about 24 hours after the spray is ap-
plied and persist iron 10 - 15 days.

Naphthalene acetandde has ooen slightly nore effective than naph-
thalene acetic acid, but it does not go into solution as readily. It is
possible that a conirnercial product using one of these niaterials will be put
on the :-.iarl:et this year. The corapounds are expensive at the present ti:.io
but it has been suggested that the cost of the diluted spray nc.y range some-
where around a cent per gallon. This would neaxi. a cost for :.a.terials alone
of 25 to 50 cents per mature tree. Then there is some evidence that a light
surm'iier oil and the addition of citric acid may increase effectiveness. There
is evidently no danger of toxic effects on consuj-.iers .

All of the statements and figures given are, at best, approximations.
I.'ore definite inf orir.ation v/ill be forthcoming later and especially after anoth-
er year of sxperinental v/ork. In the neantirne, it is worthwhile to speculate
on the possibilities that this development presents, particularly to grov/ers
of Mcintosh. If application of these horaonos vrorks out as indicated by
preliminary experiments, growers v/ill be helped considerably not only in
the decreased total ai'nount of dropping but also in the better maturity and
in the improved color that the longer autui-;in exposure will bring about.
Probably growers should not expect to use these sprays generally over their
entire plantings, -iilcononicallyj they may be more justified in cases of emer-
gency when serious loss fromi dropping threatens. These are only conjectures

but certainly worth -Dondc-ring. I.Iore information later. ,, . ,

L. Sou'jnvjick

ITi:;i:IS FRCI.: KiCRE AilD THJRE

Ej uJJ;_ F ljuit_ P_atent_s . Of the 350 plant patents granted from August 18, 1931
to "December 31, 1939, roses account for almost one-half the total. Fruits
patented include 23 peach, 11 apple, 7 strawberry, 5 clierry, 6 plum, 4 grape,
3 nectarine, 1 pear, 1 apricot, 1 raspberry, 1 blackberry, 1 dewberry, and
1 brainbleberry .

Ac cjjd_eiybjj._ _IH_s_c.ov^erx j^r. i^^^^ Several years ago U.S.D.A.

workers, studying the rosetto disease of pecans, sprayed trees with a cer-
tain solution and the results ;_;ro7ed very encouraging. Repeated, the treat-
ment failed until the workers checked bad: and recalled that the first spray
uatericls had been irized in a j^alvanized pail, fhe benefit, it later de-
veloped, ca"ie from the zinc dissolved fron the coating on the pail. Jin
impurity in the spray rlxture had actually cured the disease <ind further
reseai-cli developed practical uiethods of applying zinc as a tonic in pecan
orchsards,

J^^esultG o_f^ BorsLX^ freatn_e_nt_s_ i-}\ S'&ytJ.PJ'KP:}'.?^^' ^^ ^ series of 17 tests
with bora:: for the control of internal cork in New York State, the results
are extremely favorable. Untreated trees in these orchea-ds showed an aver-
age of fron 25 to 69^1, cork. In 12 of the above orchards, trees treated
with borax last spring showed absolutely no cork. Three others showed less
than .3;=. In the one orchard v;hich shov;ed 10.4/o cork in the treated trees
as against 58. 4/^ in tlie untreated trees, the borax was not applied until
June 30 at which tine the syraptonis had already appeared.

Appl e Eaters Live Longer. According to Better Fruit, the average bo}- in
the State of V/ashington v;ho ^rows up eating apples has a life expectancy
tv/o yecU's greater than the average Araerican boy. \7ith girls, it's a four
year advantage in favor of \7ashington. L'othing is said about eating Ilas-
sachusetts apples. But the reader nay draw his o\m conclusions.

Johnny Appleseed a nd Fathe r Du n^j ean . The story of Johnny Appleseed and his
efforts in starting apple trees in the Laddie \7est before the Civil War is
well known. Airple growing in the I'lorthwest seems to have an oven earlier
origin. About 1828 a French priest, Father Dunjeaxi, crossed the Rocky
fountain divide and travelled down the Snake River to the Columbia. He,
too, carried in addition to his Bible, a bag of apple seeds which he planted
along the rivers in what is nov; IdEilio, Oregon and V/ashington. SOi-ie of his
trees survived, according to the story, and suggested to later .-^aerican
settlors that the Yakinia, V/onatchoe and other dry valleys, supplied with
v/ator, v;ould yield bountiful crops.

yjliy Woeds. Thriye. It has been found that riany weeds require less moisture
than crop plants, which accounts for their persistence during dry spells.
Russian thistle, for exaiiiple, needs to absorb only 221 pounds of water from
the soil to produce one pound of dry natter. I.iarquis wheat needs 355 pounds,
flax needs 700 pounds, while Grii-.r.i alfalfa needs about 300 pounds for each
pound of dry riatter produced.

^2 t_ej=uT j3aj: h_ f _o r_ Pxer wiiit j^i^iii^^ Live stean: from a portable steam
boiler mounted on a truck has been used successfully in California to kill
over-vdntering codling moth larvae on pear trees. Eighty percent of the
larvae v/hich hide beneath bark on the trunks and larger linos are killed
by the steaci bath without injuring the tree. Heretofore, this has been a
knotty problem since the pear tree grows a tough, corky bark v/hich is very
difficult to scrape off in preparation for the use of cher.iically treated
bands. The stean bath apparently takes the place of both the scraping and
the bands.

-5-

L?Sr. JlsxlA^L Jir^Y^^AsA J%'.s?^^^^ January Better Fruit reports

a comparatively s.:ia.ll area in the 3poI:aiie district v;hich has bocone badly
infested by pear psylla. Pear growers are wcvrned that unless control meas-
ures are pronptly undortaiien poar grov/ers all over the Ilorthwest v/ill have
a similar problem. The nost generally approved solution is to pull out the
affected trees. R. L. ■«7ebster5 entonolof-ist of the Vfeshington Station, sug-
gests that a strict quarantine on fruit, cuttinjs, etc. might confine it to
the area nov; affected.

A.^P3^J:2.'^2±^J-}\J'}'^S'..r'PIylW.^^^.' The arsenate of lead required in grov/ing a
box of Fancy apples in the Chelan District of V/ashington costs 7 2/3 cents.
For every cai' of apples shipped out of Okanogan 306 lbs« ox lead arsenate
are used. For every Yakima car 272 lbs. are used and for every Wenatchee
car, 525 lbs.

Kuman Guinea Pi/j Tests C_o_nc_lud_e_d . One of the strangest experiments in the
history of the apple industry has just 'jeen concluded by V/. H. ReinJaart,
chemist and public healtii service engineer in the V/enatchee District of V/ash-
ington. His job v/as to determine the amount of poison absorbed by fruit
industry workers in the process of breathing and hov/ much of it v/as throvm
off by the breathing mechanism. He stood in the sm.oke from burning spray
cartons to get air sai.iples, leaned over spray tanks vri-th growers as they
dumped in the powder, and v/ent into wojrehouses where spra'y i:iaterials are
handled. He determined the amount of the cheviiical inlaaled by the use of
a small motor v;hich pulls the air through an acid solution. Prior to his
investigations tv/o public health service physicians had carried on exhaus-
tive tests to determine how m.uch of lead and a.rsenate were absorbed by resi-
dents and workers in tlie apple belt through eating apples. Dr. Reinhart's
tests involved apple thinners, sprayers, pickers, haulers, dtu.ipers, sorters
and packers.

MX®X'iiAii''iL.i<i'L^ils. Frjait__s . The annual report of the California Fruit
Grov/ers' ICxchsuige for the year ending October, 1339, shows that California
citrus producers paid an advertising assess;.ient of SjJ a box on oranges, lOp
on lemons, and 3^; on grapefruit. This adds up to a total advertising in-
vestment for the past fiscal year of more than 4)1,500,000. The Florida
Citrus Comr/iission hs.s a fruit advertising budget of nearly $1,000,000 to
promote the sale of citrus fruits from that state. These tv/o states to-
gether are spending in excels of $2,500,000 to keep Am.erican families eating
citrus fruits. Texas is also adding to that total through grapefruit ad-
vertising.

^91']SyM^^ ihP.33]:.^^S>S- 3^1'-^^J^2^^' ^^ attractive sticker, measuring 2 by
3 inches, shov/ing a drav/ing of a baked apple and reading "Try our fine fla-
vored V/ashington bal:ed apples with rich cream" has been designed for at-
tachm-ent to menu cards. This new devise is distributed through restaurant
groups and is intended primarily to encoirage the sale of Rom.e Beauties and
wine saps .

Ijore Fr uit_Jore cast . Larger average combined production of all tree fruits
in the U. S. is expected durir.g the next five years than during the past
five years. Significant increases vxe expected in grapefruit, oranges,
lemons, and moderate i:icr eases are expected in peaches, peai's and cherries.
Grape production vri.ll increase slightly but apple and prune production is
expected to continue dovmward at a moderate rate. No significant changes
are expected in the production of otlier tree fruits.

-D-

P^I.-H.'Sf^-yl'i.Jsy-?-^.^ ^ fruit telegraphic delivery service is nov; e.vailable
iri a loi'.^ list of cities .j.ncl even in sualler coixiunities in the United
States. Through this uev; service f8J(H-7 baskets i:iay be delivered :;rom-ptly
to individual consuners. Thus the fruit industry is starting a service
v/hich has been in cor.L-jon use aiaor.g florists for years »

Low Te:.rjeratures Dana/,e^ Citrus Jruit s ■ Quotinc; from the January 27 issue
of The New York Packer, "Texas vegetable and citrus fruits appc.rently are
damaged severely and the temperature is still below freezing at 3ro\«iSville
V/ednesday morning (January 24). It is still too early to appraise tho ox-
tent of loss. Citrus fruits show ice crystals. I.iuch grapefruit is defi-
nitely ruined for fresh shipment and is being processed as rapidly >^.s
possible. Valencia oranges just corjing into production show lees danage
than other citrus fruits. It will be 10 days before loss of fx-uit can be
deterained and tv/o or three days after the weather noderates before the
extent of da;"i3-ge to vegetables is known."

S^i^ikl3J:I'-L^Il32-^..!Ir.^i'^^^.' "A better product at a lov/er price" is the way
the v;orld states its deaandj v/hether it be for an autonobile or a pound
of apples. Thus H. B. Tukey expresses the situation in a recent issue of
the Rural New Yorker. Ke says that r.uch of our troubles begin because we
as producers try to resist this clianging situation by such natural ir.nulses
as denanding what we call "cost of production." He sites the exarq le of an
iceberg meeting a ship. "T.io iceberg goes on just the san;e." The iceberg
typifies the demand of tlie i/iarkot, and the ship, the producer who atteu^rts
to run crosswise to consuner deniand.

Ty/Q _Poj.nt_ejr_s_ f r_on]_ _I_C'._euio_ - Glancing through the January News Letter of the
University of Idalio, we note those two suggestions, (l) Stressing the need
for using old strawstacks to best s,dvantage, a vrriter says "Don't burn theu
or let then stand out in the field. jJxperiivients show that straw mulched
fields hold 3 to 4 tines as :.:uch water as bare plots." Speaking of a snail
gully, the m-iter says "Seed it, fertilize it, mulch it, and v/atch the grass
choke the gully to death." (2) L. Verner of the Idalio Experiment Station
offers this advice about pruning raspberries. "Tlie previous behavior of
the plant, as indicated by its vigor, is the best index of how severely to
thin out and head back raspberry plants. Thin sxid head the weak ones rather
severely but give the strong ones plenty to do by leaving more fruiting
wood on which to bear."

SjDi_lj__fpr__Blv\ebprri^^. In the last issue of the Rural hew Yorker, S. John-
son of Lichigan says, "Tlie blueberry plant is almost always found growing
naturally on sand or peat soil. However, it v/ill grow satisfactorily on
soil containing soaie clay if sufficiently acid. The soil ii^ist be very acid.
A pK range of 4.4 to 5.1 seems to be best. Blueberry plants vri.ll usually
survive a flooded soil but if too m.uch water is present after root grov.th
starts the pls-nts are likely to be injured and if excess v/ater is present
for too long a tine the plants vri.ll almost certainly die. Plants growing
in poorly drained areas are more subject to heaving and are more suscepti-
ble to frost injury < Too little moisture results in smaller growth and
decidedly lov/er yields. If sufficient moisture is not s-vailci.ble the plants
v;ill fail to -:roduce fruit buds."

-7-

Ty-'P- }^^R A^-i'-lQ-yjyA.^-'^J-.Qp-'' 1-1 3. i-ocent issue of The New York Packer aention
wE^s riade of tv;o new ap^jle varieties in llichigan. One is a very early var-
iety lound grovidng in -the Upper Psnninsula where a lumberjack evidently
tossed aside an apple core years ago. The other is a bud sport of the
V/inesap. Both of these varieties v/ill ^e tested to determne their fitness
for cor.'j.iercial planting.

1940 A ppl e g.nd P_each _Spray_ Chart s. Proof has recontl^r been read 3Jid re-
turned to the state printer covering the 124-0 apple and peach spray chai'ts.
The printed charts v/ill be available within a few days. Copies niay be ob-
tained fron your county agricultural agent or frori the State College.

RPrj!']L®P--Sl'^.^.3^A ^TAy^-il^A"-. C^^ A conference of !3xperiment Station

and jixtension Service v/orkers i:: tlie Kortheastern States is scheduled to
be held in Kev; Kaven, Connecticut , February 8. ibi attempt will b3 r;c.de at
this conference to unify our recor.iiv.endations so far as possible for the
control of various fruit pests. Representatives eu~e expected fro;: iJew York
and New Jersey and frori tiie New ilngland states.

Tl\e_ 3_oi_l_ _.-i.u£^e_r . The first volurie of a new soils publication has just been
prepared by Ao B. Beauraont , Extension Soil Conservationist. It is planned
to distribute this publication at least three tines during the year to county
agricultural agents and to teacliers of vocational agriculture in Llassachu-
setts. The Soil Auger will serve as a clearing house for information per-
taining to soils and their use. In the first assue there appears an in-
teresting story entitled "The role of calciur.: in the soil and the plant."
An abstract of this a.rticle will appear in the next issue of ?ruit Notes.

The Appl e Storage Situation. Slightly fewer apples were in cold storage
in the United States on January 1, 1940 than a year ago. At the sa..ie tiue,
Massachusetts had nore than twice as nan'y as a yeai' ago, with 954,000 as
compared with 445,000 in 1939. Sonewhat sualler stocks are in storage in
the North'./est than a year ago. On Jc.nuary 15, according to Y/. ii. Piper's
Iiiarket Report, v;e v;ere still holding 340,000 bushels of I.'clutosh in Massa-
chusetts, having rroved 51;i of -che crop. A year ago \/e still had 122,000
and had moved 60/i of the crop. In the three previous years we had nov ed
by January 15, 46/0, 51^0 and 40/op respectively. The above figures suggest
a ver^' goodi Ilclntosh .■.loveinent although './e still liave p^lenty of that variety
left in s-corage.

1 OjlP 0P_ i-i-iis • Fall and v/inter purchases of apples by the F.S.G.G. through-
out tne U. S. up to January 21 have aiaounted to 10,135 cars. This does
not include 500 cars purcha.sed for drying. Iitssachu setts sales to the
F.S.C.C- have amounted to about 255 cars during the saiue period, including
70 csjTS of Ilclntosh rioved out of storage.

ATrain Lo_ad_ a Daj. 'iVith 11,703 cs.rs of apples in storage in the State
of ";;'ashington, January 1, an average of 30 cars per day must be v.ioved out
if the crop is to be cleaned up by Ju:ie 1.

FRUIT H0T3S - February, 194-0

W. II. Thies
!]xt ens ion Hor t i cul tur is t

It's Pruning Time

Many of the apple orchards in Massachusetts have too
many trees per acre for best results. Unlike a planting of for-
est trees ivhere some crowding accompanies best timber production,
orchard efficiency is highest when wo have onl;^ enough vegetative
growth to best utilize the available moisture, mineral elements
and sunlight. Anything in excess of that ideal amount, particu-
Ic'.rly in the form of surplus trees, is a distinct liability.
Twenty-seven mature trees (planted 40 x 4-0) on an acre of land
will need to produce only a little more than 11 bushels per tree
per year to insure 300 bushels per acre, a fair average. Twenty-
seven trees, with ample space for root develop.aent and a good
exposure to sunlight on all sides (natural accompaniments of
proper spacing), will produce 300 bushels of apples more chec?'ply
than 54 trees on the same area. In the latter case, available
resources are wasted in developing v^ood too far from the ground
and in setting fruit buds under highly competitive conditions.

Other reasons for reducing the number of trees are ob-
vious. There are fewer trees to spray, fertilise, prune, and
thin, thus saving in labor and materials. More of the fruit may
be picked from the ground, since the lower branches are kept vig-
orous and productive v/hen a tree has adequate space. This re-
duces the cost of harvesting. Color, size and quality are likely
to be better since vrater and nitrogen are very often limiting
factors, and these materials are used needlessly in a crov/ded
orchard, in merely maintaining surplus vegetative growth.

Any orchard should be considered as having too many
trees if they interfere in any way with the movement of the spray-
er. The ideal arrangement is found where there are just enotigh
trees, evenly spaced, to reach into and utilize .the belo"w ground
resources without serious competition, with tops neither touching
nor shading each other appreciably. Probably the best recommenda-
tion for prompt roraovol of surplus trees comes from those v.iio
have tried it. Many who have waited for "one more crop" before
wielding the ax, wish they had acted sooner.

The removal of entire trees may be considered as one
very effective kind of pruning, since pruning is the elimination

)

Issued by tlie Ziitension Service, Willard A. Mimson, director,
in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts
State College, United States Department of Agriculture, and
Cotuity Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

of miv/anted wood and surpliis trees are in that class. Of course,
v.'e still have the annual puzzle of deciding which branches to
remove from the permanent trees, but that is less difficult v/here
each tree has ample space. In trees 20 years of age or older,
drooping, shaded branches or parts of branches should receive
attention. And occasionally a vigorous, upright growth should
be removed where two or more are trying to occupy the same sp'^ce.
Little, if any, heading back is required, since well spaced trees
are much less likely to grov/ too tall. Heavy, annual crops help
tremendously in keeping trees from grov;ing skyi,";ard.

Any discussion of tree pruning would not be complete
without stressing the need of carefu]. training daring the first
fe\7 years. Rapid grovYth, plus an occasional corrective cut before
the tree is five years of a.ge will work wonders in developing a
strong framework, as for example, in a loader type of tree. The
ease of pruning such a tree in later years is ample reward for the
attention it receives while yoving .

The Role of Calcium in the Soil and Plsnt (Abstract of an article
in the January issue of Soil Auger by W. S. Eisenmenger)

As far as our present knowledge of plant nutrition is con-
cerned, no element acts in more capaci'cies than does calcium. We
apply cflcium to the soil in the form of lime for the purpose of
changing the acidity. But the calcium has another important effect,
Calcium makes the soil loss compact and therefore easier to culti-
vate. This attribute comes into play especially in clay soils. A
compact soil is not V'ell supplied v/ith oxygen and it harbors unde-
sirable rather than useful bacteria. Calcium is admirably adapted
to penetrate compact masses and is therefore an antidote for caking
and matting. This characteristic also allov/s it to poss out of the
soil rapidly, particularly from a sandy soil. This is showm oy the
fact that rivers in humid areas contain much calcium. It is inter-
esting to note that more ground limestone is required to neutralize
the acidity in a clay soil than in a sandy soil. A ton per acre
may suffice in the latter \7hil0 the former may require three tons.
Calcium also tends to increase the availability of other elements,
such as phosphorus. A clay or loam which shov/s little available
phosphorus when the pH is as lov; as 4 or 5, v^rill sliow a much hiigher
phosphorus content when it is brought up to 6 or 7 by an applica-
tion of lime.

Thus we find several important functions of cflcium in
the soil, while in 'che plants themselves its functions are of tre-
mendous consequence. All of the higher plants require calcium.
Fungi thrive witliout it, while mosses, lichens and ferns require
a small amount to sustain life.

One of the more important fec"tures of calcium is its abil-
ity to overcome, toxicities v/hich would otherwise harm the plant.
The presence of superabundant amounts of magnesium, aluminum, iron,
copper, boron or zinc and the ensuing bad effects are overcome in
part by calcium.. This aspect of calcium is illustrcted by the less-

"3-

ened efrect of e boron application on a limed soil. Calcium also
neutrE.lizes acids v/ithin the plr.nt and precipitates them out as
insoJ.uble cclciura salts. A calcium deficiency is manifest by a
flaccid condition of the cell walls with sometimes a bending dovm-
ward 01 the leaf tips. Legumes are regarded as conservers of ni-
tro[_,en but they also remove large quantities of calcium from t?ie
soil.

Calcium is the one element most often lacking in the
animal diet. And sirice a glass of milk contains more calcium than
a similar volume of saturated lime v/ater, calcium must be an im-
portant item in the animal diet. This element is therefore of
great importance for both plants and animals.

They're V/orking On It

In the January issue of the Experiment Station Record
we find brief abstracts of investigations in pomolo,^;' &s f ollov/s :

(1) Leaves grov.'ing on a vigorous 25-year-old Mcintosh
tree are found by E. P. Christopher of R. I. to differ but slightly
in their rate of CO2 assimilation \mether growing on "thick" or
"thin" branches. V/hen a leaf growing on a thin branch was so placed
as to receive more light Lhan the corresponding leaf on a thick
branch, it sliowed a marked gain in assimilation. Thus it appears
that the inefficiency of the slender shaded branch is due not so
much to fruity conduction as to a lack of light on its leaves.

(2) The effect on pollination of c copper lime dust ap-
plied at blossoming time for fire blight control is being studied
by MacDaniels & Ili.ldebrand of Ilev; York State. Paired blooms on 25-
year-old Northern ,Spy trees pollinated with Delicious and then
dusted, failed to show detrimental effects of the copper on fruit
set. But the application of the dust 24- hours prior to pollination
was detrimental. This suggests that copper compoionds may be applied
to apple blooms, if necessary for blight control, v/ithout seriously
reducing the set.

(3) Thinning of Wealthy blossom buds at the pink stage
to a distance of 10 to 12 inches apart is found "oy Bobb & Black
of New Jersey to have a marked influence on annual bearing in 19-
yecT-old trees. The immediate result of blossom, thinning was to
stimulate leaf development on all spurs and to encourage blossom
bud formation for the succeeding year.

(4) Observations on 3 apple varieties in 1936, 2 in 1937
and 1 in 1938, by Ellenwood Ik Gourley of Ohio, showed tliat the most
serious source of mechanical injuries v;as in the grader. The man-
ner of emptying the picking container into the crate was also im-
portant. The human factor wc s important with much viu-iation re-
corded among pickers. It is suggested that sponge rubber or other
padding should be used in the bins and tables of the grading machine.

(5) Supplemental irrigation of apple trees growing on a
deep, porous soil which received 22.7 inches of rainfall was found

-A-

beneficial by Wiggans of Nebraska. Soil samples collected through
the year in a block of Delicious spaced 30 x 33 feet showed that
the rainfall vifas insufficient for both trees and cover crop and
that 15 inches of irrigation was necessary to meet all requirements.
Records on 7 varieties sho«ved an average of 9% of apples below 2-2-"
on the irrigated plots compared with 4-4^ on the non-irrigated plots.

Does Internal Cork Disappear in Storage?

There seems to have been some difference of opinion among
fruit grov/ers as to whether internal cork becomes more severe in
storage or not. As a means of finding a possible ansvrer to this
question samples of Mcintosh apples were taken from certain orchards
in Middlesex County v."here internal cork v;as particularly trouble-
some. These apples were then sent to the Pomology Department at
the State College for observation. On September 26 a composite
sample of the apples was divided into three lots. One lot was ex-
amined immediately to determine the amount and severity of internal
cork at harvest time. One lot was placed in cold storage and the
other in common storage. On November 25 one-half of each lot
placed in storage was examined and the other half was allowed to
remain in storage for further observation. On February 1, the
final lot was removed and examined. A small sample each of Cort-
land and Baldwin was treated in a similar manner.

The results of this experiment suggest the following
conclusions: (l) Apples that are free from internal cork when
placed in stort^ge do not acquire it. (2) That internal cork in-
creases in severity the longer the apples are held in storage.
(3) That there is no relationship between the type of storage,
whether cold or coimnon, and the increase in severity of internal
cork. (4) There is no evidence that apples affected v/ith internal
cork when placed in storage will ever recover from it.

As a supplementary p^rt of this experiment the effect of
internal cork on the cider making properties of apples v/as studied.
In this experiment apples showing none or a mere trace of internal
cork were compared with those sliowing medium and heavy amounts.
The results indicate that apples show^ing internal cork produce
about 10$^ less cider per unit of fruit than sound apples. Also,
the cider from corky apples has more sediment and is less acid than
that fro;, sound apples. 0. C. Roberts

February Cold Storage Report

According to the Agricultural Marketing Service, cold
storage stocks of apples were reduced 5,886,000 bushels during
January. For the same month in 1939 the figure.. was 5,593,000 and
for the 5-year average - 5,297,000. Stocks on hand February 1,
amounting to 20,312,000 bushels, were 661,000 bushels less than
those of a year earlier and 1,64-9,000 bushels below average. Kov/-
ever, Nevv' England and Nev^r York holdings (largely Mcintosh) on Feb-
ruary 1 were considerebly above those of a year ago. For Vermont,
Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York the comparative figures
v/ere 5,109,000 (19^0) and 4,013,000 (1939).

-5-

Approximate percentage distribution of U. S. holdings by
"" " 1 is interesting. V/inoscip - 30^; Mcintosh -

varieties on February
13,-; Delicious - 12^; Baldv/in
tovvn (Albemarle Pippin)^
C-ano - 3%' Stay.'iian - 5jo",

Home

J-JC

autv -

Northern Sv^.
;her v
of the total were Mcintosh and

York Imperial

2%; Cortland - 1%; and other vi'rieties

30^

- 2fj; Rhode
- lOfj. In
Bald\7in.

6%; Yellow Nev;-
Ben Davis and
Island Greening
iiew England

I/O

storage holdings on February 1 consisted of 156,000 bar-
rels; 8,199,000 Western boxes; 5,787,000 iilastern boxes; and

5,858,000 bushel baskets

L. Scuthv.'ick

V/eight of

Bushel of Apples

V\'. S. Campfield, secretary of the Virginia State Hort.
Society, undertook the accurate weighiing of some 500 commercial
bushel packages of apples to find the average deviations from the
commonly accepted bushel weight of around 42-5 pounds. Average
weights, several varieties included, vi^ere as f ollov.'s :

Northwestern packed box

1-1/8 bu. Eastern box - face and fill

1-1/5 bu. Eastern crate - either face

and fill or packed
Evans drum - face and fill
Basket - Crovm cover - face and fill

43 . 7 pounds
45.7 "

47 . 7
42.5
4>3 • '

Mr. Campfield says; "I would think the northwestern box
and the Evans drum more nearly indicate the weights of a bushel of
apples. It will be noted that the other packs, including the bas-
kets, were all in excess of the bushel weights, and to that extent,
the industry is giving away to the trade more apples than it should,

due to the use of so many

to say nothing of

the
to 1
chaotic condition

different sizes and types of package.

L. Southv.'ick

Japanese Beetle Problem

m a

ing

cons

cont

eare

The

side

to H

over

Dr. G. 3. Langford, entomologist. University of Maryland,
discussion of "che Japanese beetle recently gave this interest-
information. The program of control of this pest in Maryland

ying, dusting, lavm treatments, biological
nematodes, and a new method v;here dis-

ists of trapping, sp
rol by use of parasites,

germs (harmful only to the beetles) are worked into the soil,
beetles ccught in the 10,000 traps in Maryland in 1939, if laid

by side, would have reached from Washington to California, back
ew York, then to \7ashington, v;ith a few tons of beetles left

L. Southv.'ick.

Government Payments

Sta

10. 5f^ of

that for

Preliminary figures for 1939 show _. „

a whole total government farm payments amounted to about
income from farm marketings. This percen-

the United
:es

?/j of the total casii income rrom rarm marketings. This pf
tage varied considerably among the states. For instance, in Massa

-6-

chusetts, the figure is Igls tlian 1% and in Alcibama it is more than
^•2^L Massachusetts was next to the uottom in government payments
C;633,OQO) as related to farm marketings income (^73, A37, 000) and
liith from the lo?;est in actuax firrures. L. Southv.'ick

-u '

Cash Income from Fruits

Preliminary figures place Massachusetts eleventh among the
states in 1939 cash income from fruits. This amounted to $8,457,000
out of a total of 04-13,056,000. Leading states were California,
Florida, ^"ashing ton, Kev/ York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and
Oregon in that order v.'ith Cslifornia far m the lead with a fruit
cash income of vl51,014,000. Cranberries constituted the larg-rst
item in the fruit income in Massachusetts - 04*^^2, 000, followed
by apples - i;;2,620,000; strawberries - $692,000; peaches - C82,000;
pears - 0^8,000; and grapes - ^18,000. L. Southv;ick

Plans Available for Orchard F.guipm e nc and Apple Storage Structures

Some time ago, V/. C. Harrinttoii of the Department of Rural
Engineering prepared detailed construction plans covering the fol-
lowing items of interest to fruit grov.ers: Brush Burner (#5Q2C),
Low Y.agon, horse dravm, converted from Mouel T P'ord chassis (7'528C),
Stationary Spray Tank, reinforced concrete, 750-3300 gals, capacity
(505c), Box Nailing Form, standard farm pi'oduce box (•;v54'7C), Apple
Box press, v^ood (#5120), and Apple Box .levators, electrically
operated (#598C) and hand operated (#599C) . A limited number of
blueprints ;-:re still available from Prof. Harrington's office at
a very small charge.

Shall ^Ve Count Our Apple Trees?

In 1925 a valuable inventory of apple trees was taken, in
Kew England. 1754 Massachusetts farms were foioiid with 100 apple
trees or more. The survey covered not only tree numbers, but ages
and vorieties. With the hurricane removing large numbers of trees
in hew England, it has been suggested that we should again take
stock of our apple tree resources. Many changes have taken place
during the past 15 ^''ears. lb \'Ould be interesting to know vmether
or not we no',»' have too large a proportion of Mcintosh, and also the
extent to which apple trees ^re being planted for replacement.

Profitable Pest Control Conference in New Haven

About 25 entomologists, pli.nt pathologists and others in-
terested in fruit pest control in hew England and hew York met at
New Haven, Conn., Feb. 8, for an all day conference to discuss nev;
developments in materials and control methods. Among the points
brought out v;ere these: The modern, stream lined, high pressure,
high speed sprayer is permitting certain minor pests like bud moth
and leaf roller to increa.se in numbers. Loaves may be blovai Imt
not entirely covered. The grov/er must become better acquainted
v/ith the life history of the pests present in his orchard. Promis-
ing results wore reported from the use of derris dust for apple mag-
got control in Connecticut and of cryotite for apple curculio con-
trol in Zlew York.

-7-

Massachusetts p. Piorjoer Sta te in Soi3. Mapping .

Masse chusetts v/as amont: the fiviit fev: states to be cora-
pletely covered by a detailed soil :::urvey. /. P'^rt of the lov.er
Connecticut Valley wcs surveyed in 1899. -Plymouth County was mapped
in 1911. After some delay during the Vvorld War, mapping was re-
sumed in 1920 and continued until, v/ith the surveying of Frj-nklin
County in 1929, the state was completed.

Maybe That's How It Started

V'e had alv^a^AS supposed that "strawberries" v.'ere so named
because straw was conu-nonly used for mulching. But the folj.owing
statement from the French Gardener of 1691 melees us wonder if the
origin of the name may not go back to the ancient custom of tying
the plants with straw: "You must dress, weed and loose the mould
about the plants very diligentl:/, and to have fair and clear fruit,
3'ou shall stick a small prop to every pl^.nt, to which you shxll
bind their stalks v/ith a straw . "

Do Lcrger Yields Mean Softer Fruit?

At p recent fruit meeting, a grower raised this question:
"Are we getting softer Mcintosh as a result of our efforts to get
larger yields? The answer is a qualified "Yes." A nitrogen starved
tree has smaller, firmer, more liighly colored apples, and fev/er of
them. A tree vfith an abundance of nitrogen, plus a good water
supply, bears larger and generally softer apples. Some of them
m.ay be poorly colored. If we can't get both high yields and ideal
color and quality, let's compromise between the best possible yields
consistent with other desirable characteristics. Large annual
yields are of primary importance. And incidentclly, let's give
more attention to packages and methods of handling which will insure
good m.arket condition in a naturally soft apple.

"Poor Ma n ' s Mul c h " is a term sometimes applied to snow. As this is
being written I'e're gettiiig another heavy snowfall on top of the 9"
blizzard of February 14- Here's hoping its Vc.lue to the "not too
wealthy farmer'' may be in proportion to the amount now covering the
landscape. It remains to be seen what in;iury, if any, may have oc-
curred during the contin"aed cold v/eather during January v.iien the
ground was bare.

A good mulch not only protects the roots of plants by
preventing deep freezing, but when it disintegrates it yields to
the surrowiding vegetation something of real value. In the case
of organic matter the products of decomposition not only improve
the texture of the soil and increase its cbility to retain moisture,
but provide nitrogen and other mineral elements. Snow, if it is
to live up to its reputation as a mulch, must also yield sometl:ing
of value v;hen it disappears, namely W'ater. 3ut v/ater is of no use
unless it soaks into the soil tnd is available v;hen needed. v,"i£,t
runs down into the valley may be worse thf.n useless. Melting snow
over deeply frozen ground can scarcely qualify as a good Liulch.
But if tiiere is plenty of organic matter beneath the snow to prevent
most of the surface runoff then it contributes something of vital
importance to the fruit plantation.

Ixo'l

FRUIT LIOTZIS - March, 1940

W. H. Thies
Extension Hoi'ticulturist

Fr..rm and Home V/eok Fruit Meetln r;s

Thursday raid Fridf<.y, July 25 to 26, arc the dates selected
Tor the 1940 Farm and Home ^;/eck fruit meetin(^s in Anilior&t. For
the first time in a number of years the meetings are to he held
on Thursday and Friday instead of Tuesday and Wednesday . This
change has been made in order to avoid a conflict v.'itli the Farm
and Home Vfeek meetin[:,s in Connecticut. Details 01 the program
are nov; being worked out. In addition to another interesting
speaking program, an o:-hibit depicting the histor:' of spraying
equipment v/ill be on display.

Chang es in the 194-0 Apple Spray bchedu le

The 194-0 Apple Spray Chart, available from each County
Extension Office or from the State College, contains no radical
changes. In addition to a nev; color scheme (pink instead of
brov.n) nev; emphasis is being placed upon wet'cable sulfur in the
earlier applications. Hot that apple scab is any easier to con-
trol than it used to be, but because of improved equipment and
better timing of spray applications, more grovers are able to
rely upon a v/ettable sulfur for sorb control, using lime sulfur
only in an emergency. Note 2 in the 1940 Apple Spray Chart sums
up the situation. The new spray chprt also outlines detailed
control m.easures for two m.inor pests, bud moth and leaf roller,
v;hich seem to be on the increase in certain orchards. liotes 4
and 5 suggest how thfe as pests are best controlled.

Bees for Pollination Proj-^ct

A joint project betv;een beekeepers and fruit growers in
Massachvisetts has again been arranged by the two associations
for the purpose 01 facilitating the rental of strong colonies
of bees for orchard pollination. The specif icctions for a colony
for pollination purposes agreed upon b^ both beekeepers and fruit
growers is as follows: ''A nori.ial over-v/intered colony consisting
of not less than six frcnes of bees with brood in a ten frame
hive." The interests of both- beekeepers and fruit growers have
been carefully considered in •^he arrangements as nov" dravm up.
April 10 has been set as the closing date for the agreement be-
tween beekeeper and agent of the M.F.G.A. For full details,
growers are invited to com.municate with \Y. R. Cole^ Secretary of
the M.F.G.A. in Amiierst.

Issued by the Extension Service, V/illard A. Munson, director,
in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 191/;, Massachusetts
State College, United States Department of Agriculture, and
County ^.."".tension Services cooperating.

Planting a Nev/ Orchard?

To be impressed v;ith the seriousness of the erosion proh-
lem one\ needs only to see a side lull orchard v/here erosion over
a period of years has raised the soil on the lovver side of the
orchsrd as much as 2^j feetj, as evidenced by the difference in
soi]. level on opposite sides of a stone wall. That situation
acoually exists in a Connecticut Valley orchard. Constant cul-
tivation up and dovm the hill plus potential gulli.es started by
wheel tracks^ have almost ruined the upper half of this area.
Such situations stress the need for contour planting on sloping
areas. This applies particularly to peach orchards although
contour apple orchards should become more common in Massachusetts.
In addition to the conservation of vvater and soil^ another big
advantage in this method is that it enables one to travel "on the
level" with the sprayer or other orchard equipment. Service is
now available for any grov/er v;ho contemplates a contour planting
or v;ho is interested in means of preventing erosion in present
plantings. In Massachusetts, A. B. Beaumont is in a position to
give assistance in matters pertaining to either erosion control
or contour planting. Any interested grov/er should confer with
his county agricultural agent.

Inc reasing Str aw berry Yields

Joseph Rose of Falmouth has a reputation for being a good
strawberry grower. His yields are far above the average. One is
impressed by the appearance of his plants and by the spongy feel
of his soil due to a generous supply of organic mrtter. On in-
quiry, we find that he rackes a practice of plowing Lmder three
cover crops before the strawberry plants are set. Here are his
sources of organic matter: rye, corn and buckv:heat, and millet.
Liberal fertilization of these cover crops gets his soil in siich
excellent condition as regards reserve fertility, retentiveness,
and aeration that he has much less need for stimulation of the
str£a;berry plants after they- are s^': out; He hrrvests around
12,000 quarts per acre.

One Grower's Idea of Stravrberry Varieties

A. W. Love of Auburn lias experimented a n^omber of years
Y'!±th various varieties of sm-'ll fruits and on the basis of his
experience has this to r&y about strawberries: Catskill tcKes
number one rank "without the slightest question." Aberdeen is
good for the "pick them yourself" tvfjde v.-hile the Howard 17 pro-
vides some early berries". Ke thixiks the everbearers have been
misnamed as far as his location is concerned. They should be
called "never bearers." For reasons v/hich are not entirely clear,
he finds that raspberries do much better on a north or northeast
slope. Low temperature injury to canes in spring may bo a factor.
"Ilever agrin," he says, "will I plant on e southern slope or on
level land. j]ven where the soils are equally well drained, tlie
slope makes the differ-ence bet\"een success and failure."

Any Mouse Injiiry?

A heavy grass cover in many orchards alon£ vith ?. hecvy
Ic.te v.'intcr snov/f all , have brought ideal conditions for mouse
girdling of fruit trees. The ideal time to detocc such injury
and do something about it is early spring. Timo spent in going
over the entire orchard systematically may net big returns. Too
often v;e relj/ upon the protection of wire guards long since out-
grov.Ti "by the e::panding tree trunks. Mice often v.'ork belo'.v the
v;ire guai-ds and in some instances above tlr:.em. Bridge grafting,
if it can be done soon after the gii'dling takes plac--, is an ef-
fective v/ay of overcoming the difficulty. Eu'C \;he girdling must
first be observed and that takes time and patience. Incidentally,
any orchard v,"hich shov/s evidence of mice this spring should be
given the nevrl-.- c'eveloped poison bait treatment ne;:.t fall. Zour
county agricultural a;^ent can provide the nececscry information.

Hev.' Uses for Apples

Speaking before a recent llashoba meetin,:, in V'estford,
J. J. Willam.an of th.e :i]astern Regional Research Laboratory in
Philadelphia, told of the establisliment of four regional research
laboratories in search for ncv; and wider industrial outlets and
markets for farm conmiodities and products. Research will be de-
voted primarily' to those farm commodities in \;l:ich- there are regu-
lar or saasonrl surpluses.

As early as 1908 the Department of Agriculture published
results from experiments on the preparation o:.' luifermented apple
juice. The need now is for an apple juice which ",;ill retain
indef initel"^ the flavor of sweet cidor in order to extend its use
through the summer months when a thii'St q.Lienchin^. fruit juice is
greatly desired.

Among the many other uses oi cull and surplus apples, the
follov/ing ma3' be noted: aried apple sauce for use in the baking
trade, a taele syrup witli an apple flavor, wax from apple peel
for use as r plasticizer in paints, and as a coating for m.imeo-
graph stencils, a wider use of pectin, as for example, as an
emulsifier or gum in flavoring and pharmaceutic; 1 preparation in
medicine, in dairy, confectionery, bfkery products, in plastics,
and in sizing textiles. In the above Itboratoi'y, work is being
conducted, along a number of lines on a small scale after which
pilot plant operations v/ill be undertaken. In the pilot plant
enough of the product will be made for a thorough study of its
usefulness and marketability. Tiiis J.s in line with the old maxim,
"Make your mistakes in e small plrnt and your profits in a big
plant." Suggestions I'rom appl'^- growers are welcom.e.

Spring Management fo r the :>eekeeper

F. R. Shav: of the Department of Zntomology, has prepared
a brief oiitline covering "Spring hanagement for the Beekeeper."
Ke suggests v.'hat may be done to build the colonies up to mcMimum
strength at tne time of tlie principal honey flow, iuny reader of
Fruit Rotes interested in thos ; timely suggestions mry comiiiunicate
with F. R. Shaw, Fernald Hall, M. S. C.

-4-

£upplement£iry Contro l Mea&ures for Codling Mot h

A nuinl")cr oi' comm'Lrcial grov/ors in Mf.ss: chusetts ^,re icrap-
ing the loose bark from older trees this yeiv for the first tirae.
Increasing difficulty vvixh codling moth control ]ias prompted this
sup]}lemontary control measure. One gro'.vor reports findinr more
than 40 codling moth cocoons in a single apple box. Ileealess to
say, he found plenty of "stings" in the fruit at harvest time
last fall. Removal of loose bark is quite essential if one is
planning to use chemically treated bai.ds around the tr'unk. Only
Dy removing the natural hiding places for the larvae can the bands
be made most effective. An almost unbelievable number of larvae
have been counted beneath codling moth bands in Massachusetts
where this method of control has been tested by A. I. Bourne in
recent years. V/e are inclined to think of the codling moth as of
little consequence in this section, ".vhere our growing season is
relatively short and the second brood is usually ratiier light.
In regions farther souths where a full second and third brood de-
velops, there is, of course, a i.iuch more serioiis problem. Put
even in i;ew England, codling moth seems to be on the increase,
particularly where the control program involves dust application's
in s t e a d of s p r a y s .

Two Simple Pruning tSuggestioris

Seldom do v/e find tv/o people v.'ith the s&me notions about
pruning an apple tree. The amount and kind of pruning is so tied
up v'itn age of tree, vigor and variety that rifles are rs difficult
to follow as thioy are to form.ulate. It is almost impossible to
tell anyone how to prione because the "how'' depends so much upon
"what" we have to begin with. If a tre-^ is leapt growing rapidly
from the start and if i'^ had a "leader" to begin vrith, the chtnces
are it will develop into a fairly strong tree. But very often
something happens to check the gro'.'th of the feeder and subseouent
grov.'th gets shvjnted into r i;horl of vigorous, closel-/ spaced side
limbs. Such a tree, if allo\7ed to continue i;ithout corrective
pruning, may have -cwo or three or more le&ders r.nd perhaps a v;eak
framework. To correct •cliis situation, the whorl must be partially
eliminated by drastic :io;.:.ding hick of some of tiie side limbs or
preferably by removal of seme of thi-e side limbs entirely. The
sooner this c^n be done, the better. Under nc- conditions should
a side limb be allo-v/ed to outgrow' the leader. To state the matter
in a different way, if a side limb of a very young tree shows un-
mistakable signs of leadership, ia may be advisable to select
that for the leader and to remove the jiortion of the tree origi-
nally designated ss the leader. Cuts of this can be made at Z or
3 years of age and cciplecely ohcinge the fri,mev/ork of the tree
without greatly retarding fruit production. But if the corrective
pruning is delayed until the tree is /^ or 5 years of age it is
almost impossibl'-' to attain the desired end.

Our second suggertion concerns an apple tree 15 or 20 years
of £ge or older which lirs borne heavy crops. Successive crops
have bent the branches dov;nw.;,rd luitil some are well belov; the hori-

zontE-l, v/hilo I; teral shoots hevs developed outward and upvi.rd.
The pruiiinf, of such a tree may often be confined almost entirely
to the remove 1 of the older pc rts of branches which Lirow more or
less dov.-nward, retaining the 7oi.in:;,'?r, better exposed parts of
those branches. In addition to tlie remov;:l of this older, more
shaded v/ood, wc must, of course, occrsionally take out a crov;d-
ing upright v/hcre tv/o or three are trying to occupy the Sc'.me
space. in f^eneral, vjhen v:e prune older bearing, trees vvo should
concentrate on the removal of "dov.TiriKhts" Inste.^d of "uprights.'

Practices to Regulate the Fruit Crop

Three prjcticcs L.re .Viov; receiving attention vrhich under
certain conditions iuay be used successfully and proiltabl;,^ to
regulate the apple and possibly other fruit crops. These are:
(l) branch ringing to increase set, size and earliness of maturity
of fruit, (2) spraying v/ith plant srov'tn substcnces to reduce
pre-harvest drop of apples, and (3) sprayin;- to prevent fruit set
in the on-year of biennial bearing Vc.riiities. It should be em-
phasized that these rro not substitutes for any of our present
major orcliard practices but only supplemontery to them. This in-
teresting theme is discussed by A. 3. Murneek in the March, 19^0
American Fruit Gro'/or. This artic-le is "..'ell \;orth reading.

Relation of Gprcy Pressure to Pest Co ntro l

Some growers thinh the pendulum has svifung far enough in
the dir..Tction of nigh pressure spraying. Tliero is some evidence
to bear out this contention. V.'itiiin reasonable limits e::tra
pressure is desirable since it breaks the spray into finer drops
and carries it farther except v.-iiere air ctirrents prevent. The
modern tendency, hovrever, is to over-emphasize the Vi. lue of e:;tra
pressure. Leaves may be blo?/n but not completely covered.

In the March issue of Better Fruit, mention is made of
a conference in the State of V/ashington to consider all angles
of this qiiestion. Tv;enty^ experts in various fields attended the
meeting at vrhich the danger to foliage and even to fruit, wiiich
may result from excessive pressure, v:as brought out. The v/arning
on excessive pressure damage is coupled with the suggestion that
growers pay more attention to orchard scnitation as an avc-:lliary
codling moth control feature. It v?.s pointed out at the meeting
that too muca pressure is z.s bad or worse than not enough. Large
amounts of spray ere put on the trees unevenly in many cases and
a substc.ntially better job can be done v/ith moderate or just enough
pressure to reach the tops e;"sily.

An Old Fertili .z cr Advert.isem crit

Brov/sin;:, through the March, 1912 issue of a Eev," England
publication, v;e find reference to a nev; inineral fertilizer for
which great claims were made. The ad stresses the fpct that
this fertilizer contains 5'7fo silica, and then roes on to tell
the per cent of silica in the ash of various plants, as for ex-
ample, tobacco 18^, lettuce 20fo, and oats ^8%. From the analysis

-6-

of this fertilizer, about the only thing of ri.ctucl vi'lue is 1-^/^
each of potassium o:':ido and crlcium oxide. ICvideiitly this ma-
terial v;s,s about as rich in plant food as th'; dust from a stone
crusher. The ad closes v/ith this statement, "Tno n-.;v; mineral
fertilizer means healthy and nutritious products whereas manures
contain disease producing bacilli fnd debilitating ferment"
(vmatever that is) . Modern farmers, with their better under-
stcnding of fertilizer analyses i.nC. of plant requirements are
in a more favorable position to judge the merits of the available
materials.

Chemistry and Soils

Speaking on this subject recentl:/-, Ricliard Bradfield of
Cornell University said, "It may seem a little far-fetched to see
a chemist attacking a fertilizer problem by studying the reactions
of fertilizer Y."ith colloidal clay in a test tube. But many prob-
lems of fertilizer reaction ere very complex and can be clarified
only by breaking them dov,Ti into simpler fragments. We have come
to realise that v/hen v/e add fertilizer to the soil v/o do more than
fertilize the crop with the ingredients contain'-n,'. in the fertili-
zer b?c. By fertilizing the soil v/e set in operation a compli-
cated series of reactions w'nich often require months, and even
years, for their completion. In fact, it is doubtful if the soil
is ever the same after a fertilizer cpplicrtion. The growth of
the crops v/hich follow is influenced b--'' the Indirect as well as
the direct reaction of the fertilizer."

One Lesson from a Dry Season

The severe drouth of 1939 whicii extended up to the har-
vest season in the Mid-West has prompted some pointed comments
from F. S. Hewlett of Ohio State University, ho sa^'s, "Evidence
has been obtained from growers ul:o have irrigated, and tiierefore
have paid close attention to penetration of v.-at:;r, concerning the
effect of orchard tools ?nd equipment upon soil structure. One
grower informed the v/ritnr that in no place in the orchard is
satisfactory penetrcition of water observed except beneath the
trees where the soil hcd not been trod upon or recently disturbed.
The physical structure of the soil between th3 trees has become
distinctly'- unfavorable -.s time h^as passed not only for v/ater pene-
tration but also for root penetration. This might not be of great
importance in a soil ^.'here rooting is comparatively deep, but in
soil where aeration is naturally' shallov; it is of rather serious
consequence. In suci: orchards irrigc.tion is almost essential
and good v/ater penetration is obviously desirable. This fact
emphasizes the importance of limiting the use of heavy equipment
in the orchard. It rc.lso ccli: for ci\e adoption of a system of
soil management vaiich maintains a structure of the soil favoring
high water permeability, better aeration, and more extended root
grov/th. The drouth has given some indication of those portions
of existing orchards wliere mulching should be (.;arried out. It
has brought out the advantages as well as tlie limitations of
mulching. V'.T:iere trees have been mulched, loss severe effectsr

I ■

have been obs-jrv.v^d. Yob obviously mulchins clo?3 not add water to
the soil c.nd v/.'-ere rooting is very shallov: simply delays the be-
ginning of \vater stress. Tliis d^alay is very desirable and may be
the means of carrying 'crees through the drouth if not too pro-
longed and thxe trees not too shallov; rooted."

A 7-Point Program

G. A. Drevr of Westiord offers these pointed susrestions
in a recent issue of the Rural How Yorker: "Vniilo the cash re-
turns from this last season's crop of fruit h.ave been rather
disappointing, most of us fruit grov:ers still have faith in our
business and believe it to be fundamentally soiuod. As to how best
to meet the changing conditions and improve our positions, I
believe the follo\7ing points should receive serious attention:
(l) Cut do'vn or destroy our m.arginal orchards. (2) Eliminate
varieties that are no longer prof it?-.ble. (3) Try to grov.' a large
percentage of better colored, attractive fruit. (4) Eliminate
culls from the fresh fruit market in open competition with our
better grades. (5) Pack, handle and supervise the marketing of
our fruit in order that it may roach the consumer in better con-
dition. (6) vrnenever possible diversify more in several varie-
ties covering a longer seaso:i or in different crops of fruit and
not have all one's eg^.s in one basket. (7) Give our IJev/ York and
Hew England Apple Institute better support in advertising our
proauct. Tnis is my seven point program for recovery, which I
respectfully submit."

Small Fruit hotes from Hew Jersey

J. H. Clark of He-.; Jersey, writing in the State I-orticul-
tural Society Hews, says, ''.\n increosing niimber of Hew Jersey
strawberry growers are using mulch e£-.ch year. The manager of
one of the important produce auctions in the stc te recently made
the statem.ent that the strawberry growers who go not mulch are
losing m.oney by not doing so." Concerning raspberry varieties,
he says, "The Latham, raspberry although quite susceptible to
mosaic, anthracnose, spur taligh_t, etc., is the r,iost profitable
commercial variety for iiew Jersey. Varieties more resisornt to
disease end of better quality are badly needed."

Internal Cork and 'Bor on

In the spring of 1937, boron applications were made to
certain Mcintosh and Cortland trees in an orchard at Massachusetts
State College which produced considerable corky fruit in 1936.
ethers were left as ch.ecks. Borax was applied both in direct soil
dressings and injections and in spra^'-s at the rcte of less than
1/2 pound per tree in each case. A check on the 1939 crops re-
vealed the presence again of considerable internal cork in both
varieties wiien untreated but no evidence of cork in. the fruit from
tJie trees which had had borax applications in 1937. This evidence
is in line w'ith other data and further substantiates that the cor-
rective influence of a single boron addition may continue for
several years in some soils. It likewise brings out the important
fact that in the use of boron, a little goes a long way.

L. Southwick

R ecomiiendcd Lir;t of Varieties of Fruits for Massachusetts (Revised
February^ 1-)U0) - Department of Pomology.

Arranged Approxirnately in Order of Season
("- most reliaole for commercial plrnting)

A. Apples

Lodi '"'■Mcintosh Golden Delxciouj;

Early Mcintosh Richared -"Baldwin

M.blton -"<-Cortland -"-Northern Spy

■"■Red Gravenstein Rhode Island (Greening)

r/'ealthy
Crab Apple - Hys-lop

B. Pears

-"■Clapp -"■Seckel -"-Rose

""-Bartlett Gorham An,]ou

Dana Kovey

Peache;

Mikado -x-Qolden Jubilee ■"■Flberta

Marisolci ---Halehaven -;^J. H. Hale

-"-Oriole BQlle of Ga. (w)

I) . Plum s

Formosa Grand Didce .Shropshire Dam-

Sa.nta Rosa Stanley (prune) son

Imperial Gage Albion Italian Prune

E. Cherries

, Sour - -"Montmorency, Flnglish Morello
Diil'.e - May Dulce
Sweet - Ring, -"-Windsor, Gold

F. Quinces

Oran.ge Champion

G. Grapes

-"-Fredonia Delaware Brighton

Ontrrio -^nVorden Niagara

Concord

H . Strawberri e s

^■^-Howard l'l~{'9vfimi.-2v) Fairia;:

Dorsett -"Catskill -"Aberdeen

Everbearer - M.-stodon Ciiesapeake

I. Raspberries

"Black - Logan, Plum Farmior, Cumberland
Red - Chief, Marcy, -"-Latham, Rancre (St. Regis) (everbearer)

J. Blackberry - Zldorf;.do

K. Currents - -"Wilder - riot allov/od in many towns. Consult Depart-
ment of Agriculture, State House, Boston, Mass.

L. Blueberries

Cabot -"Pioneer -^^Rubel

NOTE: Man;/ varieties of fruits are partly or wholly self sterile.
Usucilly it is best to plc?nt more than one variety.

FRUIT NOTES - Arril, 1940

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Sl-Ji'ie. S u;--;p;esti_ons o n Transip lant in," Trees

Too often eui air pocket is left iiTJuediately under the roots of the
newly planted tree. Intimate contact botv/een roots aiid soil nay be accomplish-
ed in several ways, according to H. B. Tukey of the Geneva, Kev; York, Agricul-
tural iixperiinent Station, but its importance cannot be overemphasized. E. S.
Goff of 'Jisconsin in so:..o of the first sciontiiic studies with fruit trees in
America showed the ii^iportance of water. Newly set trees supplied v;ith water
through a rubber tube attached to a root, developed foliage much more ra-^ddly
than untreated trees. The so-called "Stringf ellow :.ethod", devised about 1900,
in rhich the roots v/ere trir-i.ied close and ran-aued into place seems to have been
successful because it placed the roots in intimate contact v;ith the soil. A
good pleai is to throw a few shovels of top soil into the center of the tree
hole, place the tree on the conical cushion, covor the roots lightly, aiid tamp
the tree f ir; '.ly into place. One of the advantages of using a peat soil mixture
is th^.t it results in a springy although tight cont;:ict of soil and roots.

The old m.ethod of pourxn^ a pail of water over tlie soil when the
tree is planned is helpful largely beca.use it causes the soil particles to flov/
together and around the roots besides supplying v/ater directly to the roots.
There is no better m.ethod of comp3.cting soil than by v/ashing it v/ith water.
European planters still cling to the old method of dipping the roots in a heavy
mud mixture before planting. The advantage of this m.ethod, if any, seems to
lie in placing finely divided particles with a large surface area in intimate
contact with xhe roots thus providing a connecting link between the roots and
the soil particles.

Want_ed_ - A I.i agic V/and .

All of us are interested in easy v/ays of doing hard tasks. Often
the search centers in a new material. Is 3.pple scab troublesome? Then I must
try tnat new highly advertised materic.1. Is the fruit green and of poor keep-
ing quality? I \7onder what fertilizer cor.bination v>dll correct that. One in-
dividual inquired about this m.agic chemdcal for making fruit stick on the trees,
when maggot was actually the causa of the difficulty. For fear of being ;;is-
understood we hasten to say thf.t some of tiiese new m.aterials are extremely prom-
ising and will undoubtedly find a place in our managei.ent program. But there
seem.s little to gain by treating the orchard floor for apple scab in 1940 when
the real trouble in 1939 was a co!.ibination of breakdown of the sprayer at the
Pink Stage and a scanty coverage in tlie other applications. The spray program
offers an opportunity to "put first things first" and to bring about a proper
balance between timing, tiioroughness and '".laterials .

TreoE worth .;op grafting i'.ro also worthy of atte::ition afterward.
A few days ago the writer sav/ a hundred or more trees of nearly ideal frame-
work, the result of a clever job of grafting about eight years ago. V/ell lo-
cated branches v/ore seloctod at that tim.o and one of the most vigorous scions

Issued by the Extension Service, V/illard A. Llunson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 3 and June 30, 1914. Massachusetts State College, United States
Depart.-.ient of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

in each tree was given a chance to develop into a "leador". In no case were
two upright grov/ing branches ^raftijd at the sai.ie level, thus avoiding the double
top arran-Oiriont so co;-ixicn in bearing trees. Scjon gro'.rch not needed for breuich
replaconont was cut back during tho first 2 or 3 years after jrafting. As a
result this orchard is now made up of troos which arc not only of better var-
ieties than forncrly but ox better frcxiowork.

If you could actually raise the tenperature of your orchard S on
a critical morning in liay by lightin^^ a few 5 £;allon paint pails of waste crank
case oil, tha,t v/ould seeu like a ;-;iiracle indeed. But that has been done in
at least one Ilassachusetts orchard \;here frost had previously destroyed three
successive crops. Keatin^^; has saved five successive crops since the paint pails
v/ere installed. Heatin;^, no: s-iud^ing- is needed, and obviously a close c.eck
r.iust be kept on orchard tei-iperatures by means of one or more strategically lo-
cated thermometers. The best arrangement of heaters is one in the center of
each 4-0-foot square. If a temperature near the critical point threatens,
every second one may be lighted, reserving the others for later use, if needed.
Some growers prefer a low grade fuel oil instead of crank case oil because
the latter tends to boil over if i': contains much water. This is somewhat ob-
viated oy filling the pail only half full. Throe methods of igniting have
been obsorvod, - a blow torch, a few kerosene 3oaked shavings dropped into the
pail, or a strip of si'.iiilarly treated burlap hung over the edge like a wick.
Follo-;.dng are the temperatures endured for 50 minutes by fruits at different
stages of develop-. -.ent i

Buds Closed but Full Sm.all Green
Sho'./ing Color Bloom Fruits
Apples— Delicious 25° F. 23° 29°

Rome Beauty 23 27 29

Pears— Beurre Bosc 27 29 29

Peaches 25 27 30

Cherries 28 23 30

Flum.s 25 28 30

Grapes 30 31 31

Some Cormnents on Appl e Marketing

From various representatives of the trade v/e glean these comxients:
"Liore frequent servicing of scores .dth unifor.ly sized apples of good grade
is essential."

"Better grading and sizin;^ are most important factors in influenc-
ing consum.ers to buy apples instead of other fruits."

"Federal Surplus Goirj-.odity Corporation purchases to April 15 for
the 1939-40 season have am.ounted to nearly 9-^- million bushels. In cities v/here
the Stamp Plan \ra5 used for relief distribution of surplus cormiodities, 5/o of
the money y/as spent for apples, S/i for oranges, and 3-|fo for grapefruit."

"Growers have a dsep affection for their cull apples. These ap-
pear to be their most cherSied possession. Cull apples are gathered solicitous-
ly, given an honored place on tho roadside or auction market, and they are
offered first and only to the consumer upon whose favor the sale of the best
apples depends."

"A moderate increase in de;.:and with a reasonable diversion of the
less desirable apples can result in prices that should bring a reasonable pro-
fit to the average grower in good fruit sections.

Twil ifht Me9 ti n,e;s

Once more the season of "orchard clinics" has arrived in liassachu-
setts. At least 40 of ihese twij.ight sessions are being scheduled durin^^ the
spra^/ing season for the purpose of looking over a good orchard and considering
anything of tinely interest, with particular emphasis on fruit pest control.
At each meeting the present stage of apple scab is reviev/ed and pertinent items
in the spray schedule are taken up. New developments in spraying equipment
aaid technique are also considered, and where facilities periTiit, are demonstrat-
ed.

The schedule of meetings in tv/o counties is as follows s

Mid_dl_e_sox

I.Iay 14 John Rice, L'larlboro.

" 21 Harry D. 3rov/n, Billerica

" 28 V/illiam Wright, V/estford.

June 4 John Harks, Pepperell.

" 11 Robert Linghar.i, Littleton.

" IS Chester Barnes, Bedford.

" 25 John Eadie, Dracut
Br_istol

Llay 13 C» Galdv/ell, IJorth Attleboro,

" 27 John Hodgkinson, Swaiisea

June 10 D» W. Nason, Morton

" 24 Frederick Ashley, Acushnet

July 8 A.:es Estate, North East on

Details of raeetinj^s in 7/orcestor, Esse::, and other counties will be announced
later .

Se_lect ion, Care, a nd Planting of i'urser./ GjQwy-, Fruity Tr ees

This is che title of a new Geneva, New York, Circular (^^138) by
H. B. Tukey, Grov/ers interested in knowing what is behind the trees offered
for sale by the nursery should read this interesting publication. Here will
be found a discussion of co;va-.;on nursery practices of interest to growers,
grades and quality of nursery stock, bearing age trees, truenoss to naiae,
patented planes, v/inier injured stock, bargain stock , types of nurserymen,
rootstocks, handling ihe stock prior to planting, subsequent care, root form-
ation, penetration and spread of roots, and the secret of obtaining vigorous
shoot and foliage development.

The European Red IlLt e_ Situation

Scarcity of red mdte eggs in many orchards has resulted in a
rather general omission of the delayed dormant spray. In only a few cases
has a heavy infestation been observed. Probabli'' not more than a third of
the commercial orchards ha.ve received aji oil spray this spring. The European,
and other spider r.iites, according to V/» D. V/l:iitcomb, are generally described
as feeding by "v/ounding .he surface of the leaf and lapping the sap v/hich
emerges from the wound." They can feed on liquids only. By means of small,
sharp appendages they pierce the cells of the leaf, although they do not have
a hollow beak, such as apliids, through which tI:o sap can be pumped. Bronzing
of leaves in mldsuriimer results frov.i the cell injury ..-.cntionod above.

::^*'

L?.^''_ Control in Y ounr OrcIi: irds

Folks oft oil ask about tuo niinimum nunbcr of sprays required on
non-bcarlng fruit trees ^ Selc'oi.i is it necessary to api^ly more than throe
sprays. But those tilings should bo kept in irdnd. Young trees if kept in
vigorous condition by such practices as iiiulching, fertilization, or cultiva-
tion, arc better able to withstand pest dariage. Peat control measures may be
confined to those pests which threaten to injujre the tree. Only by constant
observation can destructive insects be detected before sevf>re injury results.
Some of these insects, including borers, require special treatment. A new
bulletin (jf274-) from the University of L'ain^ "Insect pest Control in Young
Orchards," by F. H. Latiirop contains- many helpful suggestions. The following
insect pests are discussed- round-headed >^pple tree borer, oyster sliell
scale, tree hoppers, woolly apple aphid, gypsy moth, leaf roller, tent cater-
pillar, yellov/ necked and red humped caterpillars, fall webworm, brovm tail
moth, European red irdte, and green apple aphid.

Indi a ns of Ancient Ti::i^e_s_ jlnev; j'j;i.iIi_Cui3;jali_o

According to P. J. Ghapmsin of the Maw York Agricultural Experi-
ment Station there irj evidence to show thab wild plums occupied an important
place in the diet of certain Indian tribes long before Columbus' time. In
1534 Jacques Cartier, on his firLrc trip down the St. Lav/rence, noticed that
the Indians had plui.is which thsy had dried for the v/inter. Of the tree fruits
which v;e grov; today, the early Indians had only the v/ild American plu;.is which
were also the original food plants of the plum curculio. Yi/here no control
measures are practiced, the curculio is an exceedingly destructive past of
both v/ild and cultivated pluiTiS . And if, as some v^riters contend, the Indians
planted rude orchards of wild plujns, they j-.ust have knovm of the ravages of
this insect. U. P. Hedrick states that thickets of wild plums coimnonly oc-
curred on tliQ outskirts of early Iroquois villages. But whether the Indians
maintained orchards of plums or merely collected the fruit afield, the dam-
age caused by tlie curculio could hardly have been overlooked.

A. C. Parker of the Rochester L.usoum of Arts and Sciences, says,
"The picking and drying of the plums was done entirely by Indian women.
Fruits wore split and pitted for drying. I have boen told that it was always
necessary to remove tho worm fr.m tho plujn bcforo it was driod, the belief
being that the presence of the worm v/ould cause the fruit to spoil. One in-
formant said there were tim.es when e.ll the fruit was so damaged that no plums
could be preserved. Furtlier, it was noticed that the fruit rotated in abund-
ance;, some years there were abundant crops and at others none at all."

Tills "wori.i" nouiced by the Ind:.c.n3 m.ust have been the larval
stage of tho curculio. There is no o.hor comj-ion larva (worm) that infests
the plura in this area. SOj while the ovidonco available doos not constitute
absolute proof that ;-an's acquaintance vrith the plum curculio antedates the
colonization of this continent by the -^li'Ge man, the probabilities seera defin-
itely to favor such an assum.ption.

In.jury to Ap-?le Trees fro/.'. Oil . 5j5ri?j_s

Many orchardists are still skeptical of dormant or delayed dor-
■..lant applications of jil sprays. To be sure, oil sprays do injuro apple
trees occasionally, es'-ecially when applied too late or when followed by uii-

favorable weather conditior.s, bu\: uore often an unsatisfactory grovrth, which
ifjajf have resulted from raouse injury, is erroneously charged to the oil spray.

Tv/o ty;^;es of oil injury r.iay occur. (l) A distinct burning of
the tips of the leaves in opening buds, and (2) The killing of the dorn^.ant
leaf buds on one year old wood, such as terminals and waterspouts. The first
type of injury is seldom serious unless the flower buds are burned. It is
most likely to occur v/hen natari^ils for strictly dornairfc application, such
as the dinitro compounds or strong coal tar oils, are applied in the delayed
dor' .ant period.

The second type of injury rnay result fror.i over-sprayxng while
atteiT.pting to ^et thorough coverage in the v/ind, froi,: too great concentration
of the toxic ingredient such as dinitro conpounds, and fron freezing weather
soon a.fter application. This typo of injury nay cause r.any v/hip-like tvags
with fev; if aiiy leaves oxco^.t c.t the tip, followed the next season by many
fruit spurs 8 to 15 inches long with fruit buds at the tip only, instead of
the normal fruit spurs 2 to 4 inches iri length.

vV. D. Vfliitcor.ib

N ew York Snt ornologist .SJCpeGts lieB.yy_ J.uno_ 3_e_et_l_e_ Fli£ht_ .Th_is_ Y_®?-il

J. A. ilvans, 3xt3nsiGn iiintor.iologist of Cornell University, in-
cludes this statei.-.ent in his latest '.7eekly News Let'^er concerning insect
pests;

"1940 is the year for anotiier big June beetle flight in many
parts of ifev/York. Counts of overwintering beetles in the soil have shovm
that as many as 100,000 per acre are present in some areas. June beetles
fly in Llay, June, and July and feed on the foliage of oak, elm, poplar, birch
or willow. Late in June they begin depositing eggs in sod land. In about
thrue weeks these oggs hatch into grubs vjhich feed on the grass roots f.r
parts of three years before ;^ reducing anotiior generation of beetles. Great-
est damage by the gi'ubs is done the year after beetle flight. The m.ost se-
vere daiiiage occurs when potatoes, cor;-, or other row crops are planted on
land that was in sod during the year of beetle flight. Therefore, in grubby
areas laiid to be used for such crop'S next year should be kept out of sod this
year if possible. Investigations m other states and in Canada indicate that
land planted to sweet clover, alfalfa, alsike, eaid possibly other legumes, is
unattractive to the egg laying beetles. Land occu^ded by a good stand of
such legumes this year can probably be safely used for row crops next year
so far as grub injury is concerned."

Tliree Aphids Found in llassachusetts Apple Orchards

^^^^

Rosy Apple Aphid
(Newly hatched nymph) "^

Green Apple Aphid

(Newly hatched nymph)

Vifinters as egr on apple and re-
mains on apple throughout sur.oer. iSggs
hatch v/hen buds burst, all nynphs usually
appearing v/ithin two or three days. Infested
foliage is stunted, curled and unhealthy.
Tips of branches and water sprouts are ..lost
heavily infested. Fruit near infested folia,^e
is covered with sooty i.iold from honeydev/ and
may be sniall. Easily controlled and considered
a pest of moderate importance.

Winters as egg on apple. Sv.vner gen-
erations on narrow-leaved plantain. First
eggs hatch when buds burst and nyraphs continue
to appear for about two weehs. Infested
foliage is badly curled, stunted and often
killed. Leaves and buds of fruit spurs are
frequently attacked, causing the fruit to be
small, dirty, and knotty v/ith a characteristic
puckered appearance at calyx. Difficult to
control and considered the most injurious of
apple ^phids -

Apple Grain Aphid
(Newly hatched nymph)

V/inters as egg on apple. Summer gen-
erations on grains and grasses. First eggs
hatch during wafm days in late mnter but
majority of nynphs appear when buds swell.
Infested foliage is slightly stunted c.nd
curled in spring. Leaves apples before petals
fall from blossoms and causes no injury to
fruit. Seldom warrants control treatments
and is not considered an important post of
apple .

W. D. vVhitcomb

J. .■•'»■■';■

.,^^'

n. • r*.

f:^

i'HUIT NOTKS

May, 1940

Vv. h. Thies
Extension HorticulturiGt

A 50-Year ^veather Record

for the
prepared
iiig are
Hig
Low

An interesting summary of weather conaitions
50-year perioa, 1389-1938, is given in Bulletin

by C . I. Gunness of the Department of
some of the recoras established auring

nest air temperature,
est air temperature
Total range
Mean teiaperature
Greatest aaily range,
Least aaily range,

July
Jan.

J.Jec
Nov

1911
1904

190B
1937

m
No
Engineering
that perioa
104OF
-26
130
47.4
5^^
1

Amherst
, 367,
Foliow-

Greatest annual precipitation, 1938
Least annual precipitation 1908

Mean annual precipitation
Greatest monthly precipitation, Sept. 1938
Least monthly precipitation, Oct. 1924

Mean monthly precipitation
Greatest annual snowfall, 1893
Lo'west annual snowfall, 1919

Mean annual snowfall

Greatest aaily wind movement, April 8, 1909

Least aaily wina movement

(hecordea on 5 aifferent aays)

Mean daily vifind movement

Maximum v;ind velocity for o minutes

(Recoraea on oept. £1, 1938, at 5:17 P.M,

Mean aate of
Mean aate of

first frost
last frost

59 Inches
30.68 "
43 . 7 "
14.55 "
.01 "
3.64 "
89.

24.5 "
47.78 "

705 miles
"

146 "
80
)

per hr,

The seve
rainfall, 59 inches
holaing capacity of
our rainfall is mor
auring the season.
14.5 inches, failed
the follov/ing July,
the growing season
soil types, regaral
terea through durin

re drought of 1939 followed a
This fact seems to einphasiz
many of our soil types. The
e important than the total arao
Even the record rainfall of S
to have any influence on drou
About one inch of rainfall e
is aesirable, if not necessary
ess of the amount which may ha
g the preceding months.

Sept. 21
May 14

year of recora
e the low water
aistribution of
unt which falls
eptember, 1938,
ght conditions
ach week auring

on our lighter
ve fallen ana fil-

Issuea by the Extension Service, Wiilard A. Munson, Director, in
furtherance of Acts of May 8 ana June 30, 1914. Massachusetts State
College, United States department of >i.gri culture, ana Oounty Exten-
sion Services cooperating.

oome N.jteo on Apple Prospects In the Various otates

In the latest issue oT "iTuit ana X'Jut Crop Prospects,"
reieaoSu by tlie u' . j. Lepartment oi Agricuxture on May 17, ;e I'ina
these statements concerning apple prospects:

"Winter anu early spring Irsezes causeu little carnage
to appie trees ana buas. It is too eany for aefinite inaicatii.ins
as to prc^auction prospects^ but t,he present outiook is I'avorabie in
nearly an commercial sections ol the country, uonuitions in Ne-y
Engiana have been relatively I'avorabie to uate, but many or the

treeo injurea auring the nurric^ne of t^eptember, i9o-i, have not
iuj-iy recoverea. In Pennoy-Lvania prospects are favorable but many

orcnar^s v;nich nau relatively large crops in ito^ are expecteu to

proauce lighter crops this season. Prospects are favorable in i^el -

a vare ana Marylanu . In Virginia blosooming; ./ao unuouaiiy late.

tsxoom v/as fairiy heavy except on forks in orcharas '.vhicn prouuceu

a large crop of that variety last seas.jn. v.eather has not been par-

ticuiarj-V favorabj.e for pjl^-inatlon put proi^pects are generally
better than average.

In the eentrai otates the late spring has retarueu ae-
velopment of fruit buus, tliough prospects are favorable in most of
these states. In Illinois bloom anu conaition of trees point to
gooa prospects for summer apples, ana fair to goou crops of Jonathan,
L»elicious, anu other fall anu winter varieties. In Michigan , cool

.veather.Kept buus aonjiant longer than usuai, ana it is too early
lor muications. relative to crop prospects. April freezes reaucea
prospects materially m -i-ennessee ' anu injureu fruit buas to some ex-
tent m ^venLucky . ihe outlook is favorable in North Carolina ana
Georgia. In .^i-rkansas late varieties v/ere not injurea by the April
cola wave, but crimes, 'iransparents , ana oonathans recelvea some
injury.

In the Vv'estei'n ...tateo prouuction prospects are favorable
In Wasningt jn the bloom v;as uniformly heavy in both the ^venatcnee
ana YaKima aistricts. Most appie aistricts haa some rainl'aii aur-
ing. tne blossom periou byt it is not 'pej.ievea that pollination was
oeriousxy affect ea. Irrigation supplies are expecteu to oe ampie.
Prospects in Oregon are for a somewnat more favoraole crop than in
xSo9, especially in the noou River Vaixey -vhere prouuction Vv'as re-
latively small last year. In the -''ij-lamette Vaiaey tne set appears
to be rather j-ight. Growing conuitions were favorable in oaiifornia

auring ■n.|)rii, but it is too early to estimate the size of the pros-
pective crop. In Gclorauo fruit bu^o 'ere uamagea some.vnat in xocai

areao by the freeze of "prii lO, but in tne important Western Slope
area, tne outlook is promising. Iruit buus -A'-ere ^racticaxiy all
kixiea in the Freemont County section. Present prospects are favor-
abi.e in laaho where the outiook is relatively better for Winesap
ianu -L-elioious than for rtome ana Jonathan. Prospects are i'avorabie
in Montana ana otah. "

Growers will Cooperate in lesting iNlew Mcintosh i^rop Preventative

A list of Massachusetts growers who intenu to try out

th? ne material, napthalene acetic aciu, or^one a the other prom-
ising compounus, as a means of prev;;nting Mcintosh arop, is being

lassemblea in oraer that timely suggestions may be ofi'ere..u. itight

gro'vers have thus far signifieu their intention of making such a

jtest. Any others who pian to ao so are inviteu to arop a postcaru

to 0, K. oha'w of the Pomology -department, 'vho wixi senu out some

timely r-uggestions. Care in raapping out the test, special technique
in applying the material, and proper tilling oi the applications are
.^uite esoential. It may also be possible to proviae some assistance
to cooperators in measuring the results ol" the test. The material
is applied only a few aays before harvest time, nowever, a postcard
now to Dr. Shav\/ will insure your getting up to aate information
about this raoaern bit of magic, v-/hich is to be aiscussea on the
i'arm anu Home V»eek Program m -f^mherst, July 25, by Dr. i? . £. Gardner
of the U. o. u. A. Experimental i^arm in aeltsviile, Maryland.

More Twilight Meetings

AS we enter the critical perioa in the control of apple
scab ana curculio, more gro'-wers are attenaing nearby tv/ilight orchard
laeetings where problems of timely interest are reviewed. During the
four aay periou. May 20-23, seven such meetings v\fere nela in Massa-
cnusetcs. Tne scnaaule of tv;ilight meetings in vVorcester and Essex
CountioB after May 27 is as follows:

V.orcester County

May 27, Lester Jf'ease, Templeton.

" 29, Clarence i^orse, Southbriage.
June b, Charles -ctaTris, Leominster.

" 5, Grafton State Hospital, Grafton.

" 10, Louis A. Webster, liiackstone.

" 12, Llm Hill Farn, Brooki'iela.

" 17, Josepn J. (Stearns, Nortnboro.

" 19, 0. C. voe, Jiarvara.

Essex County

i.iay 29 , Ellis r c ha r a s , iviel rose.

June 6, Norris Orchard^ Lynnfiela.

" 15, Osgooa Estate, V-'enham.

" 20, George Bartlett, Georgetov/n.

The btrawberry Yveevil Situation

btrawbcirry plantings in southeastern Massachusetts shov;
many cut buus ana nibolea petals. The strav^^berry weevil has apparent
ly increasea in recent years until touay it ranks as a major pest in
Falmoutii ana other strawberry producing towns of liarnstable ana Bris-
tol Counties. This pest is a snout beetle, not more than an eighth
of an inch long, ana is closely related to tne plum gouger, whose
principal food plant seems to be the beach plum, iis many as a dozen
iiave been observed on a single strawberry plant, and the aamage is
always worse on the rov/s aajoining brush iana or othei- favorite hi-
bernating quarters, ijike tne pluiii curculio, the Vv'eevil feeas most
actively in warn v/eather. On May 21, v/ith the temperature around
70°, numerous weevils W'sre observoa Iceaing on the pollen, or laying
eggs, while tv;o aays later when a cola arizzle haa set in, very few-
weevils were in eviaence ana they naa crawled into unopenea blossom
buas for protection. Growbrs in falir.outh are using some H5-15 sul-
fur-leaa arsenate dua.t-.jtist as' the bloGs^-&|)uas open, with fairly
good. .results. Tests with other materials', including cryolite ana ro-
tenone, are still in the experimental otage. Burning or tne sur-
rounding brush auring the winter to kill tne hibernating weevils is
recommenaea.

A Note on Honeybees

In a recent issue of BeeKeeping Notes, -c . k. Snaw of
the Department of ii^ntoniology says that honeybees are especially
suitea as pollinators for the follov;ing reasons: (1) They are more
constant to one kind of flower. Experimental studies shov^f that BO^
of the honeybees confine their activities to one kind of blossom
during a trip, (2) they are the only insects usea as pollinators
that can be distributea where ana when desirea, ana they work unuer
less favoraule conaitions of light ana temperature than ao solitary
bees .

i^oncerning the I'elative efficiency of Package vs. Col-
ony Bees this interesting bit of information is presentea, based on
an expei'iment by C. L. -tarrar several years ago:

Type of Colony -"-ve. Number of Bees flying per Min.
b lb. Package lb

5 " " 48.5

Of " '-'verv/interea Colony 64.5

7 " " " 12d.5

It y/ill be notea that, under the conditions of the ex-
periment, the 5i lb. Overwinterea Colony provea more efficient than
the 5 lb. Package.

Fruit Insect Observations in the hugson Valley

vve have recently receivea a "first Appearance" Table of
fruit insects in the Hudson Valley covering the 9 yr. perioa, 1951-
1939. The two aates following each insect represent the earliest
and latest on whicli the first specimen was observea: i5ua Moth,
Apr. 10-Apr. £5. Grain Aphis, Mar. 25-Apr. 10. Rosy -n-phis, Apr. 4-
Apr. 20. kea Bug, Apr. 22-May 11. i:^ea Mite (n.ymph), Apr. 20-May 5.
Plum Curculio, May 5-May 22. "white Apple Leaf hopper, Apr. 29-May
12. Coaling Moth (entrance), June 4-June 14. Apple Maggot (fly),
June 10- June 25. Raspberry Beetle, Apr. 20-May 16. Pear Miage,
Apr. lo-j^pr. CO. Pear Psylla (aault), Mar. 15-Apr. 2. (egg), Mar.
22-Apr. 9, (nymph), Apr. 17-May 10. btrawberry vveevil, May 5-May 20.

The Fight j-t-gainst /^oaling Moth in the Northwest

A glance at the Washington otate spray schcaule for ap-
ples shoula make any Massachusetts tipple grower thankful ne lives
in a section v/here the climate cooperates in controlling coaling
moth. In the above spray scheaule, 6 cover sprays plus an aaaition-
al emergency spray are recomiuenaea in those areas with moaerate to
severe infestation. Ana to renaer the lead arsenate more effective,
a herring oil-kerosene mixture emulsifiea with an oleate, is aaaea.
To further complicate matters, the scheaule ana materials must be
variea in aocoraance vvith the presence or absence last year of the
Pacific Mite, i/ve note also that the woras " bpray x ho roughly occur
on the print ea spray chart 19 times, while Vvatch i'our Coverage ap-
pears four times. Imagine coaling motn getting through a program
of that kina.

Tribute to a Lowly Plant

"Grass is the I'Drgiveness oi' Ntiture -- her constant ben-
ediction. Its tenacious libers hola the eartn in its place ana pre-
vent its soluble components i'rom v/ashing into the wasting sea. It
invaaes the solitudes of the aesert, climbs the inaccessible slopes
and forbiaaen pinnacles of mountains, raoaifies climates, ana aeter-
mines the history, character ana aestiny of nations. Unobtrusive
ana patient, it nas immortal vigor ana aggression. Banishea from
the thoroughfare and the fiela, it biaes its time to return, ana
vvhen vigilance is relaxea, or the aynasty has perishea, it silently
resumes the throne from whicn it has been expellea, but which it
never abaicates. It bears no olazonry of bloom to charifi the senses
ivith fragrance or splendor, but its homely hue is more enchanting
than the lily or the rose. It yielas no fruit in earth or air, ana
yet, should its harvest fail for a single year, famine v/oala aepop-
ulate the world."

i?ruit growers who r'^aa the foregoing tribute v.;ritten by
J. J. Ingalls, former Kansas Senator, and quoted in the latest issue
of The Soil ^uger oj A. B. -teaumont, may aaa their own wora of
praise for the kina of vegetation which makes possible the ooa-wlulch
system of orcharaing, ana maintains if given a chance, that m_ystic
factor in the successful fruit farm, organic matter.

Conserving iv-ianure on the Farm

-tx very thorough uiscussion of this important subject is
founa in a new Ohio Bulletin (No. 60d) by Salter ana Schollenberger.
On the first page v;e reaa that the annual product of livestock on
iimerican farms if completely recovered, carefully preserved, and
efficiently used, shoula prbauce ^5,000,000,000." worth of increase

in crops. The potential value of tnis agricultural resource is
three times that of the nation's wheat crop ana is equivalent to
i*;.440. for each of i^merica'a 6,800,000 farm operators. The crop nu-
triments, if purchased in the form of commercial fertilizers, -woulo
cost more than si:-: times as much as -h-merican farmers paia I'or fer-
tilizers in 19b6. Unfortunately, only a small fraction or the, po-
tential crop producing ana soil conserving value of this material is
actually realized. Enormous losses occur in handling, through loss
of nitrogen in fermentation ana arylng, the leaching out of soluble
nutrients. The wasteful ana ineflicient methods of hanuling manure
obvious in all sections of the countrj'- maybe taken as evidence that
farmers generally ao not understana the true nature of manure ana
especially the perishable character of its valuaole constituents.
From extensive stuaies at the i\othamstea l^vrperiment Station in Eng-
lana, ^mssell and J:^icharas concludes that manure keeps best when it
is (1) thorougnly compact, (2) sufficiently moist, but not too wet,
[6) under shelter, and (4) not movea.

Lateral ivlovement of Potassium in an Orchard ooil

That there is an appreciable movement of available po-
tassium in the permanently moist strata of soil below plow aepth has
been sho-An by ^ourley ana VVanaer of Ohio. They mixed 60-gram por-
tions of a potassium salt with about two-thirds of tlie soil rem.oved
from 18-inch borings ana placea it in the lower 1£ inch section of
the holes, of which 16 were symiuetrically placed in 12 ana 9 toot
circles, about each of 10 apple trees. Lateral movement oi the po-
tassiiinx changea the available potassiim content of as much as 2.2
cu. ft. of soil arounu each hole from very low to very high. From

i.'.i c.

a practiccil stttriapoint , the authors say it weans "that potash-
fertilisers coula be uroppeo oehina a aeep tillage tool, such as
a Killii'er uisic or coulter to a aeptn or 16 to Id inches. This
would be within the i.-ictive absorbing zone of the tree roots in most
Eastern orchara soils anu also below the zone in which potassium is
I'ixea 'cy alternate wetting . ana arying. Its lateral movement shoula
then be ample for supplying the neeus ol the tree." ouch a practice
woula, Ox course, be out of the question on a shallow soil, since
deep tillage would destroy most of the root system.

Some Factors Affecting the cropping of ^'Iclntosh

Observations of the fruit in tv/o aajacent Mcintosh
blocks oy G . n. ijickson, one of whicn the cover crop was sown about
May 15, and in the other about tJuly 16, showea the percentage of
drops to be greater in the late cultivated area. Increusea percent-
age of dropping was correlated with higher nitrate supply in the
soil, better growth of the trees ana larger total yielas. Color
of fruit was much better in the area receiving less cultivation.
The author believes that the behavior of the so-called non-aropping
sports of Mcintosh may be aue to nutritional conditions rather than
mutations or bua variations.

The Vitamin C. (ascorbic i^cia) Content of O e rman -H-pple Varietie s

/Chemical measurements of the -t^scorbic acia content of
important apple varieties in Germany by V.'. i-.essler, show well definec
differences sufficiently constant to be classed as varietal char-
acteristics, out the content fluctuated within certain limits be-
cause of locations, exposure, size of crop, etna fertilizers. Over
fertilizing with nitrogen reauced tne amount, and in a given apple,
it was greater on the more highly colored side, storage tempera-
tures below 41°i!'. are necessary for tne retention of ascorbic acia
over a considerable period. In general, apples of a given variety
contained a larger amount when grovm in southern than in northern
locations. The variety Ontario showea about the highest content of
the many varieties tested. These investigations are reported in
the German publication covering scientific agriculture, Gartenoau-
wlssenschaft .

The J'ooG otamp flan

secretary of -agriculture henry ■^-. Wallace, issued a
statement on the first anniveraay of the fooa stamp program, t^uotea
in part; "k year ago today, May 16, I9b9, the fooa stamp plan began
on an experimental basis in i-'-ochester . From that time until touay
the program has been placed in operation in a total of 68 areas and
12 additional areas nave been designated for food stamp plan opera-
tions in the near future Up to May 1, 1940, expenditures for

surplus foodS v/ith blue stamps issued oy the Department naa a value

of approximately |.10,400,000 Purchases of fresh ana dried fruits

had a value of more than ^1, 700,000 ... .In the local areas now in
operation under the statap plan, approximately l,b00,000 people are
benefitting directly through increased ana improved uiets. ,. .Nearly
a thousand coimnunities have applied for the stamp plan, vvithin the
next few mxonths, it is anticipated that the food stamp plan will be
extenaea to a total of about 125 areas, possibly 150 areas if smalle:
towns are selected. It is our expectation that this exoansion will
result in aaaitional purchases of surplus foods through" blue stamps
alone, ranging from ?; 7,000,000 to <fr9,000,000 per month, ana will ai-
rectly benefit about 4,000,000 consumers "

FRUIT NOTLcj - June, 1940

Vv. ii. Tiiifcs
Ext on£ Ion Jrio r t i c ui turi s t

Apple Crop Procpects

The cormaercial apple crop in ivii^ooachucetts will be a-
bout 1..') per cent less tnan in 19b9 acooraing to a survey covering
about one-tenth oi' our total proauction. This survey was conauctea
by Vv . E. Piper of the L'ivision oi" Markets at a recent twilight meet-
ing in the John Ghanaler Orchard in oterllng. Growers present re-
ported a crop of about cl5,000 bushels last year ana an estiinatea
271,000 busncls this year. The i/lclntosh estimate v.'as 15 per cent
less than last year -.vnen 185,000 bushels were prouucea cornparea .
v.-ith 159,000 this year. The Saiawin crop -j^ill be about 20 per cent
greater than last year, while other varieties were estiinatoa at 41
per cent less. This aecrease is mostly in the Delicious variety.

In tne June .S£ issue of "The Fruit Situation',' prepared
by the U. ti . j^. A., v;e finu this statement about apples: "June 1
conaiticn of apples in the 38 states having commercial proauction
averaged 67 per cent of normal, cornparea with 69 per cent a year
earlier ana the 10-year (19^.9-^8) average of 65 per cent. In all
areas except the South uentral States June 1 condition was reported
to be average or above, ^s cornparea with a year earlier, condition
was consiaerably lower in such iraportant states as Nev/ York, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Misscuri, ana California, but somewhat
higher in Connecticut, I>Jew Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
V:est Virginia, laaho, Colorado, Vvashington, and Oregon."

i'^'*\:e Fruit Insect Observations

The first apple maggot fly of the season was ooservea
by V . h. vihitcomb in his V'/altham cages on June S5. oy July 1 a to-
tal of 56 flies had emerged from the 500 pupae of last year. With
maximum temperature of 75'"^ or more over a perioa of at least a week
follov/ing June 2 plum curculio vvas very active in Massacnusetts or-
chards. Rosy aphis are numerous, particularly in southeasteon Mass-
achusetts on Cortlana anu other susceptible varieties. They are due
to migrate to other nost plants soon, ii heavy infestation of rea
mite -.vas observed in central Massachusetts recently, -oron^lng of
leaves is a'lready apparent. Leaf hoppers are relatively scarce in
most orchards. Peach moth infestation appears to be up to normal.
In 9no peach orchard a corn borer larva -was found insiae a peacn.

Another Observatj .:n on. tne -i-f feet of Malch

K numoer of groivers t:.ave seen in one of our experimental
orchards at the College tne effects of a rather light mulch of poor
hay appliea to a rundown block of Mcintosh trees whicn had been cul-
tivated without fertilization for more than 15 years. After mulch-
ing, the trees revived at once, had a good leaf color anu bore greab-
ly increased crops. Examination sho'vs an abundance of small rootlets

I.jiued by the Extension Service, vVillaru A. Munson, Director,

in furtherance of Acts of May 8 ana June bO, 1914. Massachusetts

btate College, United States Department of Agriculture, ana tounty
Fxtension Services cooperating.

grov/ing upwara into the aecaying nay ana the soil just beneath. It
looks as though the trees get the required nitrogen in this v;ay.
If one aesires to try the mulching system it might be well to plow
ana cultivate the orchard for a fevi- years until weeas ana grass are
v/ell subduea una then apply, annually, enough waste hay to cover the
gi-ouna thoroughly. Perhaps the mulch can be omitted after two or
three years of application. It Iooks as though apple trees like
plenty of aecaying organic matter in tne soil.

J. K. Shaw

A National Tree Removal Program

A comm.ittee of tne Massachusetts Jrult Grov/ers' Associ-
ation consisting of R. -a. Van Meter, R. ii. Peck, ana W. R. oole is
cooperating vvith a national committee in a program aesignea to aid
in the stabilisation of apple production through the removal in al3
apple growing sections of unaesirable varieties and poorly located
orcharas. The situation is briefly as follows:

The aomestic market for apples In fresh form is limited
to approximately 75 milj-ion bushels if growers are to receive prices
which are in line witn proauction costs. In the past five years
the commercial apple crop has always been above 75 million bushels
and reached 115 million bushels in 1957. There v/ould seem to be
little chance for improvement in the foreign market in the near
future. The fruit grower's income is too low for a satisfactory
standard of living, ana the crop must be reauced if the efficient
grower is to make a reasonable profit.

Consumer's stanaaras of qiiaiity are rising steaaily.
Cull apples sell more and more slowly at low prices ana tena to de-
moralize the market for better fruit. The increase in pests, the
equipment now requirea to grow good fruit, ana higher standards of
quality aeraandea by consumers have maae thousands of small orcharas
unprofitable. Given a minimum of attention or Vifholly neglect ea
they yet continue to produce a quantity of low-grade fruit which
is very large in the aggregate ana much of which finds its way to
market, where it tends to cause grave aisturbances.

Unaesirable varieties also present a problem. While the
list of commercially aesirable varieties is not more than 10 or 15,
no fewer than 80 varieties were offerea to F. S. C C. buyers aur-
ing the winter of 19o9-40. Reauction in tne mimber of culls and in
the nomber of undesir-able varieties ihas become a major problem of
the industry.

The National tonmiittee is maae up of four men: John
Chanaler, sterling Junction, Mass.; C. h. i^utton, Milfora Center,
Ohio; henry Vj. Miller, Jr., Paw Paw, w. Va.; ana Carl G. ^vooster.
Union Hill, N. Y. Thi;-; co'imiittee met witii Aaministrator Evans and
other officers of the a. a. a. in ^mshington on May 8, 1940, ana af-
ter full discussion of the entire subject, preparea recommendations
to the several state coiTimittees ana fruit growers' associations.

Further aetails of this program v/ill appear in later issues of
x'Tuit Notes.

Orchara Experiments in Ohio

A recent report ol progress frora the Ohio i^xperiment
station contains a large amount of information of interest to farm-
ers, i'ollowing are a fev/ oi the items that shoula be of special
interest to Liassachusetts grov/ers .

1. Apple foliage sprayea with lime sulfur showea a 2b% reauc-
tion in leaf area as comparea to the b% reduction in foliage spray-
ea v.'ith flotation Sulfur.

£. uamage from the round heaaed a^^ple tree oorer was best pre-
sented by covering the entire trunk witn newspapers folaed once and
wrapped twice arouna the trunk. Oare shoula he taken that the cov-
ering e]ctena3 clear to the grouna. This insect lays its eggs on
the bark at the base of the tree from June to August. (The rouna
heaaea apple tree borer is a serious pest on young trees in some
orcharas in western Massachusetts.)

b. When the grouna under i::'tdyman Vvinesap trees was coverea with
canvas over an area 40 feet in aiameter from May 1 to harvest time,
■with means of preventing lateral transfer arouna the circumference,
thus excluaing all rainfall over this area, the trees continuea to
crop for three years in a satisfactory manner. This supports the
contention that water deiicioncies ao not seriovly affect trees un-
til the wilting point is approachea. It shoula not encourage us to
believe, however, that v/ater is not essential to fruit oroauction.

4. Comparison of harvesting aates for rea strains, as comparea
Y/ith the parent varieties, inaicatea that the picking date shoula
be the same. This suggests caution Iti Licking rea oua sports too
soon, even though they have reachea a satisfactory coloi' uevelop^ioit,

J . K . S haw

A Reminaer of the 1958 Hurricane

Many grov/ers have remarKea that certain hurricane aara-
agea apple trees look worse than they ala in tne summer of 1959.
Dr. J'. K. chaw expresses the situation as follows: "Many apple
trees are showing more eviaence of hurricane injury than they ala
last year. This injury is eviaencea by sparse foliage v/ith a
yellowisa tinge, suggesting the possibility of nitrogen aeficiency.
Not only may the restricted root system be unable to secure suffi-
cient nitrogen, for the tree, but the rainy weather may have leachea
out available nitrates ana interferea witn nitrification. If hurri-
cane aamagea trees show symptoms of nitrogen aeficiency, it may be
■well to give them a moaerate aose at this season perhaps half the
usual appliciition of some reaaily available nitrogen carrying fer-
tilizer. Tne sooner this is appliea the betteT-."

Some of these daaagea trees sufferea more root breakage
than v/as apparent at firsu, and have probably aone very little in
the way of ueveloping replacement roots. Pernaps they pullea
through the dry season of 1959 "on bcrrov/ea time" using materials
stored in the tree. Tnen too, more nitrates may have been taken in
last suianier. Vvhatever the reason for their sickly appearance, trees
worth salvaging might well receive this aaaitional attention, (1)
Make sure that the anchorage is secure ana that the tree is not al-
lowed to sway in the v.ina, {n) Apply a quickly available form of
nitrogen as suggestea above, (o) Kemove the apples, if any, in orcer
that the manufactured food materials may be usea where most neeaed,
ana (4) Use more mulch material.

Western Grcvvers h ec onsider Old--Fasn:.onea Mcthoas

"Olu-fciSiiione'a irxetl.oaa oi' spraying may be best after
all," norticuiturlsts ana I'ielu men are telling grov/ers in the Wen-
atciiee ana YaKima Valleys. To do a gooa job in the ola ciays, grow-
ers usea a lonfi spray roa vvhich spreaa a fine mist over the tops of
the treds. If' necessary the operator stood on a laader or tov/er.
Recent tests show best results where coverage is attainea by close
contact with a fine mist spray, insteaa of the high pressure, heavy
stream spraying so common in this streamlined age. oo much attention
has been'paia in recent years to complicatea spray luixtures that
spraying technique has been given too little attention. Grov/ers be-
lieve that longer spray rods ana spray towers will enable them to
cover the tops more effectively. In fact some growers, vdth this
modifiea system of spraying in mina, are planning to ao less prun-
ing of the valuable bearing v/ood in the tops.

Time Out'.

You'd probably stop whatever you were aoing, also, if
you came upon an occu.piea huimfiingbira's nest. Ana that's just what
a group of 75 or more fruit growers aia auring a twilight meeting
tour 01 the Join Chandler Orchara in bterling a few aays ago. The
nost, with one egg and one bira on an apple bi-anch about five feet
above the grouna, was viewea vvith real interest as folks passed in
single file. The v/riter hopes that everyone got a thrill from this
ornate bit of magic. Tnis is another ezaiapie of the unexpected ai-
videnas v/hich appear now and then in the fruit business.

New Bulletin on Mcintosh j-top

"The Mcintosh Drop," by -b. oouthwick, a new bulletin
(#37£) from the State College in iuanerst, presents a summary of ta^s
important proolem ana of experimental v/ork nov/ unaer way. a copy
may be obtainea from your county agent or from the College. Here
are the various phases of the subject covered in the bulletin: Ex-
tent of the problem. Difference in varieties, Process of abscission,
Apparent causes of arop, Effect of soil fertility, Effect of stock.
Influence of seeas, Influence of length of stem. Effect of strain,
Influence of weather conaitions, Influence of spot picking, Influaioe
of chemicals, Sumiaary ana concJ.usions. This publication is very
timely in view of the fact that the subject is to be discussed at
the July E5 session of our J^arm ana nome Aeek meetings in Amherst
by 1"'. E. Garaner of the U. ^. D. A. His suoject will be "Spraying
with plant hormones to conxrol pre-harvest arop".

E lorida Citrus Growers Plan Gi ft Fruit Sale

John E. itice of iviarlDorc caj.ls to our attention this in-
teresting item from Lakelanu , -:- loriaa , unaer date of June 14. "Pre-
liminary work in connection with the gift fruit campaign to be con-
aucted in Elorlaa next winter alreaay has been start ea oy the Elori-
aa Citrus Commission. The Commission has authorized its aavertising
manager to make contracts with outuoor poster aavertising companies
to insure availability auring the tourist season. Last season ap-
proximately ;tplo,000 v^as spent in Eloriha auring the gift fruit cam-
paign. It appears likely this sum may be sligntiy increased next
season, aepenaent of course upon the size of the crop ana conse-
quent collections of the per box assessment."

"Quality Plus Apple Club"

This is the name of a nev/ honorary fraternity of fruit
growers in Inuiana for which four growers qualifiea last fall, by
proQucing crops graaing over 90% U. S. No. 1. V. V. Clarke of
Bristol, Indiana, haa the highest rating with an average of 9^^o in
the U. lb. No. 1 class on four varieties, Jonathan, Starking, Vvinter
Banana anu Grimes. Tree run samples were checkea by i'eueral-btate
inspectors at the orchara. Another club of recent origin in Indi-
ana is the xilue Ribbon Strawberry Club. Meaals are a"waraea to club
members v^rho show a yield rate of 225 or more crates of U. S. No. 1
strawberries per acre.

Vigorous Trees Tena to Bear Annually

The follov/ing information published by L. Greene of the
Inuiana department of Horticulture bears out our observations that
healtxhy, vigorous apple trees show a tendency to bloom ana set .
fruit every year while weak trees are decidedly biennial, (.quoting
from Hoosier Horticulture, "Fruit growers are always interestea in
any recora of factors which influence the annual blossoming ana
fruit sotting of apple trees. In the orchara soli management plots
at Lafayette a heavy crop was borne on most trees in 19^)7. The most
vigorous trees set a gooa bloom in 1938 following the heavy crop in
19o7. Vv'eaker trees were distinct biennial bearers in their response
to the 1937 crop, while the .veakest trees set a light bloom in 1938
even though they core a lignt crop in 1937" .

Lime Benefits the Soil

"All plants need calcium to ouild up their tissues. It
has long been considerea among the first 10 elements essential to
the grov/th of practically all green plants. All soils contain some
of it, often in the form of carbonate of lime. Soil water, holaing
carbon aioxiae in solution, dissolves this carbonate of lime for
reaay use \^y plants; ana yet this solubility makes lime rather eas-
il:'- lost byXleaching into the subsoil or by arainage" . These state-
ments are found in a new farmers' Bulletin No. 1845, "The Liming of
Soils", a revision of a former publication. The benefits of lime
are these: "It neutralizes acias in the soil and stimulates the
proper aecomposition of organic matter, improves the physical con-
aition of heavy soils, supplies calcium ana promotes bacterial act-
ivity in the soil, making other elements available to growing plants
ana generally increases the efficiency of manures ana fertilizers.
It facilitates the proauction of green manure crops gro-Aoi for soil
improvement .

Some Fertilizer Facts Worth oonsiaer ing

A reason for the graaual swing toward high graae or
aouble strength fertilizers is founa in South Carolina circular No.
60 vvhich aeals vdth fertilizer ana liming practices. We read:
"South Carolina farmers have been paying one million aollars an-
nually for sand ana other inert materials mixea in fertilizers. Why
not divert this non-proauctive expenditure into much needed lime ma-
terials and make it possible to have a more diversified live-at-
home system, of agriculture? The soil acidity problem in South Caro-
lina is the limiting factor in determining a alversified system of
agriculture. The rninimiim total plant nutrient content of mixed fer-
tilizer should be around 20".

FArM aJML) iiOML WLM FRUIT MEtJINGb IN aMHLR^T ,
TiiUkbi/AY ANb ikIuAY. JULY 25-^.6.

Thursaay, July 2b

9:00 Equipraent exiiibito ana aeoionstrations.

10:30 -forty years of spraying machinery. (0. 0. Roberts)

11:00 Revlev. of current problems, Gonaition of hurricane ciamagea
trees. (R. a. Van Meter] Sulphur anu soil acidity. (W. h.
Thies; a national tree-removal program. (Jonn Ohanaler)
Review of the spraying season. (A. I. i^ourne, 0. C. boy a)

12:00 LuncL at Dining ^xall.

2:00 The Department of Agriculture ana the fruit grower. (Vi/illiaa
Casey, '-■oinmissioner of Agriculture) Moaern aevelopments in
small fruit grov/ing. (J. Harold Clark, New brunsvv'ick, N. J.)
Spraying v/ith plant hormones to control pre-harvest drop.
(f . E. Gardner, U. S. J-epartment of iigriculture)

b: oO Tour of experimental plantations. Grapes-strawoerries-
raspberries-blueberries. Clonal stocK orchard-contour
peach orchard. Soil management experiments-root stocks for
lAcIntosh.

Friaay, July £6

9:00 Eq^uipment exhibits ana aemonstrations,

10:00 Apple advertizing by the Industrial ana Develoix.ient Commission.
(A. W. Lombard, i^epartment of Agriculture) Results of apple
promotion work. (L. a. vVebster, Division of Markets) Pro-
gram of the Connecticut Valley Fruit Groi'vers' Association.
(L. A. ^ritchett) An inventory of tne New England apple in-
austry. (vv. h. Thies)

11:00 Review of crop conaltions. ( v\ . E. Piper, Division of Markets)
Experiences with small packages. (J. P. Sullivan, ^yer;
W. A. Perrins, "v.'estford; G. £. O'Brien, Northboro) btandara-
izing the apple box. (W. R. ^ole)

12:00 Luncheon at the College Dining Hall.

1:50 Progress toward a better apple market. (Jolm Chanaler)

Experiences in promoting apple sales. (Thomas b, O'Neill)
Suggestions from the traae on apple marketing. (George L.
Moore) Ro'ond table discussion: Improving grower support
for promotion •.vork. Keeping growers informed. Educating
the consumer. Maintaining contacts with the traue. -i-^evel-
oplng better publicity.

Apijle Kosette Caused 'o'j Boron .feiiciency

The accompanying sketch was made from a
Mclntosii apple t'.vig from an orchard in Peru,
Nevv York, which snows severe boron dericien-
cy. iir. A. B. Burrell mailed us some speci-
mens early in June to illustrate a symptom
known as "rosette", which thus i'ar hus not
been observed in Massachusetts. Growers are
askea to be on tne lookout for this symptom
although there is little likelihood that it
will appear this season ovv'ing to the abnorm-
ally heavy rainfall. Cornell Bulletin 4L8,
"The Boron-Deficiency Disease of Apple," des
cribes rosette as follow's: "The tufts may be
either at the tips of tvdgs otherwise bare
or on spurs. The inaividual leaves are
awarfea, stiff, tiiick, brittle, and have
smooth margins instead of tne usual notched
margins. Leaves v\rith these characteristics
sometimes develop without noticeable short-

ening of interncdes. Kosette may develop
any tiiac auring the season. At first, the
leaf color is normal; but, late in the sea-
son, the rosette twigs may develop incip-
ient aieback or lieback. On a given s.hoot,
one sometimes sees a gradual transition from
normal leaves normally spaced to narrov/
dwarfed leaves and short internodes."

More Evlaenco on the Effects of Lime Sulfur

The recorarrienaations which havt been
made "Ohis season suggesting the likelihood
of severe injury from the use of lime sul-
fur has been supported 'oy tests in one of
the eollege orcharas. Part of tnis orchard
was sprayed 'with lime sulfur in the pro-
blossom sprays ana part with a milu sulfur.
That part which was sprayed with lime sulfur
shows serious injury in the form of dwarfed,
crinkled, and scorchea leaves while the part
sprayed W'ith milu sulfur shows practically
no injury. The severity of the injury on
the llm.e sulfur plot was aue chiefly to the
unusually tenaor condition of the foliage
inauceQ, by heavy rains auring the grov/ing
season. Furthermore, it is interesting to
note thai: 9«Hb :iua oeen satisfactorily eon-
troiiea on the mi la suiiur plots by paying
suecl^i c-ttention to timing and coverage.
Thus, eviaence continues to accumulate in-
dicating that scab can be successfully con-
trolled and that lime sulfur injurj'' can be
avoided by suostituting milaer forms of sul-
fur.

0. C. Roberts

FRUIT NOTES - July, 1940

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

A Succe ssful Series of Twilight L'eetings .

Slightly more than 1500 fruit growers have attended the 51 twilight or-
chard ffioetings held in Liassachusetts during the past three months. This moans
3J1 average attendance of almost exactly 30. These meetings v/erc distributed as
follows: Berkshire County, 1^ Franklin and Plymouth, 2 eachj Norfolk and Hamp-
shire, 3 each} Bristol, 65 Essex, 8; iiiiddlesex, lOj and tJorcester, 15. F^om the
standpoint of grov;ers in attendance, Essex County with an average of 55, and Wor-
cester County with 33, top the list. It has been the v/riter's privilege to at-
tend 25 of the 51 meetings. Sustained interest from April to July indicates the
worthwhileness of this sort of get-together. Vi/'e are v/ondering which individual
grov/er has the greatest number of meetings to his credit, and venture the guess
that some have attended at least 10 meetings.

Protecting P eaches Against X-Disease«

If you have a peach orchard or are thinking of starting one, you vdll
vra.nt to keep it free of X-Disease. The source of this trouble is the v/ild choke-
cherry. Therefore, elirrdnate all chokecherries to a distance of 200 feet from the
orchard. This can best be done by spraying the cherries v/ith a proprietary weed
killer consisting of sodium chlorate and a deflagration agent (a chemical to re-
duce the fire hazard) at the rate of 3/4 pound per gallon of water. You don't
need high pressure, but cover the leaves thoroughly- Spraying can bo done any
time the cherries arc in full loaf. How is a good time. Romcmbcr that a weed
killer kills all green vegetation with vdiich it comes in contact. The leaves of
sprayed cherries will die in a fev; days, but don't mov/ or cut them dovm till late
fall or early spring. This gives the poison time to get to the roots and kill
the whole plant.

Usually the chokecherry can be distinguished from, the black or rum cherry
by its much deeper and sharper serrations along the edge of the leaves. Lock
sha rply for sharp serrations. If 3''ou are in doubt as to v;hlch kind of cherry it
is, better spray it anyway. The spraying is good insurance. If, after four or
five days, the leaves haven't all died, or if after ten days or two weeks nov»-
leaves appear on what looked like dead shoots, the tree v/as undoubtedly a black
cherry. Chokecherries seldom recover from the sprays black cherries often do, un-
less very thoroughly covered. j o Railev

"THE BEST SALSSISN FOR MORE APPLES ARE GOOD APPLES ." (Quotation from
Farm and Hoae Week talk of G. L. Mooro)

Issued by the Extension Service, '.Yillard A. Munson, Director, in fur-
therance of Acts of Hay 8 and June 30, 1914. Fassachusetts State College, United
States Dgpartment of Agriculture, and County Kxtension Services cooperating.

Some Tinel y In formation on Ap-ple Sca b. (Data compiled by 0. G. Boyd shov;ing tine
required for appearance of spots on leaves , length of v/et p eriod necessary for
infection of fruit, and time interval between late season infection and appearance
°^ scat) in storage.

Obs ervations i n Amlierst - 1940

Length of v/et Spots appeared on
Date of rain Bud Stap;e period Leaves

May 4 Pre-Prepink 12-15 hrs. I.'ay 22-23 (Light infection)

Ix!.y 16, 17 Late Pink 30 hrs. J.iay 30-June 1 (light infec-

tion)
(liay 19, 20 - Warm period with rapid grov/th)

May 21-29 Early Bloom- 9 days June 3-12 (Heaviest infec-

lay 31 (2.6") Calyx tion occurred during latter

part of wet period)

June 9-12 Between 1st and

2nd Cover 40 hrs. June 20-23

June 24-26 Between 2nd and 3 days (Most foliage infection shows

3rd Cover up in 8-10 days during June

July 3,4 26 hrs. ajid July)

July 11, 12

Apple Scab Ino c ulat ion on Mcintosh Apples
7J-563 5

(From lUSoD.A. Tech. BulT'ffbe'd :> 1937c Work Done in Hudson Valley)

D ate of Rain Length of Wet Period Scab Appeared

Date Days after
June 28)

July 7 ) 28 hrs.

Aug. 15 )

Aug. 18 44 hrs. — -

Aug. 16 51 hrs. —

Aug. 18 92 hrs. Sept. 20 33 (at harvest)

Aug. 12 40 hrs. Oct. 13 62 (49 days in

orchard, 13 days
at 32°F.)
Aug. 12 76 hrs. Sept. 20 39 (at harvest)

Aug. 12 96 hrs. Sept. 12 31

Aug. 24 72 hrs.

Aug. 27 9.5 days Oct. 13 47 (34 days in

orchard , 13 days
at 32° F.)
Sept. 13 8 days May 1 7-|- ;::■ c.(8 days in

orchard; 6-j months
£ 32°F., and 30
days G 40° F.)
Sept. 22 7 days April 1 6^- mos. (2 32° Fo)

Sept. 7 48 hrs.

Sept. 7 95 hrs. Mar. 22 6iraoS.(.G32 F.)

A Pion e er's I mpress ion s of ou r Nati ve Fruits *

'ilhen the ship Arabella arrived at Salem in the suraner of 1530, people
went ashore and regaled themselves with strawberries. Roger Williams declared
the strawberry to be "the \?onder of all the fruits growing naturally hereabouts"
and says that v/here the natives had plajited he had seen "within a few miles as
iiiaay as would fill a good ship."

William VJood, in this country from 1529 to 1533, says "one may gather
halfe a bushell in a forenoone." In "New England's Prospect" (the earliest agri-
cultural account of Mass.) he likewise testifies to the excellence of the native
grapes "which are very bigge, both for the grape and the cluster, sweet and good."
But he is not so enthusiastic about the cherries. He says, "They be much smaller
than our English cherry, and if they be not fully ripe, they so furre the mouth
that the tongue will cleave to tho roof and the throat wax hoarse with swallowing
them. English ordering may bring them to bo an English chorrie, but yet thoy arc
as valdo as tho Indians." (I'Jaybc he got a mouthful of chokcchcrrios.)

The Apple Maggot Situation.

Growers sometimes say that the recommended timing of maggot sprays and
dusts does not seem to conform v/ith the appearance of flies in the orchard. How
often v;e hear someone remark, "I saw no flies until the middle of August." There
is, of course, a possibility that the grower may not have seen the flies v/hen
they first appeared in his orchard, but there is one other possibility. V/e knov;
that maggot flies migrate from one tree to another. Rolativcly fov/or flies omor^e
in a v/cll sprayod orchard of Baldwin or other coi:miercial variety than from the
soil beneath earlier varieties or beneath neglected trees on adjacent property.
In other words, the problem of migrating flies is often overlooked. The sudden
appearance of flies in a Mcintosh tree around the middle of August may mean that
those flies caaie from a Yellow Transparent or Astrachan tree where fruit is no
longer available. They may also represent flies which have com.e from a more dis-
tant biennial bearing tree which was infested with maggot last season. We would
not dismiss tho likelihood that miany flics emerge from the orchard soil long af-
ter tho month of July, but wo would stress the absolute necessity of doing more
about these other sources of infestation which so often pass unnoticed.

In Massachusetts we pride ourselves on being able to hold in check a
troublesome, late season pest v/ithout leaving an excessive residue on the harvest-
ed fruit. This is entirely possible by follovidng the recommended spray schedule,
spraying or dusting up to the last of July, along vdth proper attention to all
other apple trees v;ithin 200 yards of the orchard and the prompt destruction of
maggot infested drops. We therefore have avoided advising growers to spray "when
you sec tho f lios" . If that wero followed literally it might moan using load
arsonato aftor tho first of Scptombor. We recognize, of course, tho almost help-
less onvironmont of som.o coimnorcial orchards. This only emphasizes tho nood for
thorough spraying up to the last of July, and the treatment of adjacent trees,
suggested above. Occasionally maggot flies may emerge too late to be reached by
a spray progreun. But such an occurrence ought not to serve as a blanket alibi
for all cases of maggot infestation.

Sha ll Wo Put Away the Sprayer for the Seas on?

V/e like to think of August 1 as the dead lino for orchard spraying in
Massachusetts, although conditions may require some spraying or dusting r.ftcr
that date to take cere of certain emergencies. One problem v/hich may bo en«-

countered this season, judging from the fairly heavy first brood, is a severe
infestation of leaf hopper around the last of August or first of Septenber. Ap-
plication of a contact insecticide such as nicotine at that time has proven highly
successful in combatting this insect which is responsible for not only mottled
leaves but unsightly fruit at harvest time.

Another em.ergency which may require later spraying is a severe infesta-
tion of red mite. Ordinary soap in the form of soap flakes may be used, although
a potash fish oil soap is not only effective but somewhat easier to use. This ma-
terial is applied at the rate of 1^ gallons per 100= Your local dealer in spray
raa.terials should bo able to supply this material. If not, details may be obtained
from tho Field Station at Vfaltham or the State College in Amherst. A third use for
the sprayer will be found this fall in some orc?iards in the application of the
new hormone which tends to prevent Mcintosh from dropping. As suggested elsewhere
in this issue this material should not be applied until the apples have actually
started to drop. Growers with an apple scab problem are advised by 0. C. Boyd,
Extension Pathologist, to make a raid-August application of sulfur dust to prevent
infection of the fruit.

Time to Begin Pic k ing Up iilaggot Infested Drops .

V/ith apple maggot flies laying eggs, the time has arrived for gathering
up infested apples as one moans of controlling this pest. Every apple maggot des-
troyed this sunmer v/ill mean one less fly to attack the fruit in 1941. Kiaggot in-
fested apples should bo gathered up regularly at least once a week (twice a week
is better) and treated in such way that the maggots are destroyed. Such fruit
may be fed to live stock, made into cider, or emptied on an area which has pre-
viously been saturated with waste crankcase oil. Apples of tho summer and fall
season are more important from tho standpoint of maggot control than hard, ^/vinter
varieties. It apparently doos littlo good to pick up drops in Soptombcr and Octo-
ber unless the August drops are also givon attention

A'ople Tree Survey Noars Completion .

The first 400 orchard schedules in the Massachusetts apple tree survey
have now been summarized. These orchards contain 238,000 trees and produced, in
1939, about 700,000 bushels of apples. Tliis represents approximately one-quarter
of the commercial apple industry in Massachusetts.

The variety distribution of permanent trees in these 400 orchards is
as follov/S£ Mcintosh 42.1/^, Baldvdn 27.5/^, Delicious 5.2/^, Cortland 3.7/o, Graven-
stein 3A%, Wealthy 3.3%, Northern Spy 3.8^, and other varieties 11>. Tliat we
are gradually becoming a "one variety" section is borne out by these figures.
Vi/hen the previous survey was taken iji 1925, about 25/i of our apple trees were of
the Mcintosh variety and iO% were/the Baldvdn variety. Today this situation is
reversed. The age distribution of trees shows 19.5/^ of the Hclntosh to be under
10 years of age and ll/-, of the Baldvdns in the same age group. In other v/ords we
have barely enough young Mcintosh trees to maintain that variety and fov;or still
of other varieties.

A total of 1S16 schedules covering orchards of 100 trees or more had
been received at the State College on July 25. Enough more schedules are expect-
ed mthin a few days to bring the number up to about 1700 as compared vdth the
1754 orchard surveys in 1925.

A preliminary statei.^.ent from Connecticut covering about 75/o of the or-
chards in that State show that one-third of the comi'nercial crop is produced by

2.6/0 of the growers. According to the grov/ers' estimate, 20.5/a of the apples in
Connecticut grade less than U. S. Ho. 1.

G ardner Talks on Preventing Llclntosh Drop«

F. E. Gardner of the U. S. D. A. Horticultural Station at Beltsville,
Jsryland, speaking at one of the Farm and Home Week fruit meetings offered these
timely suggestions to grov/ers applying the promising new hormones, napthalene
acetic acid and napthalene acetamide, for preventing Mcintosh drop. 1. Dolay
thG application as late as possible, beginning about the time tho apples bogin to
drop. 2. Spray Vidth utmost thoroughness in order that the stons may bo covered.
3. Don't lot the fruit hang on the tree too long because that vd.ll tend to impair
the storage quality.

Several commercial concerns are offering these hormones for sale at the
present time. Details raay be obtained from your county agricultural agent or
from the State College. The price of these materials is still rather high since
they are being synthesized for plant use only. Having no other use at the pres-
ent timo, the cost of manufacture is necossarily high.

The abovG mentioned plant hormones v/cre first used in the rooting of
cuttings v/horc it was found the.t thoy tended not only to encourage rooting but
to prevent the dropping of tho leaf petioles from tho stem. Experiments showed
that these materials were equally effective in preventing the abscission of
fruits. Five to ten parts per million are effective in preventing fruit drop.
If the temperature at the time of application is high, there is an effect in 24
hours. If cool, the effect is first noticed in two or three days. On some var-
ieties an application is effective for two or three weeks, although on Mcintosh
the time is only 8 or 10 days and the effect terminates very abruptly. It is re-
conraondod that the first half bushel or bushel bo allov/od to fall before applying.
The first application can be followed by a second, if noodod, in about 7 days.
Fruit has boon kept on the tree until after Christmas in experimental tests.

Apples, whose stems were sprayed by means of an atomizer, leaving the
rest of the tree unsprayed, stayed on almost as well as v;hen the v;hole tree v/e.s
sprayed. In applying this materie.l v;ith a pov/er sprayer the application must be
sufficiently thorough to insure complete coverage of the stems. More effective
spraying can be done from inside the tree since meaiy of the apples are so com-
pletely protected by leaves as to make thorough spraying from tho outside quite
impossible.

The only effect on the hormone treated fruit is e-n improved color. Im-
provement in color is apparently duo noo to the hormones directly, but to tho
fact that tho fruit hangs on tho tree longer. Treated apples have shovm less
scald than 'chose picked earlier. But if they are allowed to hang on the tree
too long they don't keep as v;ell.

The absolute safety of the material from the standpoint of huxian con-
suj-jption is em.phasi2ed by this authoritative statement. "If an average sized
man v/ere able to eat 40,000 bushels of 8.pples at one sitting, the ai'nount of the
hormone consumed might make him quite sick."

Sorae SUfi:,p;estions on Siaall Fruit s_.

C. M. Wood of the Sssex Coui^sty Agricultural School has kindly furnished
the follov/ing notes from a Farm and Home Week talk by J. H. Clark of Nev; Jersey.

Dorset, Catskill, and Pathfinder are the leading strav/berry varieties
in ilevj- Jerseys the Pathfinder is resistant to red stelo disease. Soils vdth a
pH reading of 4.2-5 are benefited by the use of lime for strawberry grov.dng.
Raspberries vn.ll apparently stand more acid soils than strav/berrics . Readings
down to pH 4.5 have shovm no ill effect, although lirao has holpod in some cases.
For both strawberries and raspberries si-naller crates are being usedj the 16-quart
and 12-pint are now becoming popular. It is feasible to make tvro grades of rasp-
berries and strawberries v/nile picking.

Lathai:! is still the best raspberry varietj'' for New Jersey. Other var-
ieties are not so productive or dependable. Sunrise, which is ten days earlier
th3.n Latham, is pror.iising. llulching raspberries and blueberries on the lighter,
hotter soils seems practical. Precooling and treating v/ith carbon dioxide as a
part of the marketing program is being investigated. Cellophane is being used
on the box if the berries are in good condition.

D o Yo u Know -

That only a fraction of one percent of the insects in the world are con-
sidered as enemies of man?

That fruits and flowers v/ere first exhibited in Jiassachusetts cattle
shows in 1835, boes and honey in 1844?

The.t a silk industry Vifas in the making in Nev/ England more than 100
years ago? Enoch Boynton planted 42,000 mulberry trees between 1822-32 to feed
silk worms. The cold v/inter of 1834 did great damage to these trees.

That : aiming* s Nursery Catalog of 1843 quoted apple trees including
Baldv/in, Blue Fearinain, Fall Pippin, Gillif lower, Hubbardston, Jonathan, etCo,
at 37-^-5^ each, pears, plums, and cherries at 50;^ each, and peaches (75 varieties)
at 25;^ each? Of the latter, only the Early Crawford is familiar today.

That "storage scab" has its beginning in the orchard? All attempts to
bring about infection of the fruit in storage have failed.

That a worker bee, during the active season, lives only 4 to 6 weeks?
There are records of a queen bee living as long as 7 years, according to F. R.
Shav/ of the Department of Entomology.

That most tree fruit buds are formed in June or July, 10 to 11 months
before bloom v;hile strawberry buds are formed in September about 8 months before
bloom?

That drops of "dev/' often seen in the morning along the margins of les.ves.
or at the tips, as in grasses, come from within the plant and are not caused by
outside condensation? A cool night following a warm day vdth a resulting high
humidity, especially v/hen conditions are favorable for intake of water through
the roots may cause the excess wator to colloct as droplets instead of being
trans;" ir ed. normally .

Sulph ur and Orcha rd Soil Aci dity*

Except where heavy applications of dusting sulphur are made over a
period of years 5 Massachusetts fruit growers have little to worry about as re-
gards the acidifying effect of fungicides applied for disease control. It is a
well knovm fact that an application of sulphur tends to make the soil more acid,
whereas an application of calcium in the form of line, makes it more alkaline.
Grovdng plants require both of these elements, although calcium is required in
greater amounts. Fortunately, fruit plants are fairly tolerant of acid conditions c
Apple trees, for example, will thrive on soils ranging from '-quite acid to nearly
alkaline (pH 4.8-pH 6.8). The crop of grass and other vegetation between the
trees is a good indicator of the need for lime, better in fact than the tree it-
self. Thus, if the soil becomes so acid that only acid tolerant plants will grov;,
cai application of lime mil benefit the cover crop, and indirectly benefit the
tree. Furthermore, it should be remembered that our soils in humid Nev/ England
tend to become more acid each year by a leaching out of bcisic materials thus
requiring an occasional application of lime to im.prove growing conditions.

In a certain Massachusetts orchard v/hich has received about l-g- tong/A*
of dusting sulphur during the past 15 years nothing but moss v/as found grov/ing
under the trees because of the extreme acidity. An application of about tv/o tons
of ground limestone per acre has remedied this condition. One ton of high cal-
cium lime is capable of neutralizing about 640 pounds of sulphur. This makes it
possible for the fruit grov/er to remedy the acid condition brought about by sul-
phur applications at little expense. In a spray program involving the use of
lirao sulphur, vrith its content of calcium and sulphur, there is little or no
ch^^ngc in the acidity rating of the soil. And if an occasional lim.o application
is made to take care of the cover crop we believe that fruit grov/ers have more
important things to v;orry about thaji the possible danger of acidifying the soil
through the application of sulphur fungicides on the trees.

^D:lii.-ii°iS.?. Index.

For the benefit of the occasional individual who keeps a file of
"Fruit Notes" an index covering the various subjects presented in the 12 issues
during 1940 vri.ll be included in the last issue v;hich will appear arou.nd the hol-
idays .

Ti'/entyj^ iir^ Radio Spra y Mes sa,^es Durin g t he Current S_eascm .

A total of 24 spray messages for fruit growers have been prepared be-
tv;een April 24 and J^ly 29 for broadcasting over half a dozen radio stations in
lassachusetts. The last message of the season appeared on July 29.

Ap:ri culture and the Nati onal Def ens e Program:^.

A memorauidura from the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, H. A*
Wallace, under dato of Juno 18, 1940, contains this statement, "It will not be
necessary to set up nev; Government services, or new organizations of farmers to
ca.rry on agriculture's part of the national defense prograi',i." Tlie Secretary be-
lieves that farm people themselves (through county extension organizations, AAA
committees, planning committees, etc.) and Government agricultural services (in
the Department and the Land Grant Colleges) are set up and staffed to do whatever
needs to be done.

x^kJIT NOTjlo

August , 1940

W. n. Tl'des
iixtenaion Horticulturist

I'lurseiyyineri PropagatiriiS; Fewer Varieties

A aecrease in the number of fruit varieties v/as observ-
ed tnis sununer in the nurseries of the Northeast, liuny of the oIl;.
varieties often lounu in s^Tiall numbers in previous years have ai:.-
appearea, wniie some of the new ones that were grovvn for a lev/ year
are no longer seen. The Cortlanu apple, Goluen Jubilee ana Hale-
haven peach, ana the c^tanley plum nave become major varieties. The
rea bua sports of appie varieties are graaually replacin,-^ the par-
ent varieties, although there seem.s little gain this year over 19o9.
oome may regret the loss of such ola varieties us King, bpitzen-
burg. Mother ana Earxy '^rav.fforu, but it eviaently aoes noi. pay nur-
serymen to gro'/V them. In the writer's opinion there ought to be
one or two nurseries in the country making a specialty of growing a
consiaerable list of gooa ola varieties for customers who like them.

J . K . bhav.;

Nursery Inspection oompletea

The usual inspection of nurseries for "trueness to
name" for 1940 bas been com:.iletea. It has incluaea 18 nurseries in
Massachusetts, oonnecticut, Mew ^ork, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia,
Marylana, ana Delaware. Txiis is the twentieth year of inspection
work, although many of the nurseries visitea this year have been
exaininea for 5 years or less. Results are seen in the steaaily ae-
creasing numbers of misnamea or i.::properly labej-leu trees. Any
fruit grower aesiring a list oi these nurseries may secure one bj
aaaressing a rec^uest to the v/riter.

J. K. onaVv'

Connecticut Grower rleasea with uv/arf ^rchara

The writer recently visitea the Cook isrothers' orchara
on Route 1 between Hranfora ana Guilfora, Conn. They have about
2,000 dv/arf apple trees in bearing ana are very much pleasea with
them. The trees on awarf stocks are about one half the size of
stanaara trees ana have fruit ea heavily from an early age. The
owners emphasize the fact that maintenance costs are lovver ana the
fruit equal or superior to that from trees on seealing roots,
l^iany of the stocks nave sent up shoots anu these have been collect-
ea ana buaaea. An examination of tnese stocks snows that they arc

Issuea by tne J^xtension Service, iviliarci A. Munson, Director,
in furtnerance of Acts of May 8 ana tJune 50, 1914. Massacnusetts
btate College, Unitea states juepartment of Agriculture, ana County
Extension bervicos cooperating.

mostly Mailing V, the Improvea jJoucin; tliers are also luany ol' the
oia i/'oucin or English Paraaise stocks, Mailing II, ana as is usual
in stocks derived from the awarf stocks imported uirecti/ irora
European growers, there are a lew wlalling III, an inl'erior iPara-
ciiso stock wnich European stock growei's tiave long grown inixea with
dialling II ana V.

J . K . b hav/

buccess with Gas Storage

^ visit to Cornell has laaue ae "all het up" over gas
storage. They have siOO oushels ol rAcIntosh now in storage to be
taken out about August cO with coni'iaence that they will De in gooa
condition.

The aetails of gas storage are briefly these: (l) a
gas-tignt storage room, (£) a teiiiperatur'^ close to 40°-c . , anu (o)
maintenance of a storage atraospnere containing 270 oxygen ana b'/o
carbon aioxiae. Tnis concentration of 00.- is built up as a result
of respiration in the fruit, within two or three '-veeks. lifter that
the carbon aioxiae content is controllea by passing the storage at-
mosphere through caustic soaa solution, ana the oxygen, by aaraitting
outsiae air.

The storage room is maae gas-tignt by means of a sheet
metal lining, the joints of which are sealea with special ^lutty,
ana a gas-tight aoor sealea with vaseline. Tne aoor has u sliuing
glass panel for observation ana for aumitting air, the eages of
whicih are likewise sealed with vaseline, a. gas analysis is maae
u'l^ily to facilitate control. This operation is a simple one, re-
quiring only £ or iD minutes. I coula ao it, ana so coula you. In-
vestigators estimate that a cola storage room can be maae gas-tight
at a cost of about 10 cents per busiiel Capc^city.

i/vith hormones to make ivlclntosn stick on the tree so that
they get goou size ana color ana gcs storage to keep them oilx June,
y/e are "all set to go."

<J . iv . Shaw

Several companies Offer i/rop Lontioxling I'laterial

At the present ti;ae apple uroij controlling normones are
available unaer at lec.st rive aiiferent tr^ae names. Tne various
branas are not exactly alike, although they are believea to carry
equivalent concentrations of hormone at the recoiiLLenaea ailutlons.
Vvhetner one is better than anotner nas not oeen shown, ijifforences
in effectiveness may appear, but it is trobaole that all will be
lounti effective in reaucing preharvest arop.

J , K , biiaw

1.0 You Krov;

That from the iimltea cviaehce we have, the
origiridi x/lclntosh tree Dore apples v.hich were ol a unii'orra rea, and
not ^tripea nor splhtshea.

That a large number ol native v;ila grasses are being
testeu by U. S. -f. a. workers i'or use as cover crops anu lor eros-
ion control? iibout 20 native grasses are now unuer test at the
i:Dtate College Tor possible use as orchard cover crojjs.

Tnat most ol' the cultivatea i'ruits oi te:. operate re-
gions belong to a single botanical I'amily or plants, tne Rose
■bamily ? Incluaea are apple, pear, ^uince, plum, cherry, pe-^.ch,
apricot, ctrav>;berry , raspberry, blackberry, ana aewberry. ijrov.'ing
'Adlu in the Connecticut Valley tnere are representatives ol more
than 100 plant I'amilies.

That soils in a humia region like New Englanu tena to
become more aciu each year? The change in aciaity is more r^pia in
a porous soil where more leacning or basic laaterials occurs.

That the otamp Plan, accoraing to nev;spaper announcement
is scheuulea to sturt in the City o! £oston within a lev; u^^ys? This
program "vvill tena to increase the movement of apples in that area,
since apples are among the surplus coiT^joaities aesignatea -oj the
secretary of Agriculture.

That there is a ueflnite relation between nuiaoer ana
vigor of leaves on a strawberry plant in the ft;ll, anu tne numoer
ana size of oerries it will proauce the follov.dng spring? In gen-
eral, the greater the leaf area, the more berries a plant will pro-
auce .

That as early as 18£4, V,Tn. Thurlow of vv* . Newbury is re-
portea to have harvestea 1,000 barrels of apples in a single season";
In 184u, George Thurlow received a prize ior growing i.0,000 apple
trees on an acre of lana. ihat same year Allen i^oage oi' iiamilton
saiu, "The apples oi issex County may oe at. wiaely celeoratea as
tne oranges of navana."

ihat nearly 100 years ago £. 6. Rogeis ana <j , i' . -^^llen
of balem were carrying on similar experiments in the aevelopment
of hybria grapes witnin a stone's tnrow of eacn other, wholly un-
known to each other? ^ small stock of Rogers' best hybrias were
offerea lor sale in 1859 at v4. per vine or 12 vines for '■^'■^0 .

That Confucius aia not say "Man who .jUt big apples on
top make big money"?

Valley Growers Visit i-^onnect icut

ribout oj fruit gro'vers from rianipaen ana nc^mpshire
Counties visitea lour Connecticut orcharus August 15. Tne tour was
arrangea through tne eooperdion of n, a. hollins, Extension norti-

.;j.iv: .:

culturist, Anong the interesting things observea vv-ere sonie fine
crops oi' apples, Ic^rge modern storages, ana up-to-aate orchard
ii'ianagexaent / iiospitality shov/n by the folks in i;onnecticut v/i.l.i be
rerriei'nbereQ for a long time by the Massachusetts vioitors.

A Rumor oi' Ethylene Dichloriae Injury

A report of injury to pedcn trees in states fatner
south as a result of the nc\j ethylene aichloriae treatment lor
peach borers has recently been received, ■"■ careful survey is being
raaue to aetermine the extent of the injury. Thus far the injury
seeras to be conlined to certain orcnarus in Pennsylvania, -t- care-
ful check on the results in three Massachusetts orcnarus, including
the one at the ^tate College, reveals no injury whatever. Vi/e be-
lieve tnat this material is not onxy effective against peach borers
but ii properly usea, entirely safe from the standpoint or the tree
itselr.

Chokecherries bhow AutumnCo lor

Leaves on some of the roa slue choKecherries in Massa-
cnusetts have been shov/ing brilliant autuima coloring for several
weeks. This is a sure sign chat these shrubs are infected oy a so-
called X-iJisease which spreaas to peach trees. The striking appear-
ance of these shrubs will impress anyone interested in roaasiue
plants. No other shrub com-uonly louna in Massachusetts takes on
autumn colors so early. The presence of aiseasea chokecnerries near
any fruit farm shoula make the ov.Tier think tv;ice before setting a
peach orohara. The color of the foliage at tnis season uiay well be
consiaerea as a rea flag telling of a subtle aanger in the I'orm of
A-ui sease .

Ours Is a Changing Inuustry

j^ormer -secretary oi tne wi. 1. G. A., -c . Howard Brovvn of
Marlboro, recently presenteu us with a map of Massachusetts showing
M. F. G. A. membership by toVvTis in 1914. oome striking changes have
occurrea since that tixae. For example, in 1914 there were 95 m. i'.
G. A. members in the City of i^oston ana 14 eacn in Arlington ana
Newton. It was apparently a common thing at thai- time for city res-
idents to maintain Association iiembersnip because of their interest
in orcharu property elsewhere. One of the shifts in fruit interest
is noted in the tovm of "-olrain, whicn in 1914 haa bo members. To-
day there are fewer than 5 members in the tovm.

Peach .^ual ity ana Good xoliage Closely Relatea

In a recent issue of I'lev. Jersey State Horticultural
Society News there appears an excellent photograph of a branch from
a peach tree showing excellent fruit anu foliage along with tnis
statement: "Goou spraying, proper thinning ana elficient harvest-
ing snould result in a fancy proauct." No rruit reflects more
closely the ccnaition or the foliage than the peach. One can almost
tell oy the flavor of the iruit the coiiuiti-.m of the foliage on the
branch from ".h-iich it came, -t-- bitter, under-sizea peach is more than
likely the result of foliage on a uiseasea tree. Large, green leaver
go hana in nana with large, well colorea, aeliciously flavorea fruit.

"Glass Wool" as a Plant Mulch

In a recent issue of Hossier Horticulture, J. A. McOlin-
tock reports on the effects of glass wool bats or blankets as a
mulch for small fruits ana young fruit trees. In aauitlon to con-
trolling- weeas between the strawberry rows, plant growth Vi'as con-
fijiea to a more restrictea area, fewer late plants aevelopea, ana
berries began ripening two aays earlier. In the raspberry planting,
new canes were more vigorous ana taller than plants of the same
variety (Latham) mulched with alrall'a hay or left unmulchea. Moist-
ure control was apparently an important factor. Both of the aoove
fruits showea increasea yields under the glass mulch. But this was
in airoct contr-^st -wiLh the results obtainea in mulching gooseberries,
where a heavy early arop of fruit occurrea.

Trena of Apple Varieties in Western Ne'v York

For many years the apple inaustry of western New York
has sufferea from having too many varieties, a carry-over from the
aays of tne home orchara v/hen a tree or two each of many varieties
providea apples ano ciaer for the farm faraily. Since 1900, tv.'o
varieties, Mcintosh ana khoae Islana Greening, have made up one-
third of the plantings in the area, v/ith percentages of 20.5 and
14.2 respectively. Five leading varieties (the above plus Delic-
ious, Cortlana ana Rea Rome) have account ea for two-thiras of the
plantings. Since 1950, these five varieties have maae up Vo'/o of
the trees set.

Vitamin Content of Appxes

vvinesap apples from plots receiving adaitional N, P,
and K are reportea in Washington bulletin ;r575 to have no higher
content of Vitamin than fruit from check plots. Jonathan ana
Delicious from the same trees but differing in the amount of red
coloring shov/ea no markea difference in Vitamin C content of highly
colorea and poorly colored fruit of either variety. The relative
amounts in Spitzenburg, Winter Banana ana Sta^-man v;ere 2, 1, and
.9, respectively. The peel of Richarea apple was found to be at
least five times as rich in Vitamin A as the flesh of the apple.

Digestibility of Apple Silage

i.:t,uoting from Viashington oulletin /f56£, "A mixture of SO^c^
apples ana 20^o alfalfa hay was ensiled tv/o different years. The
digestibility was aeterminea during two years with sheep fed ex-
clusive rations of the silage. On a dry matter basis the apple-
alfalfa hay silage contained an average of 5.4% of aigestible crude
protein and 57.2^0 of total aigestible nutrients. In feeding trials
with cows, the experimental ration containing the apple-alfalfa hay
silage producea an average of 45.5 lbs. of 4^/a milk as comparea with
44.5 lbs. on the basal ration. Tnese experiments aemonstrate that
cull apples may be effectively utilizea as a feoa for dairy cows by
ensiling them v;ith alfalfa hay in the proportion of 80% apples ana
20% alfalfa hay."

FRUIT NOTiS - September, 1940

7/. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

A striking bit of evidence concerning the effect of terracing a
slope subject to erosion is repoi-ted by A» B. Beauuiont in the latest issue
of Tiie Soil Auger. Samples of soil \7ere taken nugust 23 from the 11th and
15t]. terraces of a peach orchard planted on the contour s^'^stem and from
corresponding levels of an adjacent vineyard vmich v;as not terraced. Both
the crciiard and the vineyard had cover crops ox barleif and v/eods. The
perccntago of moisture (dry soil basis) found was as follov/rj. Poacli orchard,
lov/er terrace, 20.6^ upper terrace, 15.2., Vineyardj lower slopej 10.2, uy;?3r
slopoj 7 .4.

• The author goes on to say that the importance of w^-ter conserva-
tion in Itissachusetts agriculture should not be underestimated. TIaere is
a tendency to viev/ the proclen of adequate moisture supply with complacency
because of a generous total precipitation. But it is the distribution that
counts. From April to j^ugust , 1940, inclusive, 20.74 inches of rain fell
in Ar:ilierst. This amount is 1.86 inches above the normi-l for the period.
April and I:Iay were so v/et that i;.any crops could not be planted 3.t the nor-
mal time. But the precipitation in August was less than half normal, caus-
ing an undesirably dry condition in less favored soils. l's2V/ of the su:m?.er
rains of this section came in heavy showers, a large proportion of wnich
ran off the soil '«vithout penetrating it thus causing soil loss by erosion.
Even during the heavy sho\/er of July 18 when 1.18 inches of rain fell in
a 30 minute period, there was no evidence of loss of moisture in tiie ter-
raced peach orchard, v/Iiile plenty of erosion occurred on adjacent areas.

iiccording to population studies being conducted by the U. 3, Fish
c: ^^ildlifc Service, formerly the Biological Survey, meadow r.iice are tv.dce
as numerous as last fall. It is therefore important to carry on adequate
control \¥ork during the next two months.

Populations of these rodents rise a.nd fall in throo to five year
cycles. Infestations wore at a peak during the fall of 1938, and were un-
usually low during 1939 and in the spring of 1940. However, favorable
weather and abundant grass cover has helped their increase, and although
populations are not yet at a ncv/ peak, the mice :ro num.erous enough to causo
e:5iSonsivc dain-.ge this vdntor.

j^uring peak years, populations range from a lev/ of e:;bout 25 per
acre in i.i,rch to a high of near 200 nor acre in September. Infestations

Issued by' the iSxtension Service; V/illard A. Kunson, Director, in fur-
therance of Acts of Ivlay 8 and June 30, 1914. Massachusetts State College
United States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services
cooperating.

now coverage about 50 per acre in best habitat. Numbers have increased five
to ten times since the spring census, and these rodents sxe now twice as
numerous as last fall.

Comparative studies of mulched and non-mulched orchards sho\7 that
concentrations of mice beneath mulch are fifty per cent greater than aror.nd
non-mulched tree bases . '-"^rail baiting is much easier in mulched orchards,
and though original numbers are greater, survival after proper tre^.tment
is much less than in non-mulched orchards.

^n interesting side-light on those cycles has been noted on ^ape
^od and i'^artha's "ineyard in connection with tick control s^^udies. •-'-xperi-
ments are underv/ay to indirectly control ticks through control of their hosts,
meadov; mice. Ticks were very numerous last year and at a low point this
surumer. This was to be expected, since changes in numhers of the host pre-
cede changes in numbers ox the ticks by one season.

vV. '<J - Dykstra

KIM-P. IPL. ;tiie. .C^oyrtl e_d_ prchaj."_d

To relieve the crowded condition so comi.ion in Massachusetts or-
chards, a systematic heading back of tei;iporary trees makes it possible to
dele.y actual tree removal - This plan is being successfully \;orked out in
the orchard of Jonathan Davis in Bolton. In many bearing orchards, every
other diagonal row of trees should be considered as "temporary" and there-
fore a fit subject for heading back, unless the time has already arrived
for tree removal, -i sir.ple orchard plan should first i-ie worked out and
"perma.nent" trees designated by a paint mark on the trunk in order that
they may be readily recognized at pruning time.

If branches interfere in any way during the spraying oporation,
it is time to do something about it. liore effective sprajdng is possible
if there is enough space between the trees to permit driving through v.dth-
out having the branches brush the side of the sprayer. And if lower limbs
have already been cut off to permit driving beneath an overhanging canopy
of branches, the time for surplus tree removal has long since passed. Here
the ax is needed more than the pruning saw.

Soil Phosphorus g.nd, Liming

This is the title of an interesting story by J- N. i^verson in the
latest issue of "The Soil Auger." The data here presented seems to show that
some of the phosphorus in the soil is associated vdth the- clay and that under
certain conditions this form of phosphorus is activated when the soil is
limed. In a series of tests covering 58 soil samples taken in 14- tovrns,
soluble phosphorus v/as determined before and after liming along vn.th the
percentage of clay in each sample. All of the soils v/ere acid and they
ranged from coarse, sandy loam to silt loam. Liming increased soluble phos-
phorus in silt loams and very fine sandy locj,is from 44 to 149/^ regardless
of the soil scries, in fine sandy loams - IS to Sl;^ and in sandy loams -
to 19/0. Liming actually decreased soluble phosphorus in coarse sandy loaiis
and in loamy sand 7 to 29,"^.

-3-

On the basis of these results, it seems tha.t the percentage of
clay in the soil is a good indicator of the soil's response to Urging i---
sofar as tlie availability -of phosphorus is concerned. Hiese investigations
help to expl3.in v/hy cover crops show a favorable response to lining in cer-
tain soils containing a fair percentage of clay*

Do Yo u Know

Th:it apples increase in size :.iore rapidly ,iust before h^.rvest
than at any other time? (R. A. Van L'etsr;

That one Liclutosh flo-./or may produce nore than lOOjOOO pollen
grains? Also, tliat one honey bee can carry vt least that many? (R=A.Van i;etor/

That one of the small cold storage room.s at the State College is
being made gas-tight by C= I. Gunness of the Department of iLngineeringj to
try out gas storage for liclntosh and other varieties? Gom.e around next June
and v;e vdll treat you to some prime Mcintosh, if it Horks out 3.s we expect
it vdllo (J. K= Shaw)

Tliat there are about 30,000,000 fa;"d.lies in the United States of
Y/hich about 1,000 ,000 are in llassachusetts?

Tliat the average buyer of fruit is muc-i more interested in ^';alitx
than in gsog_r_apli2£? ^'^ i^'-S-tter how much vire may stress the supposed superiority
of a locally gro\Tn product it must measure up to a high str.ndaro .of quality
if it is to attra.ct attentiono

Tliat as many as 16 different sized "bushel" boxes or crates of
apples have been observed in a single exnibit? '.7. R. Cole reports t!iat
number at a Farm Show in one of the northeastern states «

Tlaat there are still a f&u apple orchards of coiiffnercial size in
L'lassachusetts vri.th as manj' as 25 varieties? The writer has visited tv;o
such orchards this fall to unscramble variety names. Harvest tim.e is the
idea.! season to reconsider the v/crthwhiler.ess of each variety and to m^ark
individual trees for top grafting or for pruning at the ground level o

Tliat as iaany as 250,000 stomatas or "breathing pores" are found
per square inch on the lower surface of apple leaves? Most plant leaves,
including vegetables and grasses, have stoiaates on both the upper a.nd lov/er
surfaces. A fully grov/n corn plant may have EOOjOOO^OOO of those minute
openings while/ single pumpkin leaf may have 50,000,000.

Scjp.e pbj5_er\^ation_s_ on A'Tjle .Ijgxj^etjnig

The follo".7ing suggestions are gleaned from a series of 16 pointed
coimuents recently made by G. '.V. '..'estcott, ZiZtension Economist.

(l) If apples are not high enough in grade to warrant an attractiyjB
package, they should be moved in bulk.. There is no sound economic excuse for
an unclean, unattractive package. (2) Tliere is a definite tendency toward

-4-

smaller packages and this iTiust be recognized especially bj^- those catering
direct to consumers. (3) The package should promote the keeping quedities
of the apple. The 1 l/5 bushel box has done Kuch to discourage proper paci:-
ing and handling. (4) Thero is no sound economic excuse for putting up
any other than a standard, uniforn package and informatively labeling it.
(5) Vve should have a compulsory inf ori^iative labeling lav/ to apply to all
fruit entering conunercial mai-kets. (5) Individual producers would create
a more stable market if they v/ould strive to follov; as closely a.s possible
an orderly marketing program - that is, ms-rketing their crop evenly thror^gh-
out the marketing season. (?) The Stamp Plan now in use by the Federal
Surplus Marketing Administra.tion gives more promise of increasing the con-
sumption of apples than any so-called "oracrgGncy prograin" tried up to tho
present. (8) All food products e.rc more aggressiveli'' merchandised nov/ than
15 years ago. This should apply to apples too. (Hot too much emphasis on
advertising.) It is not enough to advertise applos. Advertising must bo
supported vdth an adcquc.to merchandising prograra. Emphasis should be plccod
on continuous dospl^:}^ of sound fruits in retail stores.

Re£i_oiTal_ M^^^^.JiPPA'^MSi.

The national apple crop in 36 states is estimated at IMjSSOjOOO
bushels as compared vdth 143,085,000 in 1939. 7/. ICo Piper of the Division
of Markets has furnished the follovdng regicns-l forecast based on the Septem-
ber 1 estimate. Eastern states (Nortn Atlantic and South .vLlantic groups)
3/i smaller than the S-jj^eor (1934-38) average production and 25/o less than
the 1939 crop. Commercial production in these states is placed at 51,824,000
bushels this season compared with 59,506,000 bushels in 1939 and the 5-year
averstge of 53,575,000 bushels. The North --itlantic group shov/s a 32/i reduction
from the crop of 1939 whereas the South Atlantic abates shov; only ll^t decline.

In the Central states (North Central and South Central groups) the
indica.tGd production this season is 3/^ below the 5-year average and is 36/a
smaller than the production in 1939. Commercial production in these states
is placed at 20,308,000 bushels in 1940 compared v/ith 31,639,000 bushels in
1939 and the 5 year average of 20,889,000 bushels.

Tho ■"'ostern states (Rocki' I'ountain and Pacific Coast states; have
a prospective crop 10^ belov/ the 5-year average but 2,4 larger than in 1939.
Tiie September 1 estimate of cora-iercial production totals 4-2,398,000 buslaels
com.pared v/ith 41,940,000 bushels in 1939 and the 5-year average of 47,239,000
bushels .

Keeting e:t the Department of Agriculture Sept. 11 and 12, the xipple
Grov/ers' National Planning Comjnittee, representing 26 major producing States,
recomjnended that the Surplus Liarketing Administration of tho Department of
^-agriculture offset the loss of a 10 riiillion bushel export n:iarket by estab-
lishing an apple purcnase prograuu primarilj'' designed to assist in the market-
ing of those apples normally sold in foreign m.arkets.

Continuing the policy of the industry to strive for the elimina-
tion of lov/er grades of apples from the fresh fruit m,arkot, grov/er rcpro-

-5-

SGntctivcs further urged that tho Surplus I'arkoting AdrtLni strati on purchase
no apples from grov/ors sollinj culls in fresh frviit channels.

Although tho 1940 apple crop is considerably bolcv; l?.st year, and
under noros-l conditions would not be burdensome, the present or.port situation
is such that growers in certain areas v/herc apples have boon produced large-
ly for export vidll be confronted with unusual difficulties in the rarketing
of tlieir crop. Under the prograi'a recommended to meet this problem, otate
grower coLuaittees will detsrmr.ne whi.ch areas are to be included in the apple
purchase program. The purchases viri.ll be nainly of export sizes and var-
ieties not uorr.ially in demand in the United States «

In addition, the growers requested that the Surplus Marketing
•"■dniini strati on stand ready to bu^r apples of "Covabins-tion U. Sv 1 and Utility"
grade in areas where specific marketing emergencies arise. 'The growers
emphasized that they expect pc^rt of the export loss to be raade up by a;: in-
creased dcriand because of improved purchasing power in t-iC United States
during the apple narkcting season. I-'assachusetos "Wc.s represented at the
above conference in V/ashington, ^> G. by John Chandler -of Sterling Junction.

T wo i lew Publications^ .o nJ-."jA^?'-J'i?P,

A shortage of rainfall in August and September has made roanj'" J.Ias-
sachusetts fruit growers keenly conscious of the need for irrigation. All
interested growers should read tv/o new publications on the subject. "J'ar:.!
Irrigation Systems," -"'Engineering Extension Series i':o .. 7S by 7/. G. Harrington
of the State College and U. S. D, A. Farnsrs' Bulletin No. 1518 on "Orchard
Irrigation." Tliis latter publication is a revision of a bulletin which
appeared in 1927 .

ycIjitjD sli_ J\ela^i_y_s s_ A"-SP--J. i-il i'-§-X]\&l_i -i--\yi2

'■"'ith an increasing nui.iber of V3.rietie3 siriilar to I'clntosh ccniing
into production, there is every reason to believe ths-t L^acoun, Kendall,
i'/iilton, Cortland, etc. will be inadvert.intly i.dxed -with Mcintosh in future
market shipments. This is especially true v/here these varieties are scat-
tered through a L.iclntosh orch.ard and inexperienced pickers harvest the crop
vdthout much supervision. Having observed one case this fall in which
Duchess was bqing sold as '^ravenstein a word cf caution seems in order ■
Few consumers would object if an ocGasions,l Kend0.ll apple appeared in a
quarter's worth bought as Liclntoshc But tiie consumer has just cause for
complaint if s ome good looking red apples are bought under an assumed naiiie.

2.^1:0. "Pi-iL^.. i^^cjLudij^^ j3jj^^^

Fruit growers who have suffered loss of blueberries, cherries
and other fruits, due to flocks of hungry birds, will be interested to know
that a Hed Shouldered Hav/k tethered in the State College blueberry planta-
tion at harvest time caused the birds to be conspicuous by their absence.
During one period while the hav/k was present only one bird>. a song sparrov/,
v/as observed. During a corresponding period, v/hile the hav/k was absent,
71 birds, including numerous robins,, were counted. The abovo arrangement
is impractical, however, since that particular bird is protected hy lav/.

-6-

Plcre's an Idc

5]r.

\ / f y<\

^-^

In the accompanying dia-
gram, an attempt has been
anade to illustrate a woi-k- "
able plan of handling a
crowded orchard . In the
upper sketch, the time has
arriveL. f.r re.-ovin^;^ e\'ery
other diagonal row of filler
trees. I^or several yes.rs„
however, some heading back
of these filler trees has
been practiced, as indicated
\!y the dotted lines, there-
by permitting unhindered
'development of the m.ore per-
manent trees. In the lov/er
sketch, after a few yoars
of vigorous grovrth the time
has again arrived for tree
removal. But ever since the
romcval of the filler trees
the somi-pormanants have
been headed back to avoid
intorfaroncc with the
nornancnts.

Kow let us svippose that
the so-called permanent trees were
planted less than 40 feet apeirt . ^oon
after r ei;oving the semi-pormansnts,
the permanents mil begin to crowd »
■"-ne n3;:t step is a generous heading
back ox trees in every other diagonal
row to provide aiaple space for a good

spra-

■:.ro',rjxi.

U-.

nd .1' this s'^s'cei.i

-e-l

per-

"cnere is no su^n tnxng e
mansn.'rs cind real fillers, -'-nstead,
we hc.-^Q trees of two sizes, every
other diagonal row being cut back
syste;?r.tically . ilnd when heading
back no lon.^or provio :;s the neces-
Sc.ry s'^aco for unhindered spraying
the ax is again sharpened and Videldcd
effectively o A thorough trial of
this system will convince any grower
that it is entirely practical and
that quality fruit may thereby be
"rrcducod at lo\/or cost.

FRUIT iJOTES

October, 19^0

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

108 Years Ago

Speaking before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society-
October 3rd, 1832, Dr. Thaddeus Y/illiaia Harris, a prominent entom-
ologist of that day ssid, "Many orchards suffer from the neglect
of their proprietors j the trees are permitted to remain year after
year without any pains being taken to destroy the numerous and var-
ious insects that infest them; old orchards especially are over-
lookea, and not only the rugged trunks of the trees but even a
forest of unprmied suckers around them are left to the undisturbed
possession of the apple borer. Did this slove;\iy and indolent
practice affect only the owner of the neglected domain v/e should
have no reason for complaint; but vJien the interests of the com-
munity are exposed by the harboring of such noxious insects, vvhich
arinualjy issue from their places of refuge and overspread the
neighboring country, when oui' best endeavors are thus frustrated,
have v;e not sufficient cause for serious accusation against triose
who have fostered our assailants?" This sounds like modern doc-
trine and might well be expressed in soiuewhat different words by a
present day entomologist.

In the same talk Dr. Harris outlined the control of var-
ious fruit insects. Concerning aphids he said, "The means of des-
troying Aphides are readily obtained and applied. Solutions of
soap and weak alkaline licuors used warm, and thrown up by a gar-
den engine, are the proper remedies." The term "garden engine" is
a puzzler. Those of us who supposed that spraying had its origin
in the Gay Nineties are surprised to learn that an insecticide in
liquid form was applied by a mechanical contrivance more than one
hundred years ago.

Do You Know

That each normal seed which develops in a fruit, be it
apple, grape or strawberry, results from fertilization by a sep-
arate pollen tube and that there may be scores of these pollen
tubes competing with each other for tae privilege of fertilizing
a single seed embryo? A. P. French

That bud sport varieties may produce limbs of fruits which
show a reverse sporting? Two interesting Starking apples have

Issued by the F.xtension Service, Wlllard a . Munson, Director,
in furtherance of Acts of i.lay o and June 30, 1914' Massachusetts
State College, United States Department oi i^gricul ture, and County
Extension Services cooperating.

been brought in \rfiich show this phonoiaenon. One of theu had two-
fifths of the surface highly colored like Starking \/hlle the rest
of the apple v/as typical of a partially mature Delicious. The
other apple showed typical Starking color except for a small seg-
ment which was pure yellow. A. P. French

That apple grovvers receive. 34'^ out of the retail dollar
spent for apples? Orange growers get 22^. These figures released
by the IJ. S. D. A. are accompanied by an explanation that the
grower's share of the retail dollar is affected by the differences
in the amount of marketing services rec^uired to get the individual
cominodities from the grov^er to the consumer.

That water and most, if not all;* of the mineral elements
used by a v/oody plant such as ari apple tree flow upv^ard through
the sapwood, v/hile carbohydrate materials manufactured in the
leaves are moved through the inner bark? This helps to explain
why a tree girdled by .licemay live for months because of an ade-
quate water supply, although root growth fends to stop because the
channel through which the carbohydrates flow, is interrupted.

That the State of Washington is growing better apples in
recent years? In 1922, according to a U. S. D. A. report, 25/^ of
the State crop was C grade. In 1933 the C grade pack had dropped
to 12$.

That crushed pecan shells are now being used in the propa-
gation of horticultural plants? The shells are first run through
a feed grinder set on a wide adjustiaent leaving the larger pieces
perhaps one-half inch in dia:.ieter. Equal parts by volume of sand
and ground shells are mixed and used directly in the propagating
benches .

That rubber tires on farm equipment may reduce rolling re-
sistance by as much as 4-6^'* This result v/c.s obtained in recent
experiments at Ames, lov/a, v;here .aachines were moved over plor/ed
fields ,

That the Connecticut Pomological Society celebrates a
half century of progress in fruit gro"«ving November 12-14, 194-^, ^t
Hartford, Connecticut? The program for this 50th Anniversary Meet-
ing is filled with interesting discussions.

That the original Baldwin apple tree, v/hich grevv on the
old Baldwin Farm, Chestnut Street, V/ilmington, Mass., and of which
all present day EaldvrLn trees are direct vegetative descendants,
was blovm dov/n during the hurricane v/hich occurred September 23,
1815?

That car card signs telling the merits of Massachusetts
Mcintosh apples are being displayed in 1176 trolley cars in the

Boston area this fail. This card is one part of the apple ad-
vertising ca-npaign being conducted by the Massachusetts Develop-
ment and Industrial Coranission in co-operation vifith the Massachu-
setts Department of Agriculture. The card reads as follows:

DO YOU KIJOW--
Massachusetts Mcintosh apples,
nature's choicest, are unusually rich
in Vitamin A - and are ideal for all pur-
poses - eating, baking, and all forras of
cooking.

England Favors Dv^arfing and Semi-dv/arf ing Stock

H. B. TuKey in a recent issue of the Rural riev; Yorker
makes this interesting co;iL:ient about apple grov/ing in England, "A
recent visitor froui England -- a fruit grov/er vrho operates a
large acreage in Sussex, reports his entire satisfaction in Eng-
land v.'ith soaie of the new dwarfing and seiai-dwarfing stocks which
are nov\i receiving attention in Ainerica. He reports that it would
be difficult to find a coiajiercial orchard in his section where
trees are grown on seedling rootstocks as they are in America. He
finds that Mailing XII and XIII are very good as semi-standards,
and he finds Mailing IX, II, and I highly desirable.

Here's an Idea

The importance of deep soils for orchards can scarcely be
over emphasized. Many orchards are unprofitable because of a
waterlogged condition and a resulting lack of soil aeration. If
you are considering a possible orchard site, here is a test that
may prove helpful. A year previous to planting, dig several holes
about three feet deep in different parts of the area. V/atch these
holes during the growing season, and if water is found in them
after the leaves come out in the spring, or for more than a day ov
two during the growing season, plant your orchard somewhere else.

J. K. Shaw

Apples Growers Report on Effectiveness of Horm one

Reports fro;;) growers w^ho signified their intention to
spray for the control of preharvest drop are coming in slowly.
Many have not yet reported and perhaps some did not carry out .
their intentions. Most growers reporting seem to feel that the
material used was effective. This season was rather cool and Mc-
intosh dropped muc?i less than in most years. Results of our own
experiments are being studied. In -lost of them the material has
been more or less effective. It will be somewhat difficult to
determine exactly when and under what conditions sjiraying to con-
trol dropping may be expected to return a profit. \/e hope to
have some opinions v/hen the data have been further studied. Great-
er effectiveness may be expected in a season v/hen apx_es tend to
drop prematurely.

J. I'v. Shaw

Gas Storage Experiinent rjnder Vvay

One of the small cold storage rooms at the State College
has been made gas tight, 191 bushels of apples have been jrat in
and the room sealed ap October 11. The CO2 content is increasing
and the oxygen decreasing as might be expected. The temperature
is being held around ^0° F. The desired gas mixture of 2% oxygon^
5;; carbon dioxide^ and 93a nitrogen should be reached in due time.

J. K. Shaw

Retarding the Ripening of Strawberries

According to a recent Michigan publication the following
factors aided in retarding the season oi' maturity of the Diinlop
strawberry: (l) A north slope retarded fruit maturity nine days
as compared with a south slope of the same soil type. (2) A clay
loam soil caused a four day retardation over sandy loam on a north
slope. (s) Delay in removing the mulch had little effect on the
date of first picking but retarded the end of the picking season
four to five days. (.4) As compared with no mulch, the fact that
a bed had been winter mulched retarded the date of first picking
3 to -4 days. The dates of largest pickings and the dates of the
last pickings were retarded from 7 to 10 days. .Moreover, the use
of winter mulch increased the total yield by about 50)1 as compared
with the plots that received no winter mulch. (With the straw-
berry mulching season at hand, this last stateinent deserves care-
ful attention)

A. P. Fi'ench

Western Growers Practice Hand Pollination

An indication oi the grov/th of hand pollination in the
State of Washington is provided in a statement by a Wenatchee
norticulturist in a recent issue of Better Fruit. A ^25,000.
industry was created last season by those who gather, sell, and
apply with camel's hair brushes, the apple pollen. Thousands of
acres are now being pollinated in. that way. The writer predicts
that the practice is barely in its infancy. He believes it pos-
sible to control the size of the crop in many orchards by this
method, eliminating the necessity of thinning entirely.

Skin Lotion for Cherries

In a recent issue of The Furrov/ we read, "Cracking of
sweet cherries, because of rains at ripening time, often causes
losses of from twenty to eighty percent of the crop. Experiments
are being made with cdcium. sprays to prevent such losses, for
calcium is capable of reducing the permeability of plant cells
to water. Removal of the calcium residue before packing the fruit
is a problem as yet misolved.

WANTED — Pomological Puzzles

Dui'ing the past few weeks our appetj.te for baffling prob-
lems has been whetted by the solution of a cover crop puzzle in

eastern Massachusetts v/hich was brought to the attention of the
State College. In this particular orchard the grass beneath the
trees \vas almost entirely brovm even, though no caustic fertilizers
had been applied. An unusual soil type plus an mvasual spray pro-
grarfl suggested the possibility of aluminum toxicity. A series of
soil samples being studied by Professor Everson of the Department
of Agronomy bear out this supposition. A more detailed report
will appear in a later issue of Fi'uit Notes.

..lany of the problems in agriculture are not susceptible
to an imi.iediate solution. Snap judgments are of little value ijui-
less the problem conforms to a familiar pattern. The unusual de-
serves as much study as time and facilities will permit. In this
connection the v/riter invites Massachusetts fruit grov.'ers to sub-
mit unusual situations for the careful consideration of State
College v/orkers. The ansv/er will not always be forthcoming but a
clue is more than likely available. With some knov>/ledge of funda-
mentals as a starts other available resources include the literature
on the subject and the facilities of co-v.;orkers in the State Col-
lege laboratories. Probl<\i3 in this class may involve fertilizers,
spray materials, plant behavior of an miusual nature, or anything
else along production lines of an unusual nature. Attention will
be given to such puzsles insofar as time will permit and they will
receive attention in the order in \'.'hich they are received.

Grass Land Agi'iculture

The Agricultural Conservation Program tends to focus at-
tention on the value of grass. In Massachusetts we pride ourselves
on growing an abundance of this fundaiiiental crop. The difficulty
among fruit growers is found in a faulty disti'ibuticn. LovV land
areas v/here the soil is fertile and moist produce a ranlc stand of
grass, v.'hile upland areas subject to erosion and drouth are but
sparsely cov.red. Hence the need for a soil building practice on
the poorer soil and a bringing m of mulch .aaterial from the low
land. V.lien v;e think of "grass land agriculture" we are not think-
ing of a return to extensive pastoral farxming but rather of an ad-
vance tov;ard a high type of intensive farming. It does not pre-
sume that all land is to become and remain permanently as grass
land although much of it may, particularly the land not suited for
tilling. V.Tiere conditions permit this type of agriculture pre-
sumes a periodic breaking of grass lend in preparation for other
crops .

Tl ie Cow in App l e T ime

Something inspires the only cow of late

To make no more of a wall than an open gate,

And think no more ol' wall-builders than lools.

Her face is flecked with pomace and she drools

A cider syrup. Having tasted fruit.

She scorns a pasture withering to the root.

She runs from tree to tree where lie and sv/eeten

The windfalls spiked with stubble and v/orru-eaten.

She leaves them bitten when she has to jly.

She bellows on a Knoll against the sky.

Her udder shrivels and the milk goes dry. (Robert Frost)

Vvliile we admire the author's choice of words and almost
envy him his ability to paint a word picture, we :jiestion his fin-
al statement that an apple diet interferes with milk production.
Maybe the cow in question got more than her share.

List of Agricultural ExperLnent Stations

Any reader of Fruit hotes desiring a list of the Agri-
cultural Experiment Stations m the United States with addresses
may obtain the same by dropping a postcard to the Department of
Pomology. Many of these stations send publications free of charge
while others make a small charge for out oT state requests. This
offer of a list of stations is prompted by an occasional inquiry
from growers for the correct adaress of a distant i'.gricultural Ex-
periment Station.

Warm and Cold Soils

In a recent issue of the American Fruit Grower L. D.
Bavei' of Ohio State University says, "Soils receive all of their
heat energy from the sim. Dark-colored soils absorb more of this
energy than light colored ones. Therefore, organic matter in the
immediate surface tends to darken the soil and increase its abil-
ity to absorb heat. The presence of v/ater in soils, however,
leads to a cold soil, especially in the early spring. It takes
about four times more heat to warm up a pound of water to a given
temperature than to warm up a pound of dry soil. ConseL^uently,
it is essential to drain soils in order to have warm soils.
Those soils with a low content of large pores are usually v/et and
cold in the spring."

V«et soils are not oniy cold but also lacking in aeration.
It is a well linovm fact that plant roots will not function if the
oxygen content of the soil air falls below a critical point. The
failure of roots under these conditions is due not so aiuch to ex-
cess water as to insuif ic lent oxygen. Plants will grow with roots
in water if the water contains oxygen. Without oxygen they are of
no use whatever to the tree. This suggests why fruit trees do so
poorly on a v/aterlogged soil.

Bakery Experiments with Apple Bread

A leading baicery m Seattle/i/ashington, has been using
apple flour in an experihiental v/ay but as yet has not met with
much success. This bf.kery reports that the acid reaction in the
dough made it impossible to put enough of the flour in the bread
to give it a distinct apple flavor.

r*^

FRUIT ilOTES - ]Iove:aber, 1940

U. a. Tales
Extension ilcrticulturist

Do You- Know

That the ifassachusetts Horticultural Society v;as or-
gani::ed ..larch 17, 1829? Today this organization is said to possess
the finest and most extensive horticultural library in the world.

That the position of the seed in stone fruits is the
reverse of that in apples and pears? In other words, the pointed
tip of a peach pit points av.ay from the stem while the tip of an
apple seed points in the opposite direction.

That apple pectin coir.bined with nicotine to form nico-
tine pectinate is being used experimentally in apple pest control?
Perhaps we'll see future apple grov/ers using their culls, if any,
in the manufacture of a ''cull preventing" spray.

That the grovvth rate of a young apple may be sufficiently
rapid around the first of June to result in a doubling of the
surface area in two days? This fact has an important bearing on
the control of pluai curculio since a protective film of spray ma-
terial is very soon outgrov/n.

That more than 90^ of the Massachusetts apples sold to the
Surplus Marketing Administration up to November 4 v/ere of the Bal-
dwin variety? Sales to that date v/ere as follo\ s: Baldwin, 16,150
bushels, Mcintosh, 513, Spy, 352, ^'Vagener, 293, Cortland, 190,
Delicious, 63, and R. I. Greening, 44.; Total 17,585 bushels.

That the use of nitrogen fertilizers in the U. S. prac-
tically doubled each 10 years bet\feon 1830 and 1910 when it reached
a total of 130,000 tons?' The 1937 figure was 433,000 tons. There
vjas a sharp drop during the depression years vjith a low of 233,000
tons in 1932.

That the IJew York-New England area produces 16. .6^' of the
national apple crop and has 16.9^ of the population? From a market-
ing standpoint this gives our growers a real advantage.

That the average price of apples received by farmers has
exceeded 80f. per bushel in only three of the past ten years, '34,
'36, and '38? These were years of relatively light crops, com-
mercial production amounting to approxi;,-iately one bushel for each
person ir^ the IJ. S.

Issued by the Extension Service, V'iiiard ^.. ..iunsonj Director,
in furtherance of i-.cts of ..lay 8 and June 30, 1914 . uiassachusetts
State College United States Department of agriculture, and Ccinty
Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

Tliat only about IZ'k- of the earth's area is under culti-
vation? If this area were tilled accordiiig to the .lost advanced
methods, it could support a population double that of the pre-
sent time J without planting an additional acre.

That the per acre yield of apples in Massachusetts in
19?-5 v/as only 153 bu.shels. A crop of about 200 bushels per acre
is coisidcred necessary to pay expenses, v.'hile 300 bushels is a
reccsoiiable goal. A few Massachusetts gro'.vers are getting at least
5 30 bushels per acre annually.

A Few Recent Bulletins

Studies in the Economics of Apple Orcharuing;, by H. C.
V/oodworth and G. F. Potter (il. H. Sta, bul..323).

iviarkets and Prices for iJe'-' Hauipshire merries, by L. :-- .
Dougherty (:i. H. Sta. Bui. 321).

Some Facts Concerning Fruit and Vegetable Auctions in
Eastern Seaboard States^ by E. ¥.'. Cake (ll. Y. (Cornell) Sta. jjuI.
537)

The Boron Deficiency Disease of ^.pple^ by a. B, Burrell
(N, y. (Cornell) Ext. Bui. 423)... ,... _..

Apple Orchards; Cost of Developing, Values, and Financial
Returns, by G. P. Scoville (N. Y. (Geneva) Sta. Bui. 717).

Experiments in Orchard Soil n'anagement; Fertiliser,
Mulches and Cover Cror^s, by R. C. Colliscn (IJ. Y. (Geneva) Sta.
Bui. 691)

The Biology and Control oi the Round Headed /vnple Tree
Borer, by r.. D. Hess (il. Y. (Geneva) Sta. Bui. 633).

Orchard Fertilization; by T. i. . :..ierrili (.Michigan Ext.
Bui. 205) .

Bramble Fruits, bv i-.. S. Colby, H, ','. i-uiderson and
W P. Flint (111. Circ. 508).

Oriental. Fruit ..ioth Parasites, by P. Garman (Conn.
(BevMIaven) Sta. Bui. 14-0).

Substitute Spray Jaterials, by C. G. Vinson and S. a .
.JcCrory ( jIo . Res, Bui. 316).

Insect Pest Control in Yoi.mg Orchards, by I", rl. Lathrop
i'le. Ext. Bui. 274)

Pruning Fruit Trees, bv S. V. Edgecombe (lov/a Sta.
Bui. PIO)

Cull Apples for Dairy Cov;s, by i. . D. Pratt sind C. W.
Holda\.'ay (Va. Sta. Bui. 3^6)

Baits and Bait Tr£ps in Codling .loth Control, by .i, L.
j'obb, i.. .,L V/oodside, and R. ■!. Jefferson (Va , Sta. x.ul . 320).

Three Fruit Conferences

The second annual friit pest control conference of sta-
tion and extension v./orkers in the Bev; York-I;ev. England area will
be held in IJeV',' Haven, Conn., Deceiaber 6. The following subjects
will be discussed: "(l) Ethylene dichloride treatment ior peach
borers. (2) DJJ type sprays. (3) Apple maggot and its control,
particularly use of non-arsenicals . (4) Codli.ng i.iotn and effect

-3-

of riev.- residue tolero.nce. (5; I-lacc of ciiistLng pro.ctices in. our
area. (6) Discussion of the benavior of .aajor pests, v;ith em-
phr-sis on weak points in our various programs. (7J Control of
app'le scab;, brovm rot of stone fruits. (o) Discussion of spray
injury. (9) Protecting outside rows (apples) from eurculio damage."

Two other conferences of interest to .'.lassachusetts fruit
growers were held in Amherst November 6. In the forenoon, the
state fru.it com.nittee met to discuss the extension program as re-
lated to the fruit industry and in the afternoon, proposed changes
in the 1941 fruit spray schedules were taken up.

Apple Survey Cummary Hears Completion

ViThat changes have occurred in Massachusetts apple or-
chards since 1925? How imniy trees do v/e now have oi sac':: varie-ty
and of each age group in our ccmmercial orchards? These and other
questions will be answered by the apple survey suminary which •.■.■ill
be available for discussion in v.-inter meetings. Records froai about
170j orchards of 100 trees or more are included. In the writer's
opinion, the individual grower may profitably consider his ov;n
set-up in relation to the statewide situation, j-iverages and to-
tals are interesting although of little real value. Vrnat the in-
dividual grov^er does to reorganize .his enterpirise in the direction
ox greater efficiency is of maximum importance.

Here' s an Idea

Much as we dislike to luake drastic pr'uning cuts in a
young fruit tree, it is often the ersiest ^./ay of getting the de-
sired framework. For example, let's imagine a vigorous three-year-
old apple tree with a good framework except for one side li.nb vvhich
is growing faster than the leader. It sho'ws a terminal grov.'th of
I'D inches, vriiile the leader shows only twelve. Obviously, if that
rate of growth continues, the framework of the tree will be upset
and we are likely Ic have two competing leaders..

Experience has showii that a li.iib 01 this kind is diffi-
cult to dv;arf. Even if cut back 50f: it will generally assert it-
self enough to require further cutting a year later. But if v.'e
reuove this limb instead of heading it back, some oi' the nutrients
will be diverted into other brancnes and balsnce v.^ii be restored.
In pruning young trees, it is always advisable to observe the ter-
iiiinal growth made by the different branches and by the leader, in
order that a balanced framework of properly subordim.ted brancnes
may be maintained.

So.ae Apple Oddities

Have you discovered any i'reaks of nature in your orchard
this fall? I'" so, the details v>:ill be welcomed for publicction
in Eruit riotes. As examples of the way in which nature occasionally
outdoes herself, wo submit; recent observations as follo\,s; (l)
A northern Sjjy apple which appeared to have been stretched laterally

to such an extent that the calyx v/as tv;o inches across by t.ctual
ineasureinexit . The apple in that direction had a diaaeter of 4-;i
inches. (2) A three-year-old Jclntosh tree bearing a long
ste.n.ued, attractively colored "apple'* about three-^^uarters oi an
inch in diameter witli three leaves grov;ing fro..i it v;herG the ste;a
v.as attached. These leaves v;ere in the sauae position as the leaves
on a quince. This "apple" v/as seedless find evidently developed
irorj a late blossom. (3) A iiclntosh branch with at least half a
peck of apples every one of which shov'ed distinct v,-atcr core,
v;hile the fruit on the rest of the tree was normal. This latter
freak was reported by an orchardist in Essex County.

ifc-i-ioth Delicious Apples from the Northwest

Delicious apples of almost unbelievable size are now
on displiiy in stores in Eastern dassachusetts . In a Brighton
grocery our eyes popped open as Vve viewed these giants pro;.iinently
displayed alongside some of our .'.iclntosh. The latter looked like
crabapples in comparison. Thinking that we might have gotten on
tne wrong glasses by mistake, \:c v/eighed a fev/ specimens. Si:-:
picked up at random weighed 5 3/4 lbs., while t\»'o others weighed
15 ounces each. One of these speciiaens jiiccsured slightly more
than four inches in diameter.

Eastern growers may learn a lesson froin these ii.'iported
apples. Every effort uiust of course be iaade to insure a ininimum
amount of bruising. If a 4-in. Delicious can be shipped 3,000
miles and arrive in the consumer's hands m good condition, we
should be able to trinsfer our mclntosh from the tree to the con-
sumer next door, v/ith most of the skin intact. Cooperation be-
tween grov;er and handler is necessary.

Ample Supply of Apnles in Stora^-e

The .aovc.iient 01 apples into storage during October, 1V4J^
totalled 21, 941 > 000 bushels as compared viith 20,203,000 during
October, 1939 and the five yccr average of 21,415,000 bushels.
These figures are taken from the November 19 Special Apple Jarkct
Report prepared by V/. E. Piper = On IJovember 1, 1940 tot;..l storage
holdings in the United States amouiited to 30,331,000 busiicls as
compared with 30,307,000 bushels on ^iovember 1, 1939. Storage
holdings in New York State are f bout 1,500, 00 J bushels loss than,
last year while the storage holdings in ..'ashington <'.re nore than
a 1,000,000 bushels above last year.

Potash Jnder a ..lulch

Recent experiments throw further light on the fi.vorable
response of fruit plants to a heavy mulch. Besides the improved
moisture relations and a better supply of nitrt.tes v.'e can nov:
attribute to the mulch a better supply 01 readily available pot-
ash.

G. 1.1. Dai''row and J. P. Idagness find that raspberry picnts
respond v;ell unuer ::iulch treatiiient at Beltsville, ..iaryland. i^uct-

Ing from an Aaerican Fruit Grower article, --"Lcthara plants were
uiuiched v/ith rye strc.v; at the rate of aoout eight tons per acre.
In addition, nitrate of soda Vi'as applied in April and July to the
mulched and control cultivated rov;s . At a depth of tv;o inches,
soil te/aperatures were higher in sumuer and lower in winter under
tillage than under mulch. The total cane growth \;as much grec tcr
in the jaulched row than in the cultivated. Yields in 1938 v/ore
five times as large in the mulched as in the cultivated block, but
no significant differences vrere established in berry size. Deter-
minations of the potash of leaves collected in the fall of 1933
from mulched and cultivated plants :^:ho\ved <;.39 and .S6f' respectively.

If potash is applied to the surface of the soil it may
soon beco.ae locked up by cheiaical reaction into an unavailable
form. "This suggests," according to H. 3. Tiokey writing in the
Rural i\lev; Yorker, ''tr.it if potash is put deep into the soil, say
16 or 13 inches, it v.ill be d.'' aced in the active absorbing zone of
the tree roots in most Eastern orchard soils ana also below the
zone in v.iiich potassium is fixed by t.lternc te \;etting and drying.
It's lateral movement should then be ample for supplying the needs
of the tree." The locking up of potash applied to the surface of
the soil may be one reason for the common lack of response to such
applications, .'vt the same time the liberal a.aounts of available
potash found rmder heavy mulch offers further justification for
heavier mulching in our sod orchards.

I ^Nursery Business Receives Early Sti:.iulus

V'h,en the i.Icssachusetts Horticultural Society was or-
ganized in 1329 with 160 members a Com,nittee on Fruits '.vas desig-
nated-- "To have charge of v/hatever rtlates to the multiplication
of fruit trees and vines by seed, scions, buds, layers, suckers
or other modes, the introduction . of new varieties, the various
methods of pruning and training theia and whatever relates to their
culture and that of all other fruits',"

On the first premium list of the Society i. prize oi
^■^5 was offered for the "Best treatise on cultivation and manage-
ment of fiMit trees". For the "best nursery of apple trees of the
most approved kinds of fruit, not Itss than lOOvO in number and not
less than tv;o years old from budding or grafting," a prize of ^10
was offered. A similar prir-e v.ccS offered for pear trees. For
the best apples, not less than two dozen, the prize v.-as $4-

FRUIT IiOTES - December, 19^0

W. K. Thies
Syitension Horticulturist

Slope and Rate of Erosion

As the slope of land increases, the velocity of water
running off the surface is increased and the pov/er of that ?."^ter
to carry soil particles is multiplied surprisingly. The follow-
ing rough tahle comes from engineers of the Soil Consei'vation
Service.

Slope

Velocity
per second

Soil
p(

carrying
D'vver

5$ - 10%
lOfo - 20$
20<> - 30^
30% - U0%

3 ft.

4 "

6 "

1
5

15
30

R. A. Van Meter

X-Disease Spreads

In the December issue of Farm and Home Science, the
quarterly publication of the Utah Agr. 32^p. Sta. B. L. Richards
reports on X-Disease of peaches in that state. This disease was
found in three Utah counties in 1939 and two more were added to
the list in 1940 • Some orchards are reported to be very heavily
infected. One six year old orchard was so heavily infected that
the ovmer pulled all tiie trees. It is interesting to note that
although this disease v/as first reported from Connecticut in 1933,
it has nov; been found as far west as Utah.

J. S. Bailey

Virus DiseaS'is of Peaches

£. A. Walker of th.e University of Maryland emphasizes
the importance of virus diseases of peaches when he lists the
following v/hich are prevalent in one or more sections o'^ the
country: peach yellows, little peach, red suture, resetted mosaic,
green mosaic, several line pattern diseases, phony peach, peach
rosette, peach mosaic (v/ith three or more strains of virus),
peach ring spot, asteroid spot, peach calico, Winter's peach mosaic
l3af casting yellows, and yellow-red-virosis or "X" disease. Prob-
ably the last is the most dangerous one for Massachusetts. Many
of the others, fortunately, are not a problem here. It's a good
thing that the U.S.A. covers an extensj.ve area so that such a mass
of pestilence is considerably diluted for any one section!!!

. L. Sou t mvick

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director,
in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1 914 • Massachusetts
State College, United States Department of Agriculture, and Covinty
Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

D routh (?) and Cork in Apple s

At Cornell Univorsit/, A. J. Keinicke and his associates
have produced cork in apples experimentally. A normal Northern
Spy tree that had alvmys borne perfect apples was subjected to
excessive irrigation from August 25 to November 14 in 1938, and
April 15 to August 11 in 1939. By mid-June, 1939, the yoimfj
fruits shovifed early symptoms of surface cork as well as internal
cork. Over one-half of the branches bore corky fruit. Much of
the foliage also was abnormal. Presiimably, there were plenty of
nutrients in the soil, but, with the oxygon content abnormally low
so that the tree roots could not function properly, the nutrients
were unavailable. Other investigations have shov/n that there is
less ash (minerals taken up by the plant) in plants grovm under
low levels of oxygen in the rooting medium. In fact, lack of
aeration in a soil may interfere more v/ith the absorption of po-
tassium and some other elements than it does with oiie absorption
of boron. Normally, cork is associated v/ith sandy or shallow
soils, especially in a dry year and when the nitrogen and calcium
level.s are relatively high.

L. Southwick
The Soil Moisture Situation

As this is being written, a total of 17 3/4 inches of
snow has been recorded this v/ints-r in Amlierst. Most of it has
melted gradually, and since the groi^nd v/as only slightly frozen
the penetration has been fairly good. Otherwise, we might begin
the 1941 season with a real moisture shortage in the soil, as
shovm by these figures. The latter part of the summer of 1940
was very dry with a total rainfall in August, September and Octo-
ber of 4' 13 inches. The normal rainfall for this period is 11.61
inches, the normal for September alone being 4-24 inches. On
November 1 the subsoil was unusually dry, as evidenced by excava-
tions in Amherst at that time. The month of November brought
6.31 inches of rain. If this had fallen on frozen ground and
found its v/ay into brooks and rivers, it is easy to see the be-
ginning of a real soil jnoisture shortage.

A Tip from an Old Timer

Grant Hitcliings, a pioneer fruit grower of Nev; York State,
makes this statement about planting a.n apple orchard, "Large sec-
tions of Hew York soils have been depleted of plant food. On soils
of this type it is much better to plant 40 x AO or even 50 x 50
feet and not intercrop ^f;ith regular farm crops, but on the con-
trary seed dovm and use whatever grows as a mulch to restore
humus to the soil, v/hich will build up fertility. Using fillers
and then cutting out, in the long run, does i.ot i-'ay."

Here ' s an Idea

This one has to do with the reason for suckers or v/ater
sprouts in a fruit tree. Only a small proportion of the potential
grov/ing points in a woody plant ever develop. Grov/th possibili-
ties are said to exist in the axil of every bud scale. These
"adventitious buds" lie dormant in the tissues indefinitely,
bursting into grov/th only \;hen normal growing points are des-

-3-

troyed. A striiiing example of this is sometimes seen where a
tree, such as a xilllov;, is cut off a few feet from the ground.
Obscure buds just below the point of cutting suddenly find an
opportunity for grov/th, which was denied them so long as normal
growth channels v/ere open. A whorl of vigorous sprouts is the
result.

In an apple tree, sprouts commonly appear along the
branches after a cold winter bec:.uso the conducting channels to
many of the normal buds have been disrupted. Here the adventi-
tious buds provide a growth outlet. Tree growrth is literally
shunted into nev; channels v/hen normal channels fail. This is
Nature's way of meeting an emergency^ a kind of insurance against
disaster.

The writer recalls seeing an orchard which bore unmis-
takable evidence that a previous primer v/as intent upon elimin-
ating all upright growing branches. Every upright growth had
been removed and the following season there were at least twice
as many growing in the same direction. Young vigorous limbs
having efficient connections v/ith the root system can scarcely
be removed without calling into activity other potential growing
points, advantageously situated. The larger and more vigorous
the limb removed, the more likely v;ill otherwise dormant growing
points assume an active role, numerous suckers or v/ater sprouts
following the pruning operation always indicate the removal of
relatively vigorous branches. And as most growers are well aware,
removal of all sucker growth in a tree is usuallj^ followed by a
prompt replacement, if not a multiplication. V/e cannot correct
the mistake of faulty pruning by more pruning of the same kind.

In a young tree it is obvious that we should prune only
enough to eliminate \/eak crotches and to maintain a balance be-
tween the leader and the side branches. Fewer sprouts will ap-
pear if corrective cuts are made early. In older trees there
should be little need for the corrective type of pruning. It is
wasteful of time and profits to make over the framev/ork of a tree
after it reaches bearing age. In bearing trees we sare interested
in getting rid of the older, submerged, and often drooping parts
of branches. Cuts of this kind may be made without encouraging
sprout growth. It isn't the size of the pile of prunings that
determines the number of sprouts. It's the kind of growth v,'e've
left on the tree. If we remove the right branch'is in a bearing
tree, relatively few sprouts will appear.

Do You I-Cnov'/

That "The Best Salesmen for More Apples ere Good Apples?

That it takes about 10 inclies of snow, on the average,
to equal one inch of rainfall?

That there may be as many as 30,000,000 bacteria in a
single gram of soil? Ten to 20 m.illion is nearer the average.
Soils high in colloids and organic material, usixally have a higher
content of bacteria than coarser soils.

-A-

That Z/i.fo of all acivortislng in the U. S. last year had
to do with Food? The amount spent on food advertising^
$91,000,000, \ihE the greatest spent by any industry. The Cali-
fornia Fruit Growers' Exchange has just increased its orange
advertising fee to 70 per box to yield .$2,500,000 for this season's
advertising program.

That an apple mag^^ot fly has been knowi to live as long
as 103 days? The average life in laboratory cages, according to
Philip Carman of the Conn. Agr . Exp. Sta. is 41 da^^-s. The period
of emergence in Connecticut in 194-0 was 55 days, June 23 to Aug. 22.

Last Call f or Apple Show ?]zhibits

Entries for the I.I.F.G.A. Apple Show to be staged in Wor-
cester, Jan. 8-10 are coming in very slowly. Not more than half
enough fruit is in sight for a good show. The time is short.
Let's make the show a credit to the apple industry. If you've
mislaid the original announcement with list of classes, full de-
tails may be obtained from Secretary V', R. Cole.

Apple Committee will Co n fer in V/ashington January 6 & 7

The national Apple Planning Committee, of which John
Chandler of Sterling Junction is a member, and a limited number
of Extension representatives v/ill meet in Washington, January
6 and 7 to consider matters of interest to the apple industry,
including steps v;hich may be taken in connection v.ith tiie 194-1
crop.

Feeding Cull Apples to Dairy Cows

This is the title of a talk to be given by J. G. Archi-
bald of the State College at the afternoon session of fruit
growers in Y/orcester, Thursday, January 9. This tali-; will be
of interest to fruit growers and dairymen alike. Dairy cows
provide an excellent local r^iarket for low grade fruit.

Jelly Samples Given "Blindfold Test."

Seven different kinds of unlabelled fruit jelly, mostly
plum, made by Mrs. F. A. V'/augh, were sampled and rated by I4. mem-
bers of the State College Staff a fev; days ago. Three of the
jellies were made from Icnovm varieties of plums, — Burbank, Santa
Rosa, and American Mirabelle. Two were of seedlings being tested
in the College Orchard. The other two v^ere Beach Plum and a
Choke Cherry-Apple combination. Strangely enough, one of the
seedling varieties (BB7), not deemed worthy of a variety name
and on the verge of being discarded, v/as voted best. Five in-
dividuals placed it 1st and four others 2nd. The Buroank jelly
took 2nd place. This test seems to suggest that certain fruits
may possess real merit from a jelly standpoint even though they
are quite worthless to eat out of hand. The Beach Plum, which
happened to rate 3rd with the above testers, is a good illus-
tration.

F ruit of the Flowering Quince

In recent weeks three S'eparate inquiries have been re-
ceived concerning the usefulness^ if any, of tiie fruit occasion-
all;,- produced on the I'lowering or Japanese Quince. The ansv/er
seems to be "a limited use in combination v/ith another fruit such
as apple in the ratio of perhaps one to five, for jelly making."
This fruit is extremely acid and like the quince, has a dis-
tinctive flavor. Only the flesh should bo used, since the por-
tion around the core possesses a material similcj? in nature to
the gummy exudate of a peach tree v'hich would make the jelly
very "stringy." This fact is well demonstrated by a concern
v/hich, according to C. R. Fellers of the Department of Horticul-
tural Manufactures, processed v/hole quinces only to find that
the texture of the product was anything but desirable. Thiz
material, so objectionable in jelly, has been extracted in Europe
for the manufacture of a hair ^j'^ooming preparation designed to
conquer unruly locks.

Defense Pr ogram Kit s Peddler Trade

In the December 27 Special Market Report, V\f. 3. Piper
makes this interesting comment: "The emergency defense program
and the resulting dems^nd for workers at army camps is having an
indirect effect on the market outlet for cheap apples. Quite a
number of peddlers have abandoned their fruit distributing activi-
ties for the time being and have taken jobs on camp work. This
has reduced the number of peddlei- buyers. Presumably some of
this business is being taken over by increased distribution
through stores, etc., but nevertheless there are fewer buyers
and therefore less competition among this class of trade for
low priced fruit."

New Use for Hormone Spray t" ^ terial

Quoting from the December 15 Clip Sheet of the U.S.D.A.,
"Christmas holly tliat is shatter-proof - vd.th leaves and berries
that stick tight in treaisit and last longer in vrreaths and spraj'-s
is possible novj as the result of U.S.D.A. studies of 'grov/th-
regulating' chemicals The scientists had previously dis-
covered tliat growth substances applied while holly is in bloom
cause it to set the red berries without pollination. This proved
a practical aid to greenhouse men growing small holly pla.nts in
pots for the Christmas trade." Thus v;e see a brand new use for
a material now being used in mailing Mcintosh apples stick on the
tree.

Index to Subjects Discussed in Fruit t^otes During 194-0
(Niffiibers indicate pages on which items appear.)

Apple Prospects , Mav (2), June (l), Sept. (4),

Ap ple Sca b, July (2; .

Apple ^Survey , Feb. (6), July (4), I'Jov. (3).

Bees vSee Pollination)

Boron (See Internal Cork)

Calcium (See Liming)

-6-

Conferences . Feb. (6)^ Doc. (4,).

Do You ILnuw ? July (6), Aug. (3), Sept. (3), Oct.(l), Ilov.(l), Dec. (3).

Dropping of Mcintosh , Jari.pJ, May (2), (6)^ jurie (4.), July (5);,

Aug. (2), Oct. (3), Dec. (5) .
D-.Yarf Trees . Aug.(l), Oct. (3).
Farm & Hou!e 'Yeek , March .(l) , June (6).

Federal Programs , Jan. (2), Feb. (5 ), Mav (6), June (2), July (7).
Fertil i zers , Jan. (2), May (5), June (5).
Frost , April (2) .

Fruit Insects , Feb. (5), Mar. (4), Apr . (3) , (5) , (6) , iVIay {/,) ^ Juu- (l),
Frui t Products , March (3) , Aug. (5), Dec. (4.), (5).
Grading and Packing . Feb. (3), (5;.
Grafting , Apr. (1).

Historical, Mar. (5), Apr. (4), July (3)^ Aug, (4), Oct.(l), llov. (5) .
Hormones (See Dropping of Mcintosh)
Hurricane , June (3; .

Internal Cor k, (Jan.(l), Feb. (A), Mar. (7), Juije (7), Dec. (2).
Irrigation , Feb. (3), Mar. (6), Sept. (5).
Items from Here end There, Jan. (3).
Liming , Feb. (2) . June (5). Sept. (2), Oct. (4).
Management , Feb. (7), March (7), Apr. (1), June (3).
Marketing , Feb. (6). Apr. (2), June (4), Sept . (3) , (4) > Nov. (.4),

Dec. (5).
Mouse Control, March (3}, Sept. (l) .

Mulch, FebTT7), May (5), June (l), Aug, (5), Oct. (5).
Nurseries , Apr. (3), Aug. (1).
Peaches , July (1), Aug. (4), Dec. (l) .
Pnotosynthesis , Feb. (3).

Planting , March (2). Apr. (1), Oct. (3), Dec. (2).
Pollination , Feb. (3), March (1)5(3), Ma^ (4), Oct.
Pru:iin g, Feb. (l) , March (4), Sept. (2), (6), Dec.
Publications , Feb. (6), Hov. {'?.).
Soils , Feb. (7), March (6), Oct. (6).
Soil Acidity . Julv (7) .

Spra yin g, March (i),(5), Apr. (4), Jime (4), July (3), (7).
Spray Injury , Apr. (4).
Storage , Feb. (4), Aug. (2), Oct. (a).

Strawberries & Raspberries . Feb. (7). Mar, (2), (7), Mav (3), July (6)

Oct, (4),

Terracing , Sept. (1), Dec. (l)

Thinnin g, Feb. (3).

T ree Vigor , June (5) .

Twilight Meetings , Apr. (3), May (3), July (1).

Varieties , Jan. (2). Mtrch (8), Aug. (5), Sept. (5).

Vitamins . May (6), Aug. (5^.

Weather , May (l) , Dec. U)'.

MP . WILLARD A . MJLINSON

DIRECTOR

EXTENSION 3^ICE

SOUT^ GOLJ^GE 10/39

FRUIT NOTSS

Volume 5 Number 1

January, 194-1

In this Issue:

Changes in Sating Habits

Vitamins in Fruits

Food of Farm Families

Do You Know?

FRUIT NOTSS Mailing List

Soil Temperatures

Controlled Atmosphere Storage

Apple Storage Situation

Rabbit Injury in Young Orchards

Tree Removal Program

Issued by the Sxtension Service, Y/illard A. Munson, Director,
in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 191.4.. Massachusetts
State Collefe;e, United States Depart^ient of Agriculture, and
County "Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - January 1941

W. K. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Changes in Eating Habits in Past 15 Years

The follov;ing tabulation^ shoiving changes in the per
c: pita consumption of various foods, is quoted from the January-
issue 01 "Food Marketing in Nev/ England'':

e . Lbs .

Q . Lbs .

Percent C.

1920-24-

1934-37

Vegetables

155

169

+25f.

Dairy Prod\icts

355

377

4 6fo

Fruits

185

195

+ 5%

Sugar & Syrup

106

110

+ A%

Lean Meats & Fi

138

126

- 9%

Potatoes

178

157

-12^

Cereal Products

229

196

-14-^

It will be noted that the average individual is eating
5% more fruit than he ate 15 years ago. From a health stand-
point this is. an encouraging report. In terms of our northern
grovm fruits, hov/ever, it has little significance since the
increase merely reflects a larger consumption of imported fruits
and fruit juices including the orange, grapefruit and pineapple.

Vitc

.mins in

Ic7

Fruits

. Fellers of the Department of Horticultural Manu-
factures has prepared for readers of Fruit Notes this sunu-nary
of a much discussed subject.)

The apparent food value of fruits is often deceiving.
Based on a chemical analysis v/e see notiiing particulrrly out-
standing. A Mcintosh apple, for example, gives:

percent

Moisture

Total solids (mainly sugar)

Pectin

Malic acid

Ash (minerals)

Protein

Fat and Wax

Calories per pound

16.0

0,
0,
0,

0,
0.

290.0 (same as milk)

Yet the apple, and most fruits are potent factors in t'ne
conservation of our health. Fruits are appetizing, good for tlie
teeth and digestive tract, are somsv/hat laxative and due to the
pectin (uronic acid) content, act as clearing and detoxifying
agents in the intestinal tract. V/hile not high in amount, the

)

minerals present such as iron^ manganese, phosphorus, calcium,
and potassium are fully utilised by the body ai:id aid materially
in regulating glandular functions. The sugar is iniriiediately
assimilr^.ted and by eating fresh fruits v/e get a "lift" and
renewed energy to do work.

Fruits 3 re normally good sources of vitamin C (ascorbic
acid), the anti-scurvy vitamin. Since the body stores no vita-
min C froui day to day, it becomes necessary to eat fruit every
day to constantly replenish the supply. Sore teeth and Joints,
capillary fragility, lack of appetite and "spring" fever are
often due to low vitamin C intake. The greatest danger is in
the late winter and spring when fresh fruits and vegetables are
scarcest. Apples, potatoes, carrots, etc., lose much of their
vitamin C during storage for five or more months.

Vitamin A, the anti-inf ectivo and night blindness vitamin
is present in the form of carotene in most apples and fruits in
small amounts. Peaches, pineapples, and oranges are highest in
vitamin A. Best sources are liver, yellov; and green vegetables,
milk and eggs.

Similarly vitamin B or thiamin, the antineuritic vitamin,
as well as the vitamin G complex (riboflavin, pantothenic acid
and nicotinic acid) are present only sparingly in most fruits.
Vegetables and cereals are good sources of these vitamins.

Vitamin D, the sunshine or anti-rickets vitamin, is not
present in either fruits or vegetables.

Thiis, in concliasion, fruits are used primarily for their
vitamin C content. Hlspecially high in this vitamin are straw-
berries, citrus fruits, blueberries, cranberries, pineapple and
tomatoes. Apples are variable in their content of vitamin C but
you can usually consider apples about one-third to one-half the
value of oranges or grapefruit. Apple cider contains very little
vitamin C v;hile canned citrus fruits and juices retain large
amounts. Fruits contain small, yet significant quantities of
vitamins A and E but cannot be considered primary sources of these
vitamdns .

After all, vre eat fruits for their zest, attractiveness
and flavor. They v;het the appetite, are mildly lajiative and aid
digestion. And nov; since their usefulness as the chief carriers
of vitamin C has been recognized, we eat fruits v/ith a sense of
duty as v/ell as one of pleasure.

F ood of Farm Families

According to the Outlook for Farm Family Living "recent
studies indicate that fewer than half of our non-relief farm
families have nutritionally adequate diets, - diets that provide
a generous margin of safety over minimum requirements. Fully a
fourth of these families c;re believed to have diets that are

definitely below the Scifety line." Hov; far short of good nutri-
tion does farm family food consumption actually fall? Studies
of a large group of non-relief farm families reveal the following
deficits. Tlie percentage figures indicate how far average per
capita consumption falls below that of farm groups whose diets
are considered adequate.

Milk (and its eauivalent in cheese) . . . 25?^

Butter .* 15^2

3ggs 30?o

Tomatoes ;, citrus fruit ......,,.. 55^0

Leafy, green, yellow vegetables 80^

Meats and poultry .....,.,.. 10^

These farm families could themselves be a market for many
of our surplus acres. The increase in foods needed to provide
for all of our 31,000,000 farm people, diets as good as those now
enjoyed by the well fed v/ould aggregate in a year:

510 million gallons of milk

95 million pounds of butter
215 million dozen eggs

990 million pounds of tomatoes, citrus fruit
2,500 million pounds of leafy, green, yellow vegetables
370 million pounds of meat and poultry (dressed weight)

(The omission of apples, cranberries, etc., from this
list lends a citrus flavor to the analysis. Maybe it can be shovm
that the apple bowl in so;iie of our rural homes also needs refill-
ing.)

Do You Know

That apples v'ere grovm on Governor's Island in Boston Har-
bor as early as 1639?

That an occasional grapevine produces only starainate or
"male" blossoms? With no normal or perfect blossoms such a vine
is, of course, incapable of bearing fruit.

That the individual sections in a blackberry or raspberry
are very similar xn structure to a miniature cherry or plum? The
latter fruits are sometimes celled "drupes" and the above ruen-
tioned sections "drupelets?" The botanical relationship between
these fruits is surprisingly close in spite of their dissimilar
appearance.

That the state of Oregon produced more pears than apples
in 1940? The yields vrere 4,/;i8,000 and 3,160,000 bushels, re-
spectively. Pear production in V/ashington in 19.40 amounted to
6,600,000 bushels.

That a cherry tree has produced as many as 1520 pounds
of fruit in l. single season. That's the 1940 record of a tree
ovmed by a grov, er in V/enatcliee, Washington. He says, "I don't

-A-

knov/ whether it's the biggest tree in the country or not, but I
clo Icnov; it has produced more than 1^,000 pounds of fruit every
year for the le.st ten years.

That more than half of the 33;, 000, 000 bushels of apples
in cold storage in the U. S. on December 1 v/ere of three varietj.es,
- Vi'inesap, Delicious and Yellow Nev'tovm? The Winesaps alone
amounted to 8,217,000 bushels. Mcintosh held fourth place with
2,940,000 bushels and Baldwins eighth place with 1,507,000 bushels.
Delicious is the onl^'' variety stored in quantity in all of the
apple growing sections of the United States.

That the per capita consumption of fruits in the U. S. in-
creased 5'^c between 1920 and 1935 while the per capita consumption
of potatoes decreased 12/b? During the same period vegetables in-
creased 25^,^ while lean meats snd fish decree sed 9% and cereal
products lli.%.

That only one county in Massachusetts^ Hampden, has a larg-
er percentage of non-bearing apple trees today than it had in 1925?
In 1925, about J^Gfo of the apple trees in commercial orchards in
the state \:ore under 10 years of age. In I94.O, only 16^ were in
that class.

That apples, pears and quinces are "fleshy accessory
fruits, made up of a f ive-carpeled ovary, with cartilaginous
endocarp and fleshy exocarp, united with a fleshy floral tube
or disk consisting of the fused bases of the sepals, petals,
and stamens?" (But in spite of this complicated anatomy, they're
not onl^'- harmless but edible and delectable.) L. Southv/ick.

THAT TH2 B3ST SALSSMSN FOR MORS APPL3G AR3 GOOD APPLSS?

FRUIT ijOTES Mailin.q List

VTio receives Fruit llotes? To answer this question for
ourselves and others interested, we have just looked through our
mailing list of about 60O names. The distribution to Massachu-
setts residents, principally fruit gro^/ers, in the various coun-
ties is as follows:

Barnstable

Berkshire

Bristol

3s sex

Franklin

Hampden

Hampsh.ire

Middlesex

Plymouth

Norfolk

V.^orc ester

100

Suffolk

Dukes

Out of State

In addition to the above, 138 copies are mailed to county
extension workers, agricultural instructors, M. S. C. staff mem-
bers in Amli3rst, etc. The laost distant individual on the list
is a resident of Argentina. Any resident of Massachusetts who
is actively interested in commercial fruit growing may receive
this publication free of charge by making a written request.

-5-

Fruit Kotes has baen distrilDuted raonthly for a little more
tLan 4. years. Beginning v;ith this issue, Voluiae and Kunber v;ill
be indicated. The February issue becomes Volume 5, l-umber 2.
V/ith a fevr exceptions, back issues of Fruit Jlotes ere not avail-
able.

Soil Temperatures

V.Taat effect does mulching a tree have on soil teraperature?
To ansv/er this question tv/o soil thermographs were set up under
tr/o Mcintosh trees in the Clark Orchard v..t the State College, one
tree under sod, the other mulched v;ith hay. The thermographs were
arranged so as to measure the temperature one foot below the soil
surface.

During last spring the soil under the mulch v/armed up quite
a bit more slowly than that under sod. The temperature under sod
v/as usually three to four degrees higher than ti:at under the mulch.
During last fall the soil under the mulch cool-'^d off a little more
slowly, but the difference in temperature betv.'een mulch and sod
v.-as not so great as in the spring, usually not more than one or
two degrees.

On January ;-0 the soil temperatures beneath the two trees
were aluost identical, 37° P"., the lowest of the year. Notice
that the soil temperature at a depth of 12 inches had n.ot yet
reached the freezing point in spite of the fact that the air tem-
perature has been belov/ zero on three occasions. The lowest air
temperature occurred on December L vrhen it dropped to 12° below
zero. J. S. Bailey.

A Note on ControJ.led Atmosphere Storage

The small room in the apple storage at Massachusetts State
College which supposedly was made "gas-tight" last fall, evidently
is not tight enough. Although the carbon dioxide lias been kept
below 6 percent by intermittent "scrubbing," the oxygen content
has been reduced through respiration of the apples to only 13
percent. This is far above the 2 percent level that is supposed
to be ideal for successful late storage of Mcintosh. In short,
in the present atmosphere (13'^ oxygen, 5% carbon dioxide, and 82^
nitrogen) the apples are ripening too fast.

Tv/o clues which help to explain the failure of tliis room
to behave as expected are these. There probably is a leak (or
leaks) permitting outside aj.r to enter thereby/ automatically
maintaining the relatively high oxygen level. In our experiments
witii small, tight containers, the apples have exhausted the oxj'gen
within 10 days. The second clue concerns the capacity of the
room in relation to the amount of fruit therein. \Tnereas such
a room should be filled to capacity, in this case it is less than
two-thirds full. This may account in part for the unexpected re-
sults to date. J. K. Shaw.

The Apple Storage Situation

If we could build a horse-high, pig-tight, bull-strong
fence aro\ind the Nev; England marketing area and keep all that

-6-

outlet for apple grov/ers in the I\iev-.' England area, we would be,
as the boys say, "Sitting pretty."

This cannot be done, sc what?

There is a very large volume of apples in storage in other
ar?cs. '<.'l:en the ov.Tiers of these large lots start to move them,
they will move .

Mew England Cold Storage (Bushels) :

Jan. 1, 1941 - 1,035,000 (503,000 Mc's
Jan. 1, 1940 - 1,139,000 (740,000 Mc ' s ,
Jan. 1, 1939 - 557,000 (279,000 Mc's.)

Total U. S. Cold Storage, estimated (Bushels):
1941 - 128,400,000 1940 - 26,198,000 1939 - 26,566,000

W. ^. has 10>t less than in '40.
U. S. has 9% more than in 'ZO.

The present situation is v;orth thinking about; and maybe
worth doing something about! W. R. Cole.

Rabbit Injury in Young Orchards

Supposedly, frui'': growers eliminated mice from their or-
chards last fall, but wjiat about rabbits? Rabbit injury to fruit
trees occurs more coi;aaonly than is generally believed, especial-
ly in the caso of nursery stock or small trees set in an orchard
near a rabbit cover. Already, preliminary forays have been made
on some of our nursery trees at M. S. C. The rabbit has the very
obnoxious habit of "biting off more th^n it c;.n chew," Thus,
with nursery trees, one rabbit may cut down many trees without
so much as nibbling on the cut portion. For newly set orchard
trees, high wire guards should suffice. Some repellants such as
sulfurized linseed oil end a resin-fish oil-copper soap mixture
have been tried with variable results. A sure cure is a well-
aimed shotgun. Probably only a few- gro\;ers will encoimter serious
trouble from rabbits, but it is well to keep on the lookout.

L. Southwick.

The Tree Removal Program

This year for the first time the Agricultural Conservation
Progrc.m offers payment for the "Removal of Diseased or Uneconomic
Apple Trees."

Practice K'o. I4 of the 1941 Program reads: "With prior
approval of the couiity committee, the removal of diseased or un-
economic permanent live apple trees, the major portion of whose
fruit is of inferior quality. Land from which the trees have
been removed shall not be used during the 1941 program year.
Payment will not be made for the removal of trees less than 5
inches in diameter or for the removal of filler or semi-permanent
trees, i'jot more than $15 P"?!" acre may be earned under this prac-
tice. Rate of payment: Trees 5 to 12" in diam.- 3Cv^'3 over 12"-50(^.

Tills new provision offers another incentive for the re-
moval of apple trees v'hich liave outlived their usefulness. Many
such trees are not only vjorthless in themselves due to their
present state of neglect but are also a menace to nearby orciiards.
Poultrymen and dairymen as \.'ell as fruit growers shoiild consider
this new practice as one means of obtaining the full farm allow-
ance.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 5 Number 2

February^ 1941

In this Issiie:

Spacing of Strav/berry Runners

Germination of Apple Pollen

Phosphorus Moves Slov/ly in the Soil

Peach Prospects

P'ruit Sales in 1-lev; York City

The Retailer Speaks

Kere's an Idea

Timing for Curculio Control

Maggot Fly Emergence

Bruising of Mcintosh

Do You Ivnow?

Hov7 Big is a Bushel?

C3ualitv and Season

Issued by the Extension Service, V/illard A. Munson^ Director,
in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914' Massachusetts
State College, United States Department of Agriculture, and
County iilxtension Services cooperating.

FRUIT flOTSS - February, 1941

V^. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Spacing of Strawberry Rimners

In the past few years considerable atter:;tion has been
given to the value of spacing runner plants. Reports from sec-
tions of the country having longer growing seasons ;, hotter sum-
mers and less rainfall than ours, have shov.n substantial in-
creases in yield when the rimner plants were spaced. For example,
Maryland has reported increases in yield of from 30 to 60^ for
7-inch runner spacing as compared \.'ith a matted rov' of the same
v;idth. The results of our limited tests of these two systems
at Amherst do not show such great advantages from spacing. The
5-year average increase in production of the 7-inch spaced vovj
over the matted row ranges from to 20$o, depending upon the
variety. Hov;ard 17 and Borsett have consistently yielded better
when spaced. Fairfax shows a slight gain for spacing while
Catskiil in tv;o of the five years has produced more under a
matted row than a spaced row system. The highest yield we have
ever obtained from Catskiil v/as from the matted row system in
1940 v/hen it yielded at the rate of about 14,000 quarts per
acre. It is possible that spacing may be of greater value on
soils of lov/ fertility tlian on those whicii have an abundance
of humus and fertility. ^_^ P^ ^.^^^^j^

Germination of Apole Pollen

Tlie germination of the pollen of 134 varieties of
apples has been tested at Cornell University. Among the var-
ieties that rated highest (over 60fo germination) were the fol-
lov;lng :

Delicious northwestern Greening Rome
hubbardston Oldenburg Tolman

Northern Spy Opalescent V'/agener

Red Spy Red Astrachan Vv'olf River

Varieties rated as poor (less tlian 10;;;' germination)
were all so-called triploid varieties, as follows:

Arkansas (Mammoth IJlack Tv;ig) Fall Pippin Stark

Arkansas Black Gravenstein Stayman

Baldwin King Turley

Blenheim R. I. Greening

Fallawater Roxbur^'" Russet

Pollen germination of otlier varieties was intermediate.
Mcintosh pollen germinated ■.■ell, although this variety did not
make the "over 60^ '^ class. j. k. shaw

Phosphorus Moves Slowly in the Soil

It is hnowi that nitrates move freely in the soil for

considerable distances. Experiments at the Ohio Station, hov/-
ever, shov; that \,'hen potash and superphosphate ivere placed in
holes IS inches deep and 1 inch in diameter, the potash moved
out 6-9 inches while phosphorus moved only an inch or two in
three years. This suggests why it is difficult to get phosphorus
fertilizers into the tree. In California it was found that plac-
ing 10 Its. treh] <=; superphosphate in the planting hole greatly im-
proveti the f;rowth of nev/ly set trees on a phorpiiorus deficient
soil. It has not been shovm that Massachusetts soils are suf-
ficiently low in phosphorus to interfere with the growth of fruit
trees. j. K. Shaw

A Kote on Peach Prospects

The danger of fruit bud killing in peaches is nearlj^
past and there probably remain in most peach orchards, enough
live buds for a satisfactory crop. Studies at the rlew Jersey
Station show that winter bud killing is not the \7iiole story of
crop prospects. Some varieties set more buds per foot tiian
others. Greensboro and Cumberland are among the varieties that
form many buds while Siberia forms relatively few. Most var-
ieties are intermediate but var:.^ greatly among themselves. The
bud set of a given variety varies with growth conditions.

J. K. Shaw

Fruit Sales in Hew York City

According to a U.S.B.A. report, the sales of leading
varieties of apples in percent of total sales in rlew York City
in i!ovember, 1939, v/ere as follows: luclntosh 33/^> Delicious 18^,
R. I. Greening 1^.%, Cortland 7jj, Baldwin 6fu, Rome Beauty 5/o,
York Imperial 2%, liorthern Spy 2't. These eight varieties made
up 87/'- of the total sales.

The retailers' "mark up'' on western apples varied from
24/0 to 35/3 and on eastern apples from 30fo to 45,f^ of the retail
price, according to the type of store. The "mark up" on Cali-
fornia oranges varied from 24/^ to 30/=; ^on Florida oranges from
20/S to 35/0, and bananas from 13/^ to 395^o. Spoilage was as follows:
eastern apples, 2.4^ to 3.9/^; western apples, 2.6^ to 'ji'9foi
California ^oranges, 3-3% to 4.2^; Florida oranges, 1.8,^ to 3.9/^;
bananas, 7i% to 7.3/?. The total apple sales of the retail outlets
surveyed were 952,664 lbs. weekly. j ^i s-^aw

The Retailer Speaks

The following notes from the Springfield School for
Retail Grocers represent the unanimous or alm.ost unanimous
opinion of 40 or more apple salesmen.

1. "\7e could sell apples fi-ster if tiiey \/ere all graded, -

at least ^.ith the poorer grades separated."

2. "V.'e could sell apples better if they were all sized to

quarter inches. V,T:ien tliey are mixed, people keep pick-
ing them over and that ruins them."

3. "If ;^'ou could give us good apples only, we could sell all

3''ou grow." (Can't take this too literallj^, but tliere
is something in it) .

-3-

4. "A big orange crop do'isn't j.nterfore seriously with tlie

sale of good apples. People just eat more fr-ait. vYe
are selling more apples and more oranges this yoc.r than
usual." (But this doesn't prove that a big orange crop
doesn't affect the price of iipples. Also, conrumers
have more money to spend this winter than for some time.)

5. "V.lien lettuce is cheap and good, v;e sell more apples for

salads . "

6. "Think it might be a good iaea to mark culls "culls" when

offered for sale. V'e'd ratJier not sell them at all."

7. "Several of the big cider mills are offering a very good

grade of cider in the Springfield area. Some mills,
especially little fellows, are selling poor stuff. They
ought to have to clean up or quit the business. Good
cider sells v/ell. The big demand is for clarified cider
without preservatives. If tlieir cider ferments before
we sell it, it is picked up by the good companies and
put into vinegar. V/e don't get stuck v/ith it."

8. "The best early apple to sell is Gravenstein. "

9. "Local Delicious are coming in larger sizes than they did

a fev; years ago. They sell better."

10. "V/e get some LIcIntosh that are fine in everything but color.

They are hard to sell. Couldn't these growers do some-
thing to get better color on their fruit?"

11. "The truck men ruin lots of Mcintosh by slamming them around.

They are always in a hurrj;- to make z schedule and \Ye can't
do anything with them. Ho, they don't slam eggs around,
but that's different."

12. "VvTiy do so many fruit growers over-face their apples? The

bottom of the boxes don't clean up and we have to allow
for losses there to protect outselves."

13. "The Northeastern 'ci-ate' is the best package for local

apples. They ought to be stacked on the sides. V/lij^ use
cartons when v;e have to take the apples out to sell them?
Two-pound or five-pound packages have not helped apple
sales much so far, and we don't see much future for them
in Springfield." P^^ ^^ y^^ j^j^^^^

Quality and Season

There has been some disappointment this season, among
growers and consumers, with the quality of some of our Massachu-
setts apples. The idea prevails, especially among some "con-
noisseurs" of quality, that many lots of apples, particularly

among the later varieties, are "beiov; par" this season. 'Northern

Spy, Baldv/in, and more rarely Mcintosh and Cortland have come in

lor criticism. In general, those J'.iclntosh that v.'ere allowed to

hang on longer than the average, developed the highest quality.

There are many factors, of course, which influence
quality development in the apple as v/ell as in other fruits.
Temperature is one factor. It is known tlu;t varieties differ
in the amount of heat required during the summer months for
optimum development. Duchess and Yellov/ Transparent, for example,
develop at lower temperatures than Northern Spy and Baldv/in.
Stayman and Winesap demand even more heci.t during the growing
season. A heat deficienc:/" in any case may result in quality
deficiency.

It is interesting to note that there was a heat de-
ficiency of almost two degrees in Massachusetts during the period,
March through September. A difference of tv;o degrees, although
rather small, may be very significant. For instance, the normal
temperature for this period in Burlington, Vermont, is 56. 1° F.
or just 1.60 F. lower than at Amlierst. As far south as Trenton,
Nevv' Jersey, the temperatures during the same period average only
about 4 degrees above ours.

Of perhaps more importance are heat deficiencies in
August and September v/hen apples tend to complete their maturity.
In 194.0, the Amherst mean temperatures for August and September
averaged I.70 F. and 1.6° F., respectively, belov; normal. It
is possible that the loiver temperatures inhibit jQ maximum de-
velopment of quality in some of our Massachusetts vt^rieties.
It is well recognized that low temperatures during the final
stages in the grov/th of peaches often result in delayed maturity
and poor quality.

Another weather peculiarity of the 1940 season which
may have affected seme orchards adversely was the low rainfall
in August and September - five inches below normal.

La\7rence Southv/ick

Here's an Idea

At a recent Jlashoba meeting, A. B. Burrell of Cornell
University discussed a J^-yeav spraying experiment in which the
yield of young Mcintosh ti'T^es is being studied in relation to
the scab control program. The first Block has received Lime
Sulfur throughout the season for the past 4 years. The second
Block has been sprayed \./ith Flotation Sulfur throughout. Block
3 has received Lime Sulfur before bloom and Flotation Sulfur
thereafter, while in Block 4 this order was reversed. The aver-
age yields per tree imder the four treatments for the entire
period, 1937-1940 w«re as follows: Block 1 (L.S. only), 9 bu..
Block 2 (Flot. S. only), 13.4 bu.. Block 3 (L.S. fol. by Flot.
S.), 13.2 bu.. Block 4 (Flot. E. fol. by L.S.), 11.2 bu. A dis-
tinct biennial tendency was noted in tb.e trees sprcryed with L. S.

-5-

This v/as not the case m the trees receiving the milder fungicide.
Furthermore, there was little reduction in yield v;here L. S. was
used only in the pre-blossora sprays.

The effect of caustic sprays on photosynthesis is v/ell
knovm. Besides reducing leaf area. Lime Sulfur reduces the ef-
ficiency of the leaf in the manufacture of starch. Biennial
bearing under these conditions can be easily explained. Leaves
thus handicapped throughout the season are unable to develop the
current season's crop and at the same time set fruit buds for
next year. A tree with uninjured leaves, the result of a v^'ettable
sulfur program, is able to do both. Large, healthy leaves are
able to manufacture the materials necessary for maturing apples
of good average size, plus some reserve materials of vital im.-
portance in annual proc.uction.

But why should the trees v/hich received L. S. in the
pre-blossom sprays yield almost cs much as those receiving no
L. S. at all? This explanation is offered for what it's v/orth:
Fruit buds are formed in June for the following year. If injury
to the early leaves is severe, fewer fruit buds will probably
form. Two L. S, sprays before bloom, however, v/ith no leaf in-
jury later, would probabl: permit the formation of enough buds
for" a full crop the next year, as heavy a crop in fact, as a
tree \:ould normally bear. This sets the stage for annual bear-
ing, i^nd since the leaves are permitted to function normally
after bloom, under a wettable sulfur progrstra, the current season's
crop develops much better than if the leaves were subjected to
repeated applications of L. £. during the summer, as was the case
in Block y^. Injury in the early spur leaves seems to have more
influence on the next year's fruit buds than it does on the cur-
rent season's crop.

Hew Basis for Timing Curculio Spray

Curculio beetles do little feeding on apples imtil the
individual fruits attain a diameter of about 5/16 of an inch,
according to the observations of W. D. liThitcomb of the V/altham
Field Station. This fact offers a nev/ method of timing the 1st
Cover Spray. Ten years ago, growers commonly apiilied this spray
a certain nuiaber of days after the Calyx stage. But the results
of this practice were variable. More recently growers have been
advised to observe temperatures, since the beetles become increas-
ingly active as the thermometer rises. And now comes still an-
other refinement in the matter of timing. Warm weather, beetle
activity and enlarging fruits are interrelated, '.."hen we realize
that the surface area of an apple m.ay double in two days of warm
v/eather, and that the film of spray material over the surface
does not stretch, the necessity of careful timing is apparent.

In the experiments at \.'althan the interval bet^/een
Calyx and the critical stage in curculio control has varied be-
tween 3 and 10 days, since 193-4. In only two of the seven years
has the interval been as mucli as 3 days.

-6-

The relation of fruit diameter to degree of control is
y;911 illustrated by these figures from Prof. I'/liitcomb. Mcintosh
apples sprayed when the average diameter v/as A/l^-i^ch showed
13.3/b curculio injury. Other apples sprayed v;h.en 5/16- inch in
diameter showed only L^.'S injury, while 6/16-inch fruit showed
12.8/j injur;/. In other v/ords^ the curculio did about 3 times as
much damage on fruit sprayed v/hen 1/16 of an inch larger or
smaller than 5/16. Other varieties sho\/ed smaller differences..
The corresponding figures for Gravenstein sprayed when diameters
were 4/16, 5/16, and 6/ 16-inch, were 29.6f&, 13.4/"^ and 37.5^,
respectively.

Vflien Do Apple Maggot Flies Smerge?

In the March issue of Fruit iJotes we shall show by
graphs the 1940 emergence of maggot flies in three sections of
the wortheast, - Massachusetts, Connecticut and the Hudson Valley.
Growers often express the opinion that flies are emerging later
than is commonly supposed, since they are observed in the tr^es
as late as mid-September. The above mentioned data seem to shov;
that the majority of the flies emerge before the first of August.
Damage to late varieties is apparently due in many cases to flies
migrating from other trees.

gffects of Stacking Mcintosh Apples " on the Bulge"

To measure the damage caused by careless handling of
packages, the following experiment v/as performed at the State
College a few weeks ago: Fancy Mcintosh apples, 2^-" and up, were
jumbled with high bulge (3/4 to 1") in iiortheastern crates and
stacked four high on the bulge . The crates v/ere moved three
times, handling without undue roughness. The bottom crate which
contained 131 apples v/as checked for bruises on January 14 v;ith
these results: 21 apples had stem punctures; 36 had major bruises
(| to 1%" in diam.); 59 had less serious bruises (1/8 to 3/4" in
diam.); 15 apples v/ere free from injury.

Do You &10W

That California produces about 88/j of the nation's
grape crop?

That the "United States produces about one-third of the
apple crop of the world? France occupies second place and Germany
third, in apple production.

That there are nov; more tlian 2500 food locker storage
plants in the U. S.? Iowa leads v;ith 450 and V.'ashington is second
with 325.

That canners iiad on hand Feb. 1, about 2,000,000 cases
of sour cherries? This is nearly double the normal supply.

That the total production of tlie 15 important fruits
in the United States in 1940-41 is estimated to be cbout 13.7
million tons compared with I4.4 in 1939-40 and the 1934-38 average
of 12.6 million tons?

-7-

That, according to economic st£ tisticlans and fore-
casters, applo prices from now on v/ill probably average slightly
belov those of a year ago?

That Milton is being planted oxtensively in the Hudson
Valley? (59th A:nnual Report, M . Y. State Agricultural Experiment
Station.)

That one of the goals in apple breeding at the ilev; York
Sta-ce Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva is the develop-
ment of seedless apples which produce fruit without pollination?

That more than half a million bushels of apples have
been purchased this season by the -M&ssachusetts office of the
Surplus Marketing Administration. The three varieties bought
in largest volume are Baldv/in 4-6;, 780 bu,, Mcintosh 4,829 bu.,
and Cortland 2,766 bu. These figures were reported February /+
by C. F. Gibbons, Purchasing Agent of the S. M. A.

^.Tiich spray application is considered most imporba:it?
Neither do we. (This question v;as raised by an amateur at a
recent fruit meeting. He might have asked: "Vrnich is more dan-
gerous, a forenoon or afternoon fire?")

How Bi.^ is a Bushel?

This literary gem is submitted by V/alter B. Farmer of
Hampden Falls, K. H. :

"But of all perennial discussion known to the apple
industry,, the one of whether a bushel apple bo:-: shoi.ld hold a
bushel and an eighth, a fifth or a quarter, easily takes first
prize. It seems that apple men nover talk about a bushel box
that holds a busxiel, but debate just how much more than a bushel
it shall hold to satisfy the chain store buyers, the comiriission
men, the hucksters, peddlers, the retailers and all other parties
concerned.

"Two veteran gro"wers, Ralph Parraenrer of the Merrimack
Fa - - - ----- - - - . -

lon^. „ „ ^ - - -

to it a full season." (Hev/spaper Report

iT* «^

It is just possible that some folks are paying mo:
attention to the dimensions of the apple box than they are to
the grade of fruit that goes into it.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 5 Nxomber 3

March, 1941

In til is Issue:

Costs of Tree Removal

Elastic Demand for Apples

A Note on Stravifberry Plants

Ylinter Injury in Midv/estern Orchards

Phosphorus and Potash Under a I,'ulch

Observations on Llodified Atmosphere Storage

Shall "."e Plant a ';ev; Orchard?

Clonal Rooted Apple Trees

Bitter Pit of Apples

This and That

Pruning and Tree Vigor

Advertising Act Upheld

Trees That Don't Grow

New Movie, "Apples Go to Market"

When do Apple Maggot Flies E::ierge?.

Issued by tiie Extension Service, V'illard A. ilunsor, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of I.Iay 8 and June 30, 1914. llasSv.Ciiusetts State College,
United States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services
cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - March, 1941

IV. H. Thies
Extension Morticulturist

Costs of Tree Removal

the Maryland Fruit Grovrer reports removal costs of a 40-year old
apple orchard, as follov/s: In 1939, 340 trees were pulled with a 10-ton
Caterpillar tractor, rented at ^:1.50 per hour and using an ojj.vrator and four
helpers. The cost of pulling, triiraning and sawing t}ie trees, burning brush,
dragging out stumps, cording and hauling the wood was 31^ per tree. After
the cordvrood v;as credited back at ^;1.C0 per cord, the cost amounted to 49/
per tree. V.Tien the cost of filling stump holes, disking and levelling was
added, the total cost was ^1.12 per tree, or after crediting the cordwoodj
68.7/ per tree. This cost probably v/ould be much less where trees are
ahoppeT or sawed and the stumps left to rot. R. A. Van Meter

Elastic Demand for Apples

Recent studies indicate that consumer demand for apples is more
elastic than for most other staple food products, even exceeding that for
oranges. An increase in consumer incomes such as v.'e are now experiencing
will benefit mostly those growers \'/ho produce the better varieties and the
higher qualities. Consumers will pay more for good fruit if they have the
money, but vrhen incomes are low they buy cheap fruit or none. It has been
predicted that v.'e are entering another "silk shirt" period. If that is
true there should once mere be a real margin of profit in fancy fruit put
up in most attractive form. R. A. Van M'-ter

A Note on Strawberry Plants

The following statement is taken froxfi Michigan Technical Bulletin
llo. 162, - "There is no indication that the importation of plants from out-
side the state is an advantage if locally gror.oi plants free from insects
and diseases are available." As a matter of fact, this bulletin shove's a
substantial increase in yield of freshly dug, locally grown plants over most
lots shipped in from a distance.

The same bulletin presents figures to shovi' that only plant.'-- with
large crovms should be used in setting a new bed. The inceade in yield of
such plants over smaller crovnied plants was more than 15^. Thinning matted
rov: plants to six inches at the end of t'.ie growing season, t:) reduce over
crowding, not only failed to improve the yield but actually decreased it 2byl.

A. P. French

Winter Injury in Mid-western Orchards

The severe cold wave that prevailed over the Midwest last ITovember
did great damage to orchards, ;• low zero temperatures followed closely a
period of summer-like weather while the trees were still in leaf. Damaged
orchards extend from Iowa to central Missouri and Kansas and from western
Illinois to eastern Nebraska. Trees up to 15 years of age end the more ten-
der varieties suffered most. Estimates of the severity of the injury differ

-2-

but it appears that a quarter to a half of the apple trees in that area were
put out of business for a time at least. Peach orchards and other stone
fruits were severely injured. V.Tien v/e add to this the nev.s that tractors
are doing a big business in pulling apple orchards in Washington, and the
more or less extensive pulling of uneconomic orchards all ov^r the dour.try,
it appears that the national apple crop will fall to the level of domestic
consumption. J. K. Shaw

Phosphorus and Potash Under a Mulch

Vforkers at the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station find that
omission of phosphorus from nutrient solution cultures seriously affect apple
and peach root development, especially fibrous roots. The trees grown with-
out phosphorus vrere much smaller than those receiving phosphorus. This
element is, of course, necessary for all plant growth although there is
little evidence to show that fruit trees in 'Massachusetts are suffering
from phosphorus deficiency. An application of phosphorus in a sod orchard
may never get into the trees because it is soon fixed in unavailable form
near the surface of the soil. The use of mulch brings feeding roots of the
tree to the surface where thej' have a better chance to absorb not only phos-
phorus but potash. It is thought that the presence of decaying organic
matter in the soil tends to keep phosphorus and potash in an available fcrm.
Feeding roots in the zone of decaying nrganic matter have a chance to ahjorj
these mineral elements before they become fixed. Trees which develop a mat
of fibrous roots under a mulch v:ill also develop deep roots if subsoil con-
ditions are favorable. J. K. Shaw

Fu rther Observations on Modifie d Atmosphere Storage

V.'e have opened the modified atmosphere storage room in our cold
storage. The room was sealed October 11, 1940 and the oxygen content dropped
from the normal 21;'^ to about 13^ within a short time. It continued at about
that level for several weeks indicating that the room was not sufficiently
gas tight. The room was opened on February 24, and further precautions v;ere
taken to make it gas tight, including an improvement of the door seal. Fol-
lowing this the oxygen content gradually fell to around lO^o where it con-
tinued with small fluctuations. This behavior indicated that leakage was
decreased but that the room was still not tight enough for respiration to
bring the oxygen dovm to the desired 2ja. On examining the empty room we
found one place that gave opportunity for some leakage. This may help to
explain the failure to obtain the desired composition of the atmosphere. The
apples are now being examined for condition and quality. They seem to be in
good condition and of a quality equal to or better than others stored in nor-
mal air at 32° even though these apples were stored at 40°. Our experience
this year has been somev;hat disappointing, but we feel that the difficulties
encountered can be overcome and that modified atmosphere storage does have
distinct possibilities. Great pains must be taken to see that there is the
least possible leakage, that the room is filled to capacity and that air cir-
culation is sufficient to assure apple temperatures uniformly close to 40°.

J. K. Shaw

Shall y.'e Plant a I^ew Orchard?

There seems to be a surplus of nursery apple trees thic sprLn,-,
and prices are low. 7.1^116 this is no time for extensive and indiscriminate
planting, it is clear that unless more orchards are set, apple production in

^3-

Wev; England will decline in the near future. " ■ are able to compete success-
fully with other regions, and competition hac always determined the course
of the apple industry. There are competent grov/ers who might wisely take
advantage of the present situation by planting trees to replace unprofitable
varieties and thus bring about a better economic organization of the enter-
prise. But be careful of sites and so^ls. V'e have too many unprofitable
orchards planted on soils better suited to other uses. J. K. Shaw

Clonal Rooted Apple Trees

A few nurseries are offering apple trees propagated on numbered
Mailing rootstocks. Fruit grovv-ers should bear in mind that the different
rcotstocks produce variable degrees of dwarfing on the topworked variety.
At the present tim.e trees on only 3 or 4 of the 16 j.lalling rootstocks are
listed. Experimental and cooperative orchards in l.!assachusetts and other
states are expected to give much valuable information as to the usefulness
of clonal stocks for many apple varieties. Evidence to date indicates:
Mailing VIII and IX are very dv;arfing; Mailing I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and
VII are semi -dwarfing; Jlalling X and XIII are probably somewhat dwarfing bu-^
evidence is conflicting, especially with },!. XIII; Mailing XII, Z7, ai'-d X/I
are vigorous.

All clonal-rooted trees should be set with the union (of stock and
scion variety) slightly above the ground in order to forestall scion-rooting
which would tend to mask any stock effect. This is especially important
with trees on the dvmrfing t;,^es of stock. L. Southv.dck

Bitter Pit of Apples (Stippen, Baldwin Spot, etc.)

E'itter pit xhas been recognized for many years as a serious function-
al disease of apples* Yet, the real cause is still uncertain, and complete
control measures have not as yet been fcund. Li^;ter pit originates in the
orchard. It may be detected at harvest and nay develop in storage, especially
during the first three months. Affected fruits show brov.T., irregular, pitted
areas that are bitter to the taste. The flesh is primarily affected, and the
skin cells die follov;ing the collapse of the underlying cells. The apples
usually are not saleable. In Canada, the most susceptible varieties are re-
ported to be Stark, Baldwin, Blen'"eim, Nortnern Spy, and to a lesser extent
Ribston, Gravenstein, and Yellow ilewtovT.. In Vermont, the most seriously
affected varieties have been Arctic, Baldwin, Spy, and Sniawassee. Many other
varieties show pitting in some seasons. Mcintosh is about as immune as any
variety, although some pitting has been observed on some of its seedlings.
At Cornell, it has been observed that any treatment v/hich accentuates compe-
tition for water betveen leaves and fruits will increase susceptibility to this
disease. Such treatments as heavy nitrogen applications, shading, and gird-
ling tend to increase pitting. Few leaves per fruit on the tree and high
humidity in storage tend to inhibit bitter pit. L. Southwick

This and That

PhotosjTithesis . Studies at Cornell indicate that varieties may
behave differently with respect to tiie rate of photosynthesis at different
times of the day. "Tiereas Baldv/in seemed to be more active in the morning
than in the afternoon, Mcintosh seemed to be just about as active photos;,.Ti-
thetically during the late afternoon hours as in the early morning.

-4-

Mulching. In ITev.' York a mulch of v.-ood shavings showed no injurious
effects on apple trees after three years of use. Apple pomace used as a :nuleh
caused serious injury and some killing of trees.

■More Oran g es and Crrapefru it. The March 1 estimate of total 1940-41
(Sept. to Aug. J orange and grapefruit production v.-as 4.8 million tons com-
pared v;ith 4.3 million tons in 1939-40.

Good Demand for Apples. According to the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, February auction prices of leading varieties of western apples
averaged slightly higher than those of a year earlier, despite the larger
cold storage holdings. On March 1 these holdings v.ere still 2.4 million
bushels greater than a year earlier even though the February out-cf-storage
movement v;as 300,000 bushels greater than in February, 194C.

L. Southv/ick
Pruning and Tree Vigor

' In years past v;e were given this advice: "Prune vigorous trees

lightly; weak trees, heavily." Back of the advice v:as this fact. Good growth
accompanies good fruiting, and since vigorous trees already have the kind of
grovrth needed for fruit production there is no need to stimulate additional
growth, as for example by branch removal. Not so with trees shovd.ng scanty
grovrth and a general lack of vigor. Such trees need pepping up. But the
pruning saw is not the only available tonic. Today, liberal annual use of
nitrogen provides the new growth which yesterday v.e tried to prune into ex-
istence. This merely suggests our modern program of balancing fertilization
and pruning. These practices supplement one another. Experience has sho^^'n
that an over vigorous tree cannot be pruned back to normal. The same is
true of the weak tree. The bag of fertilizer and the pruning saw together
make an efficient team.

Michigan Supreme Court Upholds Advertising Act

The Supreme Court of Michigan handed down two decisi.ons on Feb. 11,
upholding the entire Michigan Apple Advertising Act. In sc ccing, it reversed
decisions of tvro louver courts which had caused a complete cessation of activi-
ties by the state Apple Commission since December, 1939.

The advertising Act provides for the assessment of 1 cent a bushel
on Michigan apples prior to shipment, to b e expended by the Ilighigan State
Apple Commission for advertising and related purposes. It was patterned after
the law now in effect in the State of "Vashington, and Is similar to lav,rs in
Florida, Maine, and Idaho for the advertising of citrus fruits, potatoes, and
other products.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court declared that the tax is not dis-
criminatory. "The tax in question is a levy upon putting Michigan grovvn
apples in the marts of commerce ... It applies only to those who put their
apples in the marts of commerce and is applicable to all that class without
distinction.' V'e must assume that the advertising for which the funds are
expended will accomplish the desired purpose, namely, stimulation of the use
of Michigan apples, with a consequent increase in production and distribution
. . , Statistics indicate that the consumption of apples has shown a marked
decrease while that of citrus fruits, extensively advertised, ha^ corre;-por.dent •
ly increased. Thet the production of apples is not an infant opcupation is
settled from the fact that the average annual value of the crop in this state

-5-

for the past ten years has been $6,785,000 dollars, exceeding the combined
value of peaches, pears, grapes, cherries and plums. V.'e perceive that the
stimulation of so large and important an industry will result in a benefit
to the general public v.'ell-being, the increased prosperity of the entire
apple growing industry of necessity being reflected throuf'hout the ccr.:n' :.-
wealth . . . V'e hold that the tax is for a public purpose."

At a meeting following the action of the Supreme Court, the Apple
Commission announced that no effort will be made to collect the advertising
assessment on the 1940 crop. Plans are being made, vrith the cooperation of
the Ji'ichigan State Horticultural Society, for a series of grower meetings
over the state in the near future, as a preliminary to getting the program
under v.'ay again for the 1941 crop.

Trees T hat Don't Groy^

flave you ever vmlked through an orchard and observed an occasional
tree which made practically no terminal -rrov.'-th? IP so, the chances are that
the tree was either girdled by mice, attacked by borers, or had suffered root
injury. Many of the hurricane dajria£:ed apple trees are in this class. In
some cases practically every grovring point is developing into a fruit spur
instead of making a normal growth. Even the terminal buds have taken on a
spur-like appearance. If only one sid'^ of the tree v.as seriously damaged,
these symptoms may appear on tho-"- side while the rest of the tree may be
more or less normal.

This item is being written as a reminder that unsatisfactory groiAi;h
in a fruit tree is not always an evidence of need for additional fertilizer.
The real cause in many cases is a partial separation of the top and the root
system. The situation is briefly this. If a mouse destroys the bark at the
base of the trunk, the channel through v:hich carbohydrates flov; from the
leaves to the roots is disrupted. Hew root grov.rth under these conditions
is practically stopped. If such a tree is bridge grafted the channel is
restored and the tree functions as before. In hurricane damaged trees v.'here
large roots were broken near the point of attacliment to the trun'-' the ch^in-
nel through v;hich carbohydrates flov/ to the roots is disrupted in mucli the
same way as if the tree were girdled. Hence the similar appearance of
growing points in the top. It isn't entirely a question of v.'ater and min-
erals from the soil failing to reach the top, but rather a failure of food
materials from the leaves reaching the roots.

As we observe terminal growth in individual trees it is advisable
to use a shovel or hoe occasionally to check the condition of the loiver part
of the trunk to detect hidden mouse injury, borers, etc. Good grovrth is
generally a question of a good nutritional setup as regards . Ineral elejiients
and moisture. It is also closely associated vath a Jiealthy set of conducting
tissue throughout the tree.

Nev; Movie, "Apple s Go t o Market"

A natural color movie of special interest to handlers of apples,
particularly dealers and retail store clerks, has just been completed. This
movie points out in an interesting way the relation between care.'^ul handling
and consumer satisfaction. It follows the apple from the tree to the con-
sumer's table and vdll be available for shoiAdng to interested groups through-
out the State.

-6-

Emergence of Apple wlaggot Flies During i9A

June July August

-^5 1: 91 3 7 11 1$ 19 . 23 27 3(1 >4 3 12 i 6 2^

_::wd.

1 r

-I 1—' — r

Walthara, Mass.

Total flies observed 2-47

Mt. Carmel, Comi.

Total flies observed 2269

Poughkeepsie, N. Y,

Total flies
observed 3925

V^.

Sources of data: "dass. - V/. D. yrnitcoinb; Conn. - L. Gariuan;
Nev/ York - R. W. Dean. Graphs plotted by L. Southvvick

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 5 Number 4

April, 1941

In this Issue;

Buying Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Army Posts

Planting Fruit Trees

Hand Pollination of Apples

A Note on Apple Yields

1940 Farm Income in the U. S.

Labor Returns from Various Farm Crops

Ideas on Apple Storage 75 Years Ago

Do You Know?

Growing Small Fruits for Home Use

Subsoil Important in Raspberry Plantation

Meet Competition at Home

Leaf Hoppers Affect Leaf Activity

Codling Moth One of Oldest Insect Pests

Try This with Your Soil Auger

Three Timely Tips

Miscellaneous Items

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College,
United States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services
cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - April, 1941

Y^. H, Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Buying Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Army Posts

Following is a summary of a release by E. V.'. Bell, Extension Econ-
omist, of interest to fruit and vegetable growers: The importance of fresh
fruits and vegetables in the soldier's daily diet is fully recognized by
U. S. Army authorities. Those responsible for feeding the army are insisting
that each soldier get the maximum quantity possible within the ration allow-
ance. This summer the army will be feeding about 1,500,000 men. Almost
60,000 will be quartered in army posts in Massachusetts. Begirining May 1,
a new system of purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables will be inaugurated.
Thirty purchasing offices will be opened throughout the United States in
close proximity to army posts. One of these offices will be located in the
Boston Market Terminal Building, Rooms Z71-273 (Tel .-Hubbard 1248). An ex-
perienced civilian producer-buyer, classified as a "marketing specialist,"
will serve as adviser.

The buying office in Boston will fill the requirements of fresh
produce for such army posts as Fort Devens, Camp Edwards, Yv'estover Field,
and the Harbor Defenses in Boston and New Bedford. Purchases will be made
daily, weekly, or monthly on a competitive bid basis to supply the needs.
The lowest responsible bidder will get the award. All purchases will be
made on the basis of delivery to army posts, and in accordance v.dth federal
grades. Inspection will take place at the post vrhere delivered.

A grower wishing to sell a shipment of produce should proceed as
follows: (1) Contact buying officer at Quartermaster Corps Marketing Center,
Perishable Subsistence, Boston Market Terminal, South Boston, Mass. by tele-
phone, telegraph or letter. (2) Register quantity for sale, delivered price,
kind of produce, and dates when delivery can be made. If done by telephone,
confirm by telegraph or letter. Quotation should be made at least three
days in advance of delivery date (a week or 10 days is better). (3) Delivery
awards on quotations will be made with instructions as to where, when, and
how much to deliver. (4) Delivery to army posts should be accompanied by
invoice stating kind of produce, number of packages, price bid, and grade
and specifications required. (5) Inspection will be made at time of delivery,
and number of packages will be checked. (6) Pa;;,'ment will be made from the
buying office in Boston after a period of about two weeks.

Planting Fr uit Trees

The important thing in planting trees is not merely to make them
live but to make them grow vigorously from the start. Then they may be de-
veloped into strong trees vdth little pruning. A tree that grows slowly for
the first tvro or three years is likely to drag behind all the rest of its
life and almost certainly will have a poor framevrork.

Keep nursery stock fully dormant until planted by keeping it in
cold storage or in the coldest place you can find. Plant it Just as soon

., ,, •;/>«*!?■■.

.•.;.5,;w:

■ - : ■^■-.■»

f ^, fc ,• •'e v.*i ;

.'( ■-•*. .■ ^' J ;

-2-

as the ground dries enough to crumble. If this is done, new roots v;ill de-
velop while the air is too cold for buds to break, and v;hen leaves do appear
there will be a root system ready to supply them with water. In planting
it is a good plan to get out the sprayer and wash in the soil around the roots.

The amount of pruning has much to do v;ith the start made by the tree.
Planted under ideal conditions a one-year old tree needs little or no pruning.
But do not hesitate to prune severely if there is any question of a vigorous
start, even to cutting the tree to v;ithin 6 inches of the ground in extreme
cases.

A vigorous start is the main objective. If the tree grows vrell the
first year there will be a strong shoot growing up, on which the top may be
built later at any height desired. If the tree starts slowly the central
leader usually is lost right there, never to be regained. I think I never
saw an apple tree that grew too much during the first year in the orchard,
but I have seen thousands that grew too little - and never got over it.

Remember, the central framevrork of the mature tree is developed
in the first 3 or 4 years. The first year is the most important year in the
life of the tree so far as shape of the tree is concerned, and the first
month is the most important part of that year. Llake sure that the tree is
not stunted by transplanting. Make it grovj-! R. A. Van Meter

Hand Pollin ation of Apples

Bees native to the irrigated valleys of the Northwest live in the
ground. Irrigation drives them out. Imported colonies of honeybees tend to
visit plaiits in surrounding non-irrigated areas and neglect the apple trees.
Under these conditions, hand pollination of apple trees is proving profitable,
sind thousands of acres of apple orchards are pollinated each spring by hand
in that section.

Blossoms are collected just before they open and rubbed over a screen
to remove the pollen. The pollen is applied with a camel's hair brush. The
labor cost of an experienced man in pollenizing a mature apple tree amounts
to 25 to 35 cents. Two or three ounces of pollen are required for an acre of
trees. Not all blossoms are pollenized but only enough to give a well dis-
tributed crop.

Northern Spy groovers in western Nev; York have long had trouble in
getting a satisfactory set of fruit. This may be due to the fact that Northern
Spy blossoms are not very attractive to bees. Now many grov/ers are hand pol-
lenizing Spies by pruning pollenizing varieties at blossom time, throwing the
branches in a hay rack and, standing on the rack, brushing the Spy trees with
the pollen-bearing branches. This method is said to be effective and not too
expensive.

It is doubtful if hand pollination would help many trees in New
England. Bees find pretty good working conditions here and may be obtained
at reasonable rates. Y.lien Nev: England orchards fail to set satisfactory crops
year after year, it is generally due to low vigor. Under these conditions,
hand pollination would be of doubtful value. There may be a few blocks,
hov;ever, where the New York method might well be tried. R. A. Van Meter

-3-

A Note on App le Yields

X'ie cannot boast about high yields froni some of our experimental
orchards at the College. Many trees, for purposes of comparison, are handled
in v/ays knoviii to be unwise for commercial growers. But the Mcintosh trees
in our mulch-cultivation comparison have given a good account of themselves.
Over a 10-year period while these trees were 16 to 26 years old, the mulched
plot averaged 585 bushels per acre per year, and the cultivated plot 400
bushels. The highest yield, 1269 bushels per acre, was taken from the mulched
plot in 1936. These are total figures, conservatively calculated from the
yield of 18 trees. About 20-25^ of the apples were "drops" and about 10/J
were not salable.

These are not remarkably high yields. Some coinmercial growers do
as well, if not better. All should try to. But why, an occasional individual
asks, should we strive for higher yields when there are apparently too many
apples now? For the country as a whole, there may be an oversupply. But for
the individual grower, larger yields lower the per bushel cost of production
and thereby increase the opportunity for profit. Cutting dovm unprofitable
blocks of trees is a move in the right direction, J. K. Shaw

1940 Farm Income in the U. S.

According to preliminary figures, the 1940 cash farm income in the
United States amounted to .;S, 354, 104, 000. In addition, government payments
to farmers totaled .;i; 765, 799, 000. Iov;a had the largest farm income,
$679,271,000, followed by California, Illinois, and Texas. Rhode Island,
with $9,889,000, showed the smallest income. A figure of <^75, 609,000 is
given for Massachusetts.

Cash farm income by crops showed cotton lint in the lead, with a
value of ^573,401,000. VJl:ieat, truck crops, corn, and tobacco were next in
order. Income for apples was C^Sl »417,000, peache s - 034, 701, 000, strawberries
- $40,885,000, and cTtn Ts fruits - $129,790,000. Total crop income was
$3,535,712,000 comparedTo the total livestock income of |4, 818, 392 ,000.

L. Southwick

Labor Returns From Various Farm Crops

Labor spent in pro"ducing dairy products in "ew York State returns
25/ per hour, poultry 28j^, and apples 39/. These figures are presented by
V. B. Hart of Cornell University. Ke points out that the hours spent on
dairy and poultry farms, while returning a comparatively lov; rate, often in-
clude hours that could not be used on other enterprises. Therefore, it is
to be expected that they would return less per hour. In the case of apples,
the season of profitable emplo;/ment is relatively short while dairy work is
a year round proposition. The returns from other crops are as follows:
wheat 52/, alfalfa 60/, beans 30/, cabbage 55/, potatoes 54/, tomatoes 41/.

Ideas o n Apple Sto rage 75 Ye ars Ago

In"tl7e 1866 report*~of the Essex Agricultural Society there appears
an article by Robert Llanning on the "Preservation of Fruit and Construction
of Fruit Houses." He says, "Ripening of fruit is a completion of the chemical
process by which starch is transformed into sugar. It is the first step
toward decay." He mentions seven principles of storage, as follows: (l) Un-
less fruit attains a certain degree of development on the tree, the ripening

-4-

process will not continue after it is separated from the tree. (2) Harvest
carefully. (3) Protect fruit from frost. (4) There must not be too great
a degree of heat for that is the most powerful agent in promoting fermenta-
tion. (5) Maintain uniform temperature. (6) Keep in darkness. (7) The
atmosphere must be uniformly dry.

With the exception of this last suggestion, Mr. Msjuiing's principles
are reasonably modern. Evidently he had not experienced the severe shrivelling
which occurs in certain varieties like Russet when kept in a dry storage.
Today we are convinced that high humidity in the storage is essential.

Do You Know

That Columbus is supposed to have brought the first orange seeds
to the New World on his second trip to America? Either Ponce de Leon or
De Soto introduced the orange to Florida. Early missionaries carried the
fruit north from Mexico into California in the 17th Century.

That the codling moth is said to get its name from the fact that
its larvae causes small and gnarled fruit? In England these apples are called
"codlins" just as small ears of corn are called "nubbins." lYho added the
"g" or when it vras added is not kno^<^al.

That approximately 500,000 bushels of apples went into apple juice
in Michigan last season. Most of the juice was canned in 20 and 43-ounce
cans. Apples for apple juice bring the grower 20 to 50/ per hundred pounds.
Y'Diile this is not a large price it does make an outlet for a type of apple
which should not be sold on the fresh fruit market.

That the labor investment in spraying in one large, successful
orchard amounts to less than l/S of the total labor involved in producing
sind marketing the crop? Spraying costs, including labor, materials, and
depreciation of equipment ought not to run higher than 20)^ per bushel.
Some grovrers produce a good crop j^ear after year with a spray bill amounting
to 10 to 15/ per bushel.

That fruits other than apples are also seriously affected by the
loss of export? Apple growers have lost export markets for about 10,000,000
bushels while citrus growers have lost markets for 3,000,000 boxes of oranges
and grapefruit. Exports of prunes this year are expected to total only about
18,000 tons compared with 108,000 tons in the year before the war. Raisin
exports will total only about 15,000 tons this year compared with 76,500 tons
the year before the war.

That the Blakemore variety of strawberry makes up about 25^ of the
strawberry acreage in the United States? The next 15 varieties in order of
importance are as follo\vs: (The number following each variety is the percent
of the U. S. acreage.) Klondike-14, Aroma-11, Marshall-10, Howard 17-9,
Missionary-5, Catskill-4, Dorsett-4, Fairfax-3, Dunlap-2, Klonmore-2, Hick
Ohmer-1, Joe-1, Chesapeake-1 , Beaver-1. Mastodon is 16th on the list although
it stands 6th in nursery sales.

That fruit grovrers received an average of 35 cents of each dollar

-5-

spent by consumers for apples in 1940? Percentage figures for other products
quoted recently by V*". E. Piper are as follows: green beans 54/, cabbage 18/,
carrots 20/, lettuce 37/, onions 5l/, spinach 40/, canned peaches 11/, canned
corn 13/, white flour 40/, rice 29/, corn flakes 18/.

Growi ng Small Fruits for Home Use

Ever watch a portly lady hopefully check her v/eight on a restaurant
scales, and then order the usual calorie-laden meal? Not so with the modern
Miss. By shunning starchy foods, she saves her sylph-like silhouette. Here's
what's happened in the past 15 years. Per capita consumption of potatoes is
down 12^, and cereal products, 14°':, while vegetables are up 25^? and fruits, b%.
But that's not the whole story. Folks v.'ho grow their own vegetables and
small fruits enjoy not only the health giving qualities of these foods, but
the fun that comes from a productive tussle with Nature in the backyard.
Unless you've experienced the thrill of picking a quart of your ovm fresh
strawberries as the June sun peeks over the horizon, you still have something
to live for. If your slippers become soaked v.dth dev/, that's unimportant.
And the exercise, an unexpected dividend accompanying the harvest, will tend
to insure your slender form.

Seriously, there's much to be said in favor of a planting of small
fruits on every farm. Strawberries, raspberries, and grapes require less
spraying than tree fruits. They bring quicker returns, and they occupy less
space. A succession of snail fruits makes a real contribution to a "live at
home" program. Apart from the money value of the fruit, there's a satisfac-
tion in having one's fill of berries in siommer, with a few extra quarts for
jam.. If you were to find a ^10 bill, you'd doubtless be happy. And yet an
area 20 x 20 feet is entirely capable of netting that tidy sum in terms of
luscious strawberries. "Better living from the land" becomes more than a
slogan if it finds expression in a vrell-pla.nned garden of small fruits and
vegetables.

Subsoil Imp ortant in Raspberry Plantation

A recent raspberry study in Nevj Jersey is suminarized in State Horti-
cultural Society News as follows, "It is very clear that soils underlaid by
heaver material, which is of great importance in providing a moisture reservoir,
are best adapted to the growth of Lathain raspberries. Before setting out new
fields growers should examine the subsoil and avoid setting raspberries in
soils too light to maintain a sufficient moisture supply throughout the grow-
ing season." The num.ber of strong canes in portions of the field underlaid
by loamy sand, sand, or gravelly sand, v.^as much less than where underlaid by
a subsoil containing some clay. The use of a salt hay mulch with a generous
application of fertilizer and lime helped to overcome the handicap of a porous
subsoil. Massachusetts raspberry grov-rers may v.'ell consider mulching, parti-
cularly where raspberries are being grovm on a relatively light soil.

Nevj- Fruit Laws in the Northwest

Quoting from a recent issue of Better Fruit, "By the time this issue
reaches you there will be two new lav,-s in the State of V.'ashington, both of
vital interest to fruit growers. One is an orchard sanitation law, designed
to speed up removal or destruction of pest infested orchards on properties
which are a nuisance to adjacent farms. Second is a law designed to control
pear psylla, newest Northv.'est orchard pest which specializes on pear trees."

'r ;:^''-l"\-

-6-

Virginia Or chardists Remove Trees Under Conservation Program

Over 18,000 apple trees in Frederick County, Virginia have been
removed or vj-ill be pulled out under the Agricultural Conservation Program.
Trees thus removed are diseased or of unprofitable varieties. Many trees
selected for destruction are of the York Imperial and Kammoth Black Tv:ig
varieties. The 90 growers participating in the tree removal program will
receive approximately $5,200.

A pple Juice Conference in Michigan

Michigan apple juice manufacturers held their second conference
March 20 at the State College. New methods in processing and packing apple
juice were discussed. Much interest is being shc-vm in a new process which
makes it possible to extract, pasteurize, and pack apple juice in about 4
minutes, instead of 24 hours by old methods. The quick process is said to
preserve more of the original color and aroma of the juice.

Prune Pit Oil Proves Useful

Studies at the University of California indicate that oil crushed
from the pits of prunes may be usefizl in preserving the prunes themselves.
Prune pit oil is reddish in color and has a pleasant aroma and taste. It is
relatively rich in vitamin A and in vitamin E. Two lots of prunes were
spraj'ed with this oil and stored. These prunes retained a larger amount
of moisture and proved a juicier product than those which were stored with-
out spraying.

Meet Competition at Home

Follov.'ing are a few quotations from a trade journal editorial sub-
mitted by John Rice of Marlboro, - "The biggest single problem confronting
the fresh fruit and vegetable industry today is one of salesmanship. In the
first days of the 'quick frozen' competition v/ith fresh commodities, some
men in the industry v.rarned that if not checked it one day would become a
real menace. Today the housewife is not only enabled to get quick frozen
food from the grocery all prepared for immediate cooking, but if she prefers
to stay at home the quick frozen morsels will be brought to her in refriger-
ated cars. 'Shop at Home Service' is the latest v;rinkle. Routes have been
laid out, salesmen make daily calls in the kitchen, give the homemaker hints
on v/hat are the best buys, and do everything but cook the meal. Housewives
are told in effect, why bother picking over berries, shelling peas, and
cleaning spinach when you can have it 'frosty fresh' and compactly packed?
The purveyors of fresh fruits and vegetables have raised their voices against
the word 'fresh* in describing processed fruits and vegetables. The quick
frozen competition must be met. And the best way to meet any competition
is to beat it."

Deer Control in Connecticut

V,'. P".~ Judkins of the Univ. of Conn, is attempting to keep deer out
of the College orchard by means of an electric fence. V/riting in Fruit Re-
search Notes he says, "In order to prevent further injury an electric fence
was erected in early September. This fence, which is made of two strands of
wire located 25 and 42 inches above the ground, has given good results thus
far and no further damage has been observed," He is also experimenting with
repellent paints to prevent rabbit injury in young trees. Some of the re-
pellents have caused considerable injury to peach trees. He feels that more
data are needed before any repellent paints can be recommended.

!V1«

Leaf Hoppers Affect Leaf Activity

If an apple leaf" shows the characteristic mottling due to leaf
hoppers, v»'e can be sure that it is not producing a normal amount of starch.
Lack of size and color in apples may be traced directly to a heavy leaf
hopper infestation. Careful studies have recently been made at Ohio State
University to shovi the effect of leaf hopper activity on the functioning
of apple leaves. A heavily infested leaf after seven days of leaf hopper
attack v:as producing ci5% less starch than a normal leaf. As a result of
this study the workers conclude that a 20-50^o reduction in daily food manu-
facture by an apple tree, beginning early in the season, can appreciably
reduce the total amount of food which goes to increase size and color of
the fruit, and at the same time form fruit buds for the following year.

Leaf hoppers can dart forvjard, shift to the right or left, back
up and dodge as cleverly as any insect in the orchard. This characteristic
makes it difficult to hit them v.dth spray material since they usually dart
to the leeward side of the branch or leaf when spray is directed at them.
A spray intended for leaf hopper control must be directed upward to cover
the lower sides of the leaves. Otherwise the investment in spray material
is largely wasted.

Codling Moth One of Oldest Insect Pests

Qg^^Q^ abou-TSOO B.C. and Pliny in the first century A.D., wrote
about "wormy apples." These apples were doubtless infested with codling moth.
In 1635 a Dutch scientist v/rote a treatise on codling moth and drew pictures
of it in various stages of its development. Under one name or another the
codling moth has plagued human apple eaters since the dawn of history. The
native home of the codling moth was southeastern Europe but early in the
19th Century it set out to see the world. ITithin that century it spread
over Europe and into Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, South Africa, and
North and South America. It was first reported in the United States as in-
festing apples and pears in 1819 near Boston. By 1860 it was attacking fruit
in lovra, and in the spring of 1874 it appeared in California. It is now one
of the worst fruit pests in every apple producing area.

Try This wi th Your Soil Auger

Fn' a recent issue of "The Soil Auger," A. B. Beaumont makes this
suggestion: "Find a slope of 5% or greater, 300 feet or more long, which is
known to have been under cultivation for a number of years. It need not have
been cultivated recently. Take borings near the top v;here erosion would be
expected to be severe and note the depth of the top soil, which can be de-
termined in most of the upland soils of Massachusetts by sharp changes from
dark brown to yellowish brovm. Do the same at the foot of the slope. V'hat
depth of top soil do ycu find at each place? Many tests of this kind in
Massachusetts have shown the top soil on the upper slope to be 3 to 7 inches
deep; at the base 3 to 5 feet deep." This suggests not only an urgent need
for erosion control but for a different fertilizer program at the top and at
the bottom of the slope.

New Soil Conservation Bulletin

^Con"s'ervatToir'of~Mas"sachusetts Soils" by Beaumont and Kucinski, is
just off the press. If interested, ask for Leaflet ^^193. This publication
covers kinds of erosion, distribution of erosion, factors affecting water
erosion, wind erosion, methods of soil conservation, and influence of organic

• '^-t^-fr

matter. It is well illustrated and contains an interesting summary.

Three Timely Tips

{!) Bid you have trouble with rosy aphis last year? And are your
buds still in the dormant stage? Then there is still time to apply the nev^--
DN spray v/hich is proving very effective in aphis control. (2) Have you
any apple trees which are reasonably young and vigorous although of the
vn-ong variety? Then you are just in time to top graft them to something
better. Late April is an ideal time and there is no better grafting wax
than the Icind which you can make yourself. For details, see Leaflet 117,
"Top Grafting Fruit Trees," (3) Have you any apple trees under 4 years of
age? Are you perfectly satisfied v;ith their present framework? The 2nd
and 3rd years are very important in developing a ^.ood framework. If nothing
is done until the trees are 4- or 5 years of age, shaping is difficult with-
out making drastic cuts. YJe suggest that you look over your young trees
again and do v;hatever pruning is necessary.

\'Tho Has the Largest Ap ple Tree?

Not long ago a Connecticut grower spoke of an apple tree in his
orchard with a trunk diameter of about 3 feet, A tree of similar diameter
is reported in Franklin County. These reports have aroused our curiosity.
Maybe we can locate the largest apple tree in Massachusetts. If you have
a tree with trunk diameter of more than 3 feet and are willing to invest
in a post card, please send us the details.

Revision of College Mailing List

During the next few months a complete revision of the various
College mailing lists if planned. E. S. Carpenter, Secretary of the Ex-
tension Service, says, "Instead of sending John Jones, vrho may be receiving
four publications, four different letters, we plan to insert the names of
the various monthly publications he receives on a letter which will be sent
to him. Then he will check and return to us. I suggest that you run a
notice in your April and May issues of Fruit Notes that the mailing list
is to be revised." Please be on the lookout for the above mentioned letter,

Y.'anted: Sugf^estions for Fruit Notes

' Readers of~FruTt~l'fotes ar"e invited to submit the names of subjects
which you would like to see discussed in an early issue. This item is in-
tentionally placed at the bottom of the last page to see if anybody reads
this far. Your suggestions on a post card will furnish the necessary evi-
dence. A post card shov;er will be welcomed.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 5 Number 5

May, 1941

In this Issue:

Effect of Air Temperatures on Mcintosh Development

Ringing or Scoring Apple Trees, to Hasten Bearing

Irrigation of the Ijew England Fruit Farm

Does Sawdust Tend to Aciaify the Soil?

The Farm Labor Situation in Massachusetts

Blueberries in the United States

How Far V-'ill Apple Scab Spores Travel?

Application of Soap for Red Mite Control

Apple Crates "A" - "B" - "C"

The Vitamins — Functions and Food Sources

Here's an Idea

Issued by the Extension Service, Vrillard A. Munson, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United
States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - IJIAY, 1941

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Effect of Air Temperatures on Mcintosh Development

During the last 20 years the date of full bloom of the Mcintosh apple
at Amherst has varied from May 3 to 22, or nearly three weeks. The average
date of bloom is very near May 14. The duration of bloom has varied from
about 3 days to nearly a week. Our dates of harvest are not complete and
are not reliable as indicating maturity of the apples. 17e novi pick Mcintosh
later than formerly. There is no reason to expect any marked correlation be-
tween dates of bloom and of maturity. A little reflection shows why this is
true. All plant grovrth and development rests on chemical reactions and obeys
the laws of chemical reaction. Within limits the higher the temperature the
more speedy the reaction. Y.Tien apple trees bloom early it is because of above
average temperatures in early spring. If early bloom is followed by above
average temperatures during the growing season, the harvest v/ill be very early;
if summer temperatures following early bloom are low, maturity will be near
normal. In 1938 Mcintosh v;as in full bloom on May 3 and in 1940 on May 20.
The departures from normal temperatures were as follows:

April May June July August September

1938 +3.5 -1.5 tl.4 +0.9 +3.8 -2.3
1940 -3.6 +0.1 -1.1 -0.2 -1.5 -1.6

The April departures show why blooming dates were different. '"Je believe that
the low summer temperatures in 1940 vrere more effective in causing late ma-
turity than the late date of bloom. J. K. Shavj-

Ringing or Scoring Apple Trees to Hasten Bearing

About 20 years ago we carried out some experiments at the State College
with ringing 8-year-old Viealthy, Oldenburg, and V.'agener trees to hasten bearing.
There are two v/ays of carrying out this treatment: (1) Ringing consists of
taking out a narrow ring of bark from the trunk or main branch of a tree. This
must be rather carefully done. If one wishes to be safe he may tie a sheet of
paper around the tree so as to cover the bare ring, though usually this is not
necessary. (2) Scoring consists of cutting through the bark of the trunk with
a strong knife, making two or three rings, Vidthout removing any of the bark.
Either of these processes favors the accumulation of carbohydrates in the top
of the tree and frequently promotes fruit bud formation.

The time of ringing or scoring is important. Inasmuch as fruit bud
formation becomes evident in late June or early July, it follows that the op-
eration must be performed in late May or early June. Treating trees later is
likely to be ineffective and leads to poor yield and weakening of the trees.
Treating a tree that has a good to heav^'' crop is not only ineffective in bring-
ing about fruit bud formation but also affects tree vigor. Therefore, it offers
no promise for promoting annual bearing. Treating trees that are approaching
bearing age but have little or no crop is quite likely to be follov/ed by a
moderate to heavy crop the next year. It is a special practice for particular
conditions and not to be generally recommended. It might be useful on filler
trees or where one wishes to get fruit a year or two sooner than he would in
the normal course of events. If done at the proper season there is little
danger of loss or serious injury to the tree. j. K. Shaw

♦ -2-

Irrigati on of the New England Fruit Farm

Large, arjiual yields of quality fruit are obtained \vhere moisture
supply and necessary mineral elements are in proper balance. If a given
acre of land can furnish only enough water during the growing season for
a 100-bushel crop of apples, a larger yield is unlikely regardless of the
fertilizer program. Heavy applications of nitrogen on a drouthy soil may,
in the case of apples, encourage early dropping of the fruit, stippen or
bitter pit, internal cork, etc. On a deep, well-drained, retentive soil
enough v;ater is available to take care of the needs of a fruit tree even
during a three or four weeks' drouth. This of course is not the case on
a coarse, excessively-drained soil or where subsoil conditions prevent deep
rooting. Irrigation is one means of supplementing rainfall on such handi-
capped soils.

It has been estimated that a mature apple tree may require as much
as 4500 gallons of water during the growing season. If we consider 27 such
trees grov;ing on an acre of land, the v/ater requirement for an entire season
amoxmts to less than 5 acre-inches of rainfall. And since our average rain-
fall in Massachusetts amounts to 3 or 4 inches per month, it is difficult to
see why a shortage of moisture should occur. The fact is, of course, that
only a small percentage of the water which falls as rain ever becomes avail-
able to the tree. Much of our rainfall comes while the ground is frozen.
In ma^y orchards, compact soil conditions or a scanty cover results in sur-
face runoff instead of penetration to the soil zone occupied by the roots.

In analyzing moisture relationships in an orchard we need only to
compare the appearance and behavior of fruit trees with deep root systems on
a fertile retentive soil with those on a drouthy, impoverished soil. Luxurious,
dark green foliage with rapidly sizing fruit tj/pifies the normal tree. Here
the cover crop seldom shows signs of drouth. In fact, a deep-rooted tree
will thrive long after the cover crop shows drouth sjrmptoms, since it has
access to vra.ter in the subsoil not available to shallower-rooted plants.

In years past considerable stress has been placed upon elevation and
slope in the location of an orchard, vAiile very little attention has been giv-
en to soil type. As a result, orchards have been planted on all sorts of
soils ranging from those that are too wet to those that are hopelessly over-
drained. As an example of the latter type, the Hinckley soil series ought
not to be considered for orchard purposes since the moisture supply is totally
inadequate for good production. Orchards noxv planted on soils either too wet
or too dry should be removed and such mistakes avoided in the future.

Severe drouth sjonptoms in an orchard are easily detected. They
manifest themselves in a slovdng up or actual stopping of the grov-iih of the
fruit, yellowing and dropping of the leaves, and in severe cases, a drying
up of the cover crop. A moderate shortage of water, however, is seldom de-
tected. Only the observing grovrer will sense the demand for additional water
before the shortage actually occurs. Here is where irrigation may prove
highly beneficial. Without irrigation in a dry season, the fruit at harvest
time is smaller, may drop prematurely, and may be affected by Baldwin spot or
internal cork.

Irrigation is now being used by a few Massachusetts fruit growers
to supplement our annual rainfall, which averages 43.7 inches. In irrigated

"(.:.

:::■ 'i .-I .

sections of the U. S. apples show a markedly improved color where the trees
are given an adequate water supply throughout the season. If v.'ater is with-
held at a critical time the color is dull and unattractive. During a dry-
season about ten years ago, a block of large, heavily-laden apple trees in
a Corjiecticut Valley orchard seemed to be functioning normally until mid-July
v;hen the leaves began to take on a lighter shade, the fruit stopped growing,
and the grass cover began to dry up. At harvest time few of the apples were
over Zjj inches in size, the color v;as abnormally dull and the flavor v^as
disappointing. After that disastrous season a simple irrigation system v/as
installed and enough water supplied during subsequent drouths to insure a
crop of at lee.st 300 bushels of good quality fruit per acre.

Does Sawdust Tend to Ac i dify th e Soil?

R. Vi'. Donaldson, Extension Agronomist, has called to our attention
the following report from Rhode Island Agr. Expt. Sta. 3ul . 251, "Comparative
Tests of Bedding Material." Three plots of land have received annual appli-
cations over a period of 18 years, as follov:s: (1) Manure and sawdust or
shavings. (2) Manure and straw. (3) Chemical fertilizers. Equivalent amounts
of lime have been applied to each plot. Sawdust or shavings v/ere applied to
Plot 1 at the rate of 39 tons per acre, 25 tons having been applied in the
last 9 years. Twenty-tv;o tons of straw were applied to Plot 2. These two
plots have received 218 and 244 tons of manure respectively.

Recent acidity tests show the pH of Plot 1 to be 6.5, Plot 2 almost
exactly the same (6.49) while Plot 3 vrhich received the chemical fertilizer
is very slightly over 7. These data offer convincing evidence that sa^vdust
does not tend to acidify the soil more than straxv, v;hile the response of crops
proves that it leaves no detrimental residue in the soil. Any fruit grower
who may be hesitant about using sawdust as a mulch material for fear it may
make the soil too acid, should take courage as a result of these tests in
Rhode Island. Sawdust as a mulch material leaves much to be desired, since
grass tends to grov/ through it so readily. It does, however, provide some
of the desirable features of a mulch material, particularly in stabilizing
moisture relations.

T he Farm Labor Situat ion in Ilass achusett s

A 'ques'ti'onnarre"vms "recently sent to 600 farmers by R. E. Moser,
Extension Economist. Replies were received from 194. Tvro-thirds of this
number report that there is a shortage of farm labor in their tovms. A total
of 723 men were employed by these farmers at the time of the survey. The
average cash v;ages paid to these workers is $43.95 per month v;ith board.
TiTorkers who are not boarded are paid an average of $79.91 per month. Wages
paid per day are |1.84 v;ith board and ^3.04 without board. Eighty eight
farmers lost a total of 174 workers. One hundred and thirty of these were
lost to industry and 44 to military service. One hundred and forty seven
men or one-fifth of the workers are still subject to military service. Of
the 88 farm.ers v;ho lost workers 36 have not been able to replace them with
nevr labor.

Probably the best ansv.'er given so far to the labor situation is
found in a report of the F;ural policy Sub-committee on Farm Organization and
Practice prepared by Jonathan Davis. The principal items in the report are
these: Massachusetts farmers are finding a shortage of farm labor which will

-4-

probably become more acute in the near future. The denand in industry for
skilled, semi-skilled, or even unskilled labor at high -rages and short hours
has lured aimy much of our available farm labor. The draft is also being
keenly felt in many cases.

The committee makes the following suggestions for farmers; (1) Hold
on to ski lled labor, if possible, as such men cannot be replaced at the present
time. ~[2) Good farm l abor sh ould be and usually can be deferred by the draft
board , if the "farmers will take pailis' to" COTTtact" The TocaTr dra"ft bo'ard~'oF
Board of Appeals. (3) B_ettar inanagement or plaruiing to make full use of la-
bor a^'ailable. Operations may of ten "be inc'reased or" decreased to fit the
labor supply. (4) Father and son partnerships. This is an ideal situation
where it is successful. In most cases of failure it is because the son is
not given enough responsibility or direct interest in the enterprise. (5)
Use of unskilled labor. Boys betvreen the ages of 14 and 21, still in school,
are often good help during the surmer, Vv'omen and girls may be used to a
greater extent, particularly on fruit and vegetable farms. (6) Use of part-
tLme l abor . Industrial workers on a 40-hour v/eek v;ill often be glad"To spend
some of their spare time on the farm. Older men and others capable of hold-
ing down regular jobs may often be used to advantage for a few days' work.
(7) Increase d use of ma chinery . This may not necessarily mean purchase of
nevr equipment but bettor use of that on hand. A few days hire or swapping
the use of machinery may often accomplish much at little cost.

B luebe rries in the United States

The term "blueberry" includes several distinct tjqpes of berries which
are less closely related than, for example, the various varieties of stravj--
berries or of apples. According to George !'. Barrow, pomologist in the United
States Department of Agriculture, six tj'pes or species of blueberries are
marketed extensively in the United States.

The l owbus h blueberry (Vacciniun angustif oliun) is the most import-
ant commercial species ranging from Ilaine to Tinnesota and southward in the
Alleghenies to West Virginia. The aianual value of the fruit harvested (only
a small part is harvested) is probably m.ore than y 5 » 000, 000. The highbush
blueberry (V. cer;;,'mbosum) is native from southern Ifaine to southern Michigan
and southv.-ard to Georgia. The annual value of the crop from the v/ild ranges
from $1,000,000 to ^1, 500, 000. It is from this species that the cultivated
varieties of blueberries have come through years of selection and hybridiza-
tion. The value of the 1938 cultivated crop v/as about 0400,000. Cultivated
blueberries are raised comrnsrcially in relatively few states. The estimated
acreage in 1939 v/as 1045 acres in Tew Jersey, 200 acres in North Carolina,
200 acres in liichigan, and 100 acres in all other states including liassachu-
setts. The dryland blueberry (V. pallidum), "lov/ huckleberry," is important
in northern Alabama and :feorgia, and northv/ard to Uaryland and l/est Virginia.
The arjiual value of the crop is around ^300, 000. The e vergre en blue berry
(V, ovatum) is native on the Pacific Coast from centraTT California to British
Columbia. The annual value of the fruit crop is estimated at close to
$200,000. Furthermore, its branches are of about equal comm.ercial value
for decorative purposes, being shipped to eastern cities as "evergreen
huckleberry." The mountain blueberry (V. membranaceum) is a native of
the high slopes of the Cas'c'ade Tlountains (Oregon and Yi'ashington) and eastward
tovm.rd IVisconsin. The berries are very large and high in quality.

-5-

The value of the crop may average |200,000. The rabbiteye blueberry (V. vir-
gatum) is native in southern Georgia and Alabama and in northern Florida.
Commercial fields totaling about 3,500 acres are operated in these and other
southern states.

All of these species are true blueberries as distinguished from
huckleberries which have 10 large hard seeds. Blueberries have many very
small, soft seeds, L. Southv/ick

How Far V/ill Apple Scab Spores Travel?

The following report helps to explain the appearance of apple scab
on the leaves of newly planted trees where no scab was present the previous
season, and the partial failure of "orchard floor" spraying. D. H. Palmiter
of the New York State Research Laboratory in the Hudson Valley, says that in
1940 at the time of the first scab spray in the Hudson Valley (delayed dormant)
scab spores were not far enough advanced in the old leaves on the ground to
justify a fungicide, and no spraying v;as done at the time for protection
against apple scab. In Western New York, on the other hand, scab spores
v/ere mature at the corresponding stage of tree development. A general rain
storm occurred over the state at that time ivith a strong wind blowing east-
ward. Later in the season a general light primary infection of scab shovred
up in the Hudson Valley that could be assigned to that particular v;et period,
in spite of the fact that scab spores \vere not yet mature in the Hudson Val-
ley when the rain occurred. It was concluded that the infection resulted
from spores blovm from the 'jYestem part of the State over a distance of more
than 100 miles. 0. C. Boyd

Ap plication of S oap for Red ilite Cont rol

Recent tests have shown that soap (hard, fishoil, or flakes) at a
dosage furnishing the equivalent of 4 pounds of dry soap to 100 gallons has
shown promise against red mite but also appears to be toxic to some of the
red mite predators. If the agitator is disconnected when the spray is being
prepared, the danger of formation of troublesome foam or s\ids v;ill be lessened.

A. I. Bourne

Apple Crate s^ "A" - "B" - "C" .

V'.'. E. Piper of the Division of Markets has recently released a sum-
mary covering the apple box situation in the Northeast. For purposes of easy
identification the three most discussed crates may be designated by the letters
A, B, and C, the dimensions of which are as follows:

A Regular 1 l/5 bushel - 17" x 14" x 11"

B 1 1/8 bushel - refrigerator car size - 16" x 13 5/8" x 11 l/S"

C 1 l/8 bushel - 17" x 13" x 11"

Mr. Piper finds that most apple growers exhibit a decided preference
for the 1 l/S bushel crate of the refrigerator car size (B^ crate). As to what
will be actually used, hov/ever, the preponderai-ice of opinion leans rather
definitely to the 1 l/5 bushel (A crate). The difference between what is
preferred and what will be used lies in the fact that a great many growers
want to use the 1 l/S size, but feel that it is useless to tie up with it as
long as they vrould be in competition with the larger 1 l/5 size. This might
be best expressed in tlie words of a large Massachusetts shipper, who says,
"I believe in sticking to the A crate until it is outlav/ed the same as the
14 qt. bucket. Gtlicr states arc using bulge packs with plenty of weight for
competition."

Classified by sections, the replies indicate prevailing sentiment
as to what will be used as follows: Eastern Massachusetts A large majority
of those reporting saj*- they vrill use the A size, although several large
operators are buying the E crate, and a few talk of the C size. Ce ntral
Massachusetts A size very strongly in lead. Vv'estern Massachusetts More
evenly divided between A and B than the other parts of Massachusetts, New
Hampshire About same as eastern Massachusetts. A crate much in lead, but
few will use other two sizes. Maine Very strong for A crate. Vermont Opin-
ion divided between A and B. Connecticut Pretty well split up between A and
B; also some for C. Rhode Island Mostly for A. Hudson Valley Many large
growers say A, but there is considerable sentiment in favor of B size.
Western New York Majority for B size, few for A.

The Vitamins — Functi ons and Food Sources

Some definite information on a much discussed subject has recently
been summarized by Gladys M. Cook, Resident Instructor, and May E. Foley,
Extension Nutritionist, at the State College. Tv/o questions are first an-
swered: Q. What are vitamins? A. They are powerful substances v.'hich occur
in very small quantities in foods, but must be available to the body for
grovrth, maintenance, and health. Q. Is it possible to get too many vitamins?
A. It is not possible to get too many even in foods chosen definitely for
their high vitamin content. It is v/ell to choose a diet which far exceeds
in vitamin content the minimum requirements, (in the following outline wherever
fruits and vegetables constitute a food source, they are underscored.)
Name of Food _Spurcej_

Vitamin What the Vitamir-. Does Excellent Good

A Increases resistance to in-
fection, necessary for health
of membranes lining the dif-
ferent pr.rts of the body,
promotes groirth, etc.

Bi (thiamin) Promotes grovrth,

stimulates appetite, aids di-
gestion and assimilation,
necessary for nerve health,

C Necessary in grovrth and

health of teeth and gums,
important in building new
tissue and in healing wounds,
prevents scurv>', etc.

D* Essential in building bones
and teeth, prevents rickets,
necessary for utilization of
calcium and phosphorus in all
tissues.

Fish oils, butter,
cheese, egg yolk,
liver, green and
yel 1 ow "rcgetables .

VjTiole milk, toma-
toes , ye 1 1 ow
fruits , prunes,
yellow corn meal.

Milk (all kinds) All veg etable s,
v/hole grains, lean liver, lean
pork, peanuts, dried meat, eggs,
beans & peas, brew- enriched flour,
er's yeast. prunes.

Orange s, gra pefru it. Raw vegetables
lemons , tomatoes , (particularly the
cabbage ( ravj) ,~pin- green o nes) , po-
ac h (rfiv.y , straw- tatc^s (when ba'ked
berries ( fres h ]7 or boile d in skir,i7
rasp berries (fresh) . rhub~rb" 7 bananas,

apples (raw) ,liver .

Vitamin D milk,
liver, fat fish
(particularly
salmon and sar-
dines.

Fish liver oils

*Butter, whole milk, and egg yolk may be fair sources of Vitamin D if the cows
and poultry receive feed containing this vitamin.

G (Riboflavin) Promotes growth. Milk, cheese, eggs. All lean meats,

~ important for nerve health, green leafy vegeta- fish, v.'hole grains,

gives sense of increased bles , liver, kidney, dried beans & peas,

vigor, helps to preserve heart, brewer's yeast, peanuts, bananas,
characteristics of youth.

Nicotinic Acid Essential for Liver, lean meat, YJTiole grains, milk,

health of digestive organs, salmon, brewer's eggs, tomatoes,

necessary for skin health, yeast. green vegetables ,

promotes growth, prevents haddock, enriched

pellagra. flour.
Effect of Cooking, Drying, Air, Storage,
and Freezing Upon the Vitamins

A Not easily destroyed.

Bl This vitamin may be lost to a serious extent mechanically in refining the
food, or by discarding the water in which foods are cooked. Long cooking,
high temperatures, and the use of soda in cooking water are very destructive.
C Easily destroyed by cooking - (especially in the presence of air and alkalis),

in drying, storage. Extrenelif soluble in cooking water. Quick freezing of

fruits and vegetables destroys only a small aiaount.
D Not easily destroyed.
G" Like Bx, this vitamin is water-soluble, and may be lost if cooking water is

discarded. More stable to heat than Bi.
Nicotinic Acid - More stable to heat than Bl, but is dissolved in cooking water.

Here's an Idea

Have you ever observed the performance of a fruit tree grov/ing next
to a large shade tree? The outside row of an orchard adjacent to forest trees
may offer a good example. Or if you prefer, let's consider the apple or peach
trees which have as their nearest neighbor a widespreading oak or maple which
was left bj'' the previous owner of the farm to provide shade for his cows.
Fruit trees under these conditions are likely to be somewhat smaller, the
yield is lower, and in extreme oases branches of the fruit tree are tilted
away from the shade tree as it shuns the shade of its towering neighbor. Sev-
eral apple trees in the College orchard where yield records have been kept
over a period of years offer a good example of competition below and above
ground.

If the competition between a maple tree and an apple tree is so ap-
parent, how about the competition between two apple trees growing side by side,
each attempting to exploit the same soil and avail itself of sunlight over the
same area? Let's take, for example, an apple orchard of well grown trees 25
years of age v;ith 54 trees to the acre (40x40 with a tree in the middle of the
square). Each tree must of necessity exert a detrimental influence on the
trees adjacent. If we measure yields on a tree basis each individual tree
is failing to give as good an account of itself as would be the case if it
had unlimited light and unlimited soil. YiTienever we hear of an apple tree
yielding 50 or 60 bushels annually w^e may be sure that the tree in question
is standing by itself and therefore has undisputed claim tc the sunlight on
all sides. ' The point we want to convey is briefly this: The extra trees in
the orchard exert much the sai.ie influence on adjacent trees as is exerted by
adjacent shade trees. We can't always eliminate the competition of these
giants of the forest. But vte can make sure that the spacing in the orchard
provides each tree xvith enough soil and light to bring about efficient pro-
duction of fruit.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 5 Niimber 6

June, 1941

In this Issue:

Popularity of Cortland Increasing

Light Baldwin Elocrti £.nd a Fossible Reason

Clovers and Hay Mulcu in the Orchard

Internal Cork and Dry Summers

A Note on Boron Deficiency

An Experiment in Vertical Drainage

Do You Know?

Fruit Program, Farm and Home ''.Veek

Quality of Apples from Modified Atmosphere Storage

Fire in the Orchard

Control of Oriental Fruit Moth by Mechanical Means

A Long Li^ved Peach Tree

Standardizing Fruit Juices

Semidwarf Trees Doing V.'ell

Nev; Strav/berrv Varieties

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in furtJier-
ance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United
States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - JUNE, 1941

•I. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Popularity of Cortland Increa sing

In a r'ecent' evaluation of apple varieties in the Nortiieastern States,
Cortland stood second to Mcintosh. There are two principal reasons why Cort-
land has been rather slow in gaining popularity. One is a lack of demand in
the markets and the other is its tendency to scald. The former is being over-
come as the variety becomes better knovm. Recent experiments carried on at
Cornell give some suggestions for tlie control of scald. Scald is associated
with immaturity of tlie fruit; it is worse on the larger apples and decreases
with increasing age of the tree. Suggestions for decreasing scald are: Plent_
of nitrogen to hold the leaves late in the fall, so that carbohydrate production
may be greater, wide spacing of the trees and judicious pruning to give the
leaves more sunlight, and spot picking. In years of light rainfall and ample
sunlight in the latter part of the season, Cortland may be stored longer than
in wet seasons with subnormal sunlight. Cortland sticks vrell to tlie tree and
may be allowed to hang until well matured. J. K. Shaw

I/i^'t Baldwin Bloom and a Possi ble Reason

" \Ve hea? reports' o'f a light bloom on Baldwin trees throughout the state
this year. According to our records, this variety also bloomed lightly in the
College Orchard in 1932 when it could not have been due to frost or cold injury,
but must have been caused by subnormal fruit bud formation in 1931. Vieather is
ail important x'actor in the production of fruit buds. The unusual v/eather fac-
tor in the spring of 1931 v.'hile the stage was being set for fruit bud formation
was excessive rainfall. Much the same condition prevailed in 1940. Rainfall
during the spring of 1931 and of 1940 was as follov/s:

April

H^Z

June

Excess during
April, May & June

- .40

43.84

+ .49

+3.93

+3.02

+2.07

-1,29

+3.80

3.35

3.60

3,75

1931 Excess or Deficiency
1940 " " "
Normal Rainfall, inches

7Jhether and why excessive rainfall previous to fruit bud differentia-
tion should be detrimental to fruit bud formation is problematical. It would
not only wash nitrates out of the soil but also would interfere with absorption
of nutrients, especially on poorly aerated soils. This would reduce leaf area
and check fruit bud formation. The excessive rainfall in these two springs may
be a cause of light bloom of Baldvdns or it may be only an interesting coinci-
dence. J. K. Shaw

Clove rs and Hay Mulch in the Orchard

Last summer vfe seeded one of our orchards to a mixture of red, alsike,
and Ladino clovers and obtained a good stand, Alsike and red clovers naturally
predominate, but there are many plants of Ladino clover aiid it may be expected
to increase. The trees in clover are growing well and the leaves show good
color, but trees in the same orchard where mulch was applied on a cultivated

-2-

soil, are also looking well. The soil under the mulch is loose and well aerated.
There are many apple rootlets in this layer of loose soil. They have been at-
tracted either by better aeration, more moisture, or more nutrients, or by all
three. Evidently, earlier benefits may be expected from mulch applied to bare
soil than vihen put on a grass sod. ?ve are seeding two or three acres to mulch
producing crops to see if it is practical to grow mulching material outside the
orchard. J. K. Shaw

Internal Cork and Dry Siimmers

A recent paper by L. P. Latimer of New Hampshire gives data shov/ing
the relation betv;een drouth and the appearance of internal cork in apples.
He finds that the one contributing atmospheric factor definitely responsible
for the inability of the tree to get enough boron for perfect development of
the fruit is extended drouth during June and July. This is in harmony with
our observations in Massachusetts. Growers have the option of sending for
the Rainmaker or using boron in their orchards. J. K. Shaw

A N ot e on Boron Deficiency

In British Columbia it has been found that applications of boron for
preventing internal cork are best made in late summer or early fall. Growers
in Massachusetts who have apple blocks in which this trouble has appeared
should apply borax at the rate of about 1 ounce per inch of trunk diameter.
One pound of borax is ample for even a large tree. A ring application is
recommended owing to the difficulty of broadcasting so small an amount, 30
pounds per acre, in a way that will insure each tree getting its full share.
Although apple trees are less sensitive to boron poisoning thsin most other
plants, there is some danger in overfertilizing with borax. A single borax
treatment will apparently last at least three years after which it may be
necessary to repeat the application* J. K. Shaw

An Experimen t in Vertical Drainage

Farmers often ask about the possibilities of subsoil blasting as a
means of draining wet spots in fields or orchards. An experiment just com-
pleted in Delaware throws some light on this question.

The soil profile in the one acre wet spot under consideration showed
a loam top soil 15 inches deep,, a white clay subsoil 6 feet deep, and a sandy
gravel below that. On August 1, 1937, twelve holes were made with a 2-inch
soil auger on 30 foot centers, 8 to 10 feet deep. Four pounds of dynamite
were loaded in each hole in vertical columns v;ith at least 18 inches of dirt
tamped on top of each load. Vihen the shots were fired very little soil v;as
blown into the air, and few craters appeared. After each rain vertical drain-
age in the area was found sufficient to protect field crope.

The final step, taken December 1, 1937, was to dig a 10-inch hole,
8 feet deep at the point of each blast. This was comparatively easy because
the soil vfas well broken. Six-inch drain tile vfas set vertically in each hole,
and held in place by packing with sand, which acts as a filter to keep out clay
particles. Each tile column was capped 15 inches below the surface to protect
it from cultivating tools.

In June, 1940 an inspection of this area showed that drainage was 90^
satisfactory. Materials required to drain this one acre spot were 50 pounds of

-3-

d\T.amite, 100 feet of 6-inch drain tile and 12 concrete tile caps.

The procedure recoramended tc determine whether subsoil drainage is
feasible is as follows: Hake a soil profile at the wet spot showing (1) deoth
of top soil, (2) depth of impervious subsoil, and (3) depth of sand, gravel or
water-carrying strata, if any. If the water-carrying stratum is close enough
to the surface to indicate that blasting v/ill remedy the wet condition, there
still remain., the question of whether the water-carrying stratum can take care
of the additional surface v.-ater drained into it during periods of heavy rain-
fall. Since there is no economical way to determine this in advance, the only
answer is to try it out. It has been found that if sand or gravel lies within
10 feet of the surface, the Irnd ovmer has better than a bO-50 chance of getting
satisfactory vertical drainage by blasting with dynamite.

Do You Knovr

That peach and apricot trees in the South often fail to leaf out or
bloom until almost midsumjTitr because of too little cold vreather during the
■"/inter months to break the "rest period?"

That leafhoppers have been found to decrease photosynthesis of apple
leaves almost 25%J Under these conditions size and quality of fruit are likely
to suffer.

That an electric fence 62 miles in length has been erected in Florida
to protect crops against deer? This barrier is a 6-strand barbed wire fence
about 7 feet high and extends from La'ce Okeechobee to Fort Myers.

That the so-called Gloucester scries of soils covers a greater area in
Massachusetts than any other? The total percentage of our land area covered
by the five most common t:>rpes is as follows: Gloucester - 20.63^, Hinckley -
6.58^, Carver - Z.d7%, Coloma - 3.16^, Charlton - 2.83^.

That the tolerance on arsenic and on lead, established by the Fool and
Drug Administration, has been changed five times since 1928? The tolerance on
arsenic that year was .03 grains per pound, in 1929, .02;j; 1930, .02; 1931,
.012; 1932-1939, .01, and 1940, .02C. The tolerance on lead is now just twice
that amount, .05 grains per pound.

That a pollen grain under favorable conditions will germinate within
30 minutes a-^ter it reaches the stigma of the blossom? If the temperature is
favorable, many pollen tubes mav traverse the style of the apple and plum
within 48 hours. These sta.tements are laade in a new textbook by Gourley ft
ilowlett, "Modern t^riiit Produeticn."

That there are ".t least 10 times as many 1:|- to Ig-" peaches in a bushel
as there are of 3 to 3-^-" peache;>? The numbers of peaches of different sizes in
^ 50-pou nd bushel are apriroxir.ately as follov.s: 1^ to Ig-" , 960; Ig- to 1 3/4",
611; 1 S/TT^V^ 340; 2' to 2^", 250; 2-|- to 2^", 195; 2-^- to 2 3/4", 140; 2 3/4
to 3", 110; 5 to 3p', 90.

That peach pits are used as fuel in the Far Y;'est? Sun-dried ir. an open
field, they are said to be comparable to hard coal vrnen burned in furnaces and
stoves. Nine years ago a California man was making a bare living by trucking

Light Infect

ion

Moderate Infect:

ion

Severe Infection

0. C. Boyd

.4_

peach pits from a cannery and dumping them in the ocean. Now he is making a
profitable income, because it occurred to him that the pits would make good
lov/-cost fuel.

That the length of the wetting period required for a light infection
of scab on apple leaves varies from 9 to 20 hours, dependent upon air tempera-
ture at the time the infection occurs? The following table, arranged by TJ^, D.
Mills of Cornell University, shows the relationship between temperature, length
of vretting period, and degree of infection. These data assume a condition
where mature scab spores are abundant. They cover a study in western New York
between the years 1924 and 1940,

Hours of Wetting Needed for Leaf In fe c t i on

Temperature (°F)

65-75

F ruit Program, Farm and Home Week, July 51, Aug. 1.

Thursday, July 31
9:00 Equipment Exhibits and Demonstrations
10:30 Review of Current Problems - R. A. Van Meter
11:00 Review of Spraying Season - W. H. Thies
11:30 Hormone Sprays - L. Southwick

Modified Atmosphere Storage - J. K. Shaw
12:30 Luncheon
2:00 How Mcintosh Apples Get Bruised - A. F. Yeager
2:30 Soil Moisture and Irrigation of Orchards - F. S. Hewlett
3:30 Tour of Experimental Plantations

Friday, August 1

9:00 Equipment Exhibits and Demonstrations
10:00 The Army Apple Purchase Program - L. A. Webster
The Consumer Speaks - Eleanor Bateman
Handling Surplus Fruits and Vegetables - C. A. Hainan
11:00 Trends in the Marketing of Fruits - C. B. Denman
12:00 Luncheon
2:00 Crop Estimates - W. E. Piper

Marketing Plans of the Apple Institute - T. H. O'Neill
Advertising Apples - L. A. Webster
3:00 How Orchard Management Affects Fruit Set and Development -

F. «. Hewlett

Q uality of Apples fr om M odif ied Atmosphere Storage

Although qu'ality in fruit iVa difficult thing to measure, everyone
who sampled apples from the modified storage room at the Si>ate College and com-
pared them with apples from ordinary cold storage agrees that modified storage
apples have a better flavor. Even though the oxygen content of the storage
room was higher than it should have been (10?^ instead of 2%) the ripening pro-
cess during the winter was slowed up enough to produce a Mcintosh of better - . .
quality in April thaji was possible in ordinary storage. In freshman chemistry
class vie learned that an oxidizable material burns faster in an atmosphere of purf

oxygen than it does in ordinary' air. The ripening process v;hich goes on inside
an apple might be likened to burning since it involves the intake of oxygen and
the giving off of carbon dioxide. If only a limited amount of oxygen is avail-
able, the ripening process goes on more slowly. This seems to be one of the
advantages of the modified storage.

Fire in the Orcha rd

Many more orchard fires have been reported this spring than in some
years past. The majority of these fires have been started carelessly although
occasionally we find someone who is so shortsighted as to burn over the orchard
floor every spring. Y'e do not recall ever seeing a highly successful orchard
v/hich has received this kind of treatment regularly.

In the minds of some grov;ers burning over the orchard floor is sup-
posed to simplify the pest control program by destroying insects of various
kinds and also scabby leaves. In reality, the loss of mulch material probably
offsets any possible value from the standpoint of pest control. If, as many of
us believe, it is a good policy to stim.ulate groi-vth of vegetation in the orchard
and also to haul in additional mulch, then it seems the height of folly to burn
this important asset. Some individuals imagine they are accomplishing an im-
portant task when they touch a match to the dry grass in an orchard. Here is
a chance to make a tremendous showing for a small amount of effort. But for
every acre burned over it is reasonable to assume that at least five or ten
dollars worth of mulch material goes up in smoke to say nothing of possible
damage to the trees.

From the standpoint of the trees, tlie damage depends to a large extent
upon the thickness of the bark and the amount of dry material adjacent to the
trunk. One of the v;orst cases of damage observed this spring is in a 7-year-old
orchard of vrell grovrn trees v.'here the soil had grown perhaps two tons of hay
per acre for a number of years and this had been crrefully placed around the
trees. Obviously the results were disastrous. The experience of this spring,
however, should not deter the fruit grower from using mulch material in the
orchard. It is entirely possible to mulch heavily without incurring a ^reat
fire risk. A heavy mulch, Vv-ell packed down around the tree, and not too close
to the trunk, seems to be less menacing from the standpoint of fire than a
heavy growth of grass left uncut. One of the best v;ays of safeguarding the
orchard is to clean up adjacent brush and trash. A fire break in the form of
a few furrows around the orchard may sometimes be desirable. An unusual case
of fire damage was reported this spring where the exhaust from a tractor result-
ed in a blaze where an inflammable fertilizer material had been scattered liber-
ally over a dry mulch.

Control of Oriental Fruit iiota by ;.Iechanical Lieans

Recent p+'i'Ji.jS in Indiana show some interesting results in the control
of Oriental fruit moth by removal of infested tv.dgs and fruits. This practice
must be carried out at short intervals beginning early in the season to prevent
a high infestation at harvest time. It is rather common in Europe and Asia but
has been little recommended in the United States. The principal objections are
that such a control practice involves too much tedious labor and that tlie repro-
ductive possibilities of the insect are so great as to preclude any hope of suc-
cess.

The Indiana orchard selected for study showed an infestation of approx-
imately 25^.' in 1935 before infested tv;igs were collected. In 1956 there was ne*

-6-

crop. In 1937 the averare infestation \vas G.l^j with only 2.6>c visible infesta-
tion. In 1938 the visible infestation w&s 1,5^'. In 1939 clipping vms carried
on until the middle of June when the number of infested twigs became so small
that the grower decided it would not pay to continue the practice. At harvest
time, August 25, the infestation in this orchard had built up until it averaged
13% of the crop. The cost of collecting infested tv.dgs amounted to 5/ per bush-
el of harvested fruit. But the resulting fruit was enough better to increase
the price by 16 5/4/ per bushel, thus netting a good profit on the investment.

On the basis of these tests the following observations have been made:

(1) The orchard should be' isolated from other peach and apple plantings.

(2) v:hen attempting control by the removal and destruction of the infested
twigs and fruits care must be exercised to see that no trees are left untreated,

(3) The later the peach variety the greater the number of times the orchard
will have to be looked over. (4) Seasonal conditions often cause considerable
difference in the population of Oriental fruit r.ioth. (5) Twig clipping should
be started early, the entire orchard wor)ced over at least every five days, and
the work continued until less than a month before harvest. (6) Usually more
attention should be given to border rovrs of trees than those in the middle of
the planting. (7) All infested twigs and fruits should be removed each time.
All dead and dying twigs should be removed thus simplifying later examination.
(8) Tree height should be controlled so that all infested twigs can be reached
from the ground with the aid of a short hook. Control by this method reduces
to a minimum brov.-n rot and the necessity of sprays to control this disease.

(10) Debris should be kept cleaned up around the trees. Roadside stands and
packing houses should be kept screened until after the spring emergence is over.

(11) Because of the larval habit of going from one twig to the other at least
tv/ice as many twigs will be removed as larvae. (12) Vfhere conditions make pos-
sible the adoption of this method, and if the work is efficiently done, clipping
of infested tvdgs will yield a reasonable return on the investment.

A Long Lived P ea ch Tree

Stressing the Importance of armual pruning of peach trees, A. J. Down-
ing in his book, "Fruit Trees of America," published in 1872, says he has seen
two peach trees of the same age side by side, one unpruned and the other regu-
larly shortened- in and both bearing about four bushels. The fruit of the
latter, hov/ever, was double the size and incomparably finer. He attributes
the old age of certain antiquated peach trees in France to the annual pruning
which they received. Referring to a tree near Villeneuve de Roi, he writes,
"The tree is trained against one of the v/ings of the mansion, covers a large
space and the circumference of the trunk taken at some distance from the ground
is 2-^- feet. It is knorm to be actually of 93 years' grov>'th and is believed to
be more than 100 years old. It is still in perfect health and vigor. It is
growing in strong soil but it has been regularly subjected to a uniform and
severe syst'^m of pruning, equiimlr-nt to our shortening-in system. VCiere can
any peach ti'ct of half this age be found in the United States, naturally a
much more favorable climate for it than that of France?"

Citrus Fruits are Standardized, Hovr About Apples?

In the February 15 Consumers' Guide reference is made to the fact that
the Federal Food and Drug Administration patrols the citrus fruit industry and
sees to it that only mature fruit is sold in interstate commerce. In the past,
after freezes or frosts the Federal P'ood and Drug Administration has seized
some citrus fruits. At the present time there are no official compulsory fed-

-7-

eral standards for citrus fruits but it is likely that such standards v/ill be
established in the near future under the authority of the Federal Food, Drug
Emd Cosmetic Act of 1938. Unofficial standards which were used as a guide
before the passage of new Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires grapefruit to
contain 7 parts of soluble solids (which is roughly sugar) for each part of
acid. Oranges had to contain 8 parts of soluble solids to one part of acid.

At. interesting story from Australia appears in a recent issue of the
Rural New Yorker. "Australians have shown the way to American producers v.'ho
are interested in seeing that proper standards are maintained for the fast
grov.'ing fruit juice industry. The Australian Apple and Pear Board proposes
to issue sealed certificates tc manufacturers whose goods are analyzed and come
up to the required standards. The Board will receive the cooperation of the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research which will examine all juices
submitted and issue seals. If a product once approved fails to maintain the
required standards the certificate is v/ithdrawn. Publicity is to be under-
taken to acquaint the public ivith the reliability and availability of the
sealed products." This is a step in the right direction. There is too much
poor apple juice on the market. American packers and producers should get to-
gether and set up some scheme of standardization and certification of their
own. Standards for apple juice are now being developed by tlie Eastern Apple
Research Laboratory in Philadelphia under the supervision of J. J. Vrillaman.

Semidwarf Apple Trees Doing V.^ell

Our oldest apple trees en semidwarfing stocks in the College orchard
are now in their fourteenth year. They are about 12 feet tall and behave as
though they wrere not going much higher. The Mcintosh trees yielded about 3 bu.
per tree in their fifth year, and in their thirteenth year produced nearly
10 bu. per tree. This type of tree should be planted 25 or 30 feet apart.
Per acre yields promise to be greater than that of standard trees. They re-
quire a reasonably fertile soil and good fertilization. At the present time
we have several cooperative orchards of these semidv/arfing trees started v.dth
Massachusetts fruit grov/ers. If there are other growers interested in such
trees v.^e wdll be glad to hear from them by July 1 so that, in event of satis-
factory arrangements, we can bud the necessary trees during August, to be set
in the spring of 1943 or 1944. J. K. Shaw

New Strawberry Varieties

Three new strawberries have been named by the U. S., namely, Maytime,
Starbright and Redstar. Maytime is introduced as the earliest variety of high
quality in Maryland, originated as a cross between Missionary and Fairfax.
Starbright is introduced for trial as a midseason commercial and home garden
variety "of great beauty," originated from a cross between Chesapeake and
Fairfax. Redstar is introduced as a very late, firm, commercial and home-
garden variety "of exceptional beauty," originated from a cross between Chesa-
peake and Fairfax.

FRUIT NOTES

Voluifie 5 number 7

July, 1941

In this Issue;

Arkansas Picks llichigan Stra-vvberries

The Farm Labor Situation

Fruit for the Soldier

Farners Exempt from Certain Taxes

Here's an Idea

Lime Penetration

Ilore About Poor Orchard Soils

Profits in ViFe stern Fruit

Do You Know

A Tip From the Retailer

Public health Service Finds Sprayed Apples Hot

Dangerous
rnio's Viho on the F. and 11. VIeek Fruit Program
Yellow Leaves Appear in Orchards
Heavy Peach Crop is Forecast
A Few Recent Bulletins
lliscellaneous Items

Issued by the Extension Service, Y/illard A. Ilunson, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of Ilajr 8 and June 30, 1914, liassachusetts State College,
United States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services
cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - July, 1941

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Arkansas Pic ka Mi chigan Strawberries

On a recent trip to ilichigan I visited the large fruit farm of
Stanley and Glenn Geisler at l.'atervliet, Michigan, Besides peaches and apples
these brothers have twenty acres of strav.'berries. Vv'ith so many strav/terries
hand labor is avoided as much as possible but picking, of course, still has
to be done by hand.

Last spring the labor situation looked rt.thcr desperate and the
Geislers wondered ho\'i'^ they would ever get twenty acres of strawberries picked.
But as the picking season drew near, the pickers began to roll in, whole
families of them. They csme in jalopies, in trucks, and in cars. They
pitched their tents, parked their trailers, or cccupiod \-arious temporary
shelters. Pickers viere plentiful and things looked brighter.

These pickers are an interesting group 7;hose home is Arkansas. They
start with the crop in Louisiana and move north as the crop moves north. One
family had an old Model T Ford -.vith no radiator cap and the steam poured out
like a steam engine. Oth'^rs had the letcst model cars pulling expensive look-
ing up-to-date trailers,

Anoth>-r interesting feature of the Geisler' s strawberry business
is their irrigation system. They have ai: eighty foot well with a deep well
pvimp driven by a Buick motor. The water is carried to the fields in light,
four-inch sectional steel pipes and distributed by a sprinkler system at the
rato of about 150 gallons pr,r minute. I\ii irrigation the first of June saved
their crop this year. J. S. Bailey

The Far m Labor Situ ation

The bimonthly survey of i;he farm labor situation in Massachusetts
has Just been completed. One hundred and sixty-three farmers in all parts of
the State cooperated in this survey. The farm labor situation has become more
stri6us since the first of April. A larger percentage of farmers lost workers
during April and May and v.'agcs per month v;ere about ^2.39 higher than they
were on the first of April.

A considerably larger percentage of farmers report that they were
not able to replace workers that ^vero lor.t. Mtuay of those v'ho report that they
were able to replace the workers who were lost, can do so only v/ith inexper-
ienced help and in some cases only v.dth loj's. Many of the farmers report
that they cannot get the necessary sei.scnal cr day labor this year.

Of the farm workers viho were lo.st during April and May, 115 v/ent to
jobs in industry, 12 were taken by the /nilitary service and 33 "went to work
on other farms. Of the 900 men employed on these farms at present, 149 are
of military age and may be subject to military service. It is encouraging
to note that only 12 men were taken by the military servico during these two
months. This is tangible evidence of the excellent cooperation of the Selective
Service Boards v/ith the farmers in these difficult times.

-2-

Ei£;hty-four farT.ers will need extra help in June a:id July and the
reported need is 2.87 workers. Ninety-four of these are needed on vegetable
farms, 67 on farms rhere livestock is raised, 37 on poultry farms and 25 each
on dairy and fruit farms, 21 on diversified livestock farms and 18 where only
crops are produced. The labor situation is serious on all types of farms
'but at the present time it seems to be most serious on dairy farms or where
the dairy-crop combination of farming is carried on.

Farmers are meeting the labor situation in various ways: 30^^ by re-
ducing farm operations, 25^ by shifting to other crops v/hich require less la-
bor and 32/^ have bou£h-c new machinery. Seventy percent of the farmers re-
gard the situation as serious at the present time and 8i% feel that it v.-ill
become more serious during the summer.

The Massachusetts State Employment Service is cooperating in every
way possible in ivorking out the farm labor problem. They have registered
over 5500 school boys who are willing to work on farms. In April, the Ser-
vice placed 152 agricultural v;orkers throughout the State and 107 during the
month of L'ay, The Employment Service csui and will render valuable help through
its 35 offices in the State,

It is very important that farmers make their labor needs known to
the Employment Service as early as possible. This is particularly true for
fruit grovrers, market gardeners and cranberry growers where a relatively
large quantity of labor is needed. Growers should contact the manager of
their local employment office now and tell him exactly what their needs are.
He will then do his best to provide workers. Your county agent has a list
of the employment offices in the State. The services of these offices are
free to both the farmers and the farm workers, R, E. Moser

Fruit for the Soldier

This summer the United States must be prepared to feed an army of
about one and one-half million men. This is a consuming unit comparable in
size to the city of Detroit. This vast army is scattered around the country
in a nuffiber of separate posts. Instead of having to feed the city of Detroit,
it means the task rof feeding 30 or more cities of the size of Kalamazoo,
Michigan. Translated into dollars, the increase in the army size means the
Government will spend at the rate of about •'^■235,000,000 a year to feed its
soldiers. Approximately v35,000,000 will be spent for fresh fruits and ve-
getables. This amounts to nearly C'100,000 every day for fresh produce.

Men in our army are apparently eating more apples per capita than
civilians. The same is probably true of many other fruits and vegetables.
In other \vords, the soldiers in the United States are enjoying a far better
diet than in some other countries in the v;orld. In Germany, for example, it
is v;ell known that not only fats but fruits and vegetables are needed to main-
tain national efficiency and restore vitsanins and minerals lost in two years
of unbalanced diet. The importance of the fruit industry in national defense
is brought out in a recent editorial in the Aiicrican Fruit Grower, The edi-
torial contains this statement: "For the want of fruit, Germany may lose
the war. Orchards of America are needed to keep our military man power effi-
cient and active and to develop the health and strength of the great body
of American youth being trained for military service," IVe must not, of course,
limit ourselves to the products of the orchard. Small fruits and vegetables

-3-

occupy a prominent place in the Nation's diot. In the May issue of Fruit Notes
you may have read of the foods vjhicl' supply various vitanins. V.'hat v.'e need
is not vitamins in capsule form tut in those "sunshine capsules" which nay
be produced on e^rery farm and in every backyard garden in the country.

Farmers Exempt from Social Security and Unemployment Taxes

j^j^j^ Ri^(r~f I'feT'lboro submi-cs the following item from the July Farm
Journal and Farraer's YCife, "Forced to pay social security and unemploj-Tnent
taxes v;hlch the law exempts farmers from paying, Gaylord Gut-rnsey Farms,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, paid under protest and filed claims for refunds. The
claims denied, suit was filed and the federal district court has ruled in
favor of tiie farm. The Internal Revenue Department claimed the farm should
pay taxes on a showman employed three months to take care of the show herd at
fairs, also on a carpenter v:ho repaired buildings, a bookkeeper, and four or
five truck driver salesmen who delivered and sold i.iilk. The court ruled all
these were exempt. First case of its kind."

Quoting from Mr. Rice's letter "Crchardists have been told that
clerks on fruit stations and all who work on buildings like carpenters are
subject to social security and unemplo^Tnent deduction. The U. 3. Court has
just decided that any employee in an agricultural enterprise and the employer
are exempt v/h ether working on or off the farm."

Here's an Idea

Why not employ women to harvf- st the New England apple crop? This
idea also comes from John Rice of Marlboro. V.'e approve heartily of the idea.
'It. Rice points out that orchardists in California, Texas, and Florida are
employing women very successfully in harvesting citrus fruits. In his own
case he has m.ade arrangements to employ two crev/s of women with v;omen super-
visors. It is suggested that interested growers publicize this matter in lo-
cal papers with the idea of supplementing the meager supply of farm labor
v/hich will be available at harvest time. It is estimated that at least
3,000 additional workers vail be needed this fall to harvest the Massachusetts
apple crop.

L ime Penetration

„ ~''""'l,Iu7t*' lime be harrowed or plowed in to be beneficial? The follow-
ing statement laade by A. B. Bcauiaont in the Hay issue of The Soil Auger
throv;s considerable light on this question: "Observations of the lasting
beneficial effect£3 of surface applications of lime probably account largely
for the prevailing belief that this soil supplement does not penetrate the
subsoil v^hen applied as a top dressing. Some research has shoxvm that lime
penetrates soil comparatively slowly. The texture and porosity of the soil
appear to be important factors in this corj-.ection, penetration being slower
with the heavier, than the lighter, soils. The data below throw some light
on the question of penetration of line :nto a fine sandy loaia, the predomi-
nant texture of Massachusetts soils, as measured by the reaction of the soil
at di.^'ferent depths. In the spring of 1924 lime was applied as top dressing
in two rates tc certain plots used in a pasture experiment. In the fall
of 1940, 16-^ years later, samples of soil from these plots were tested for
reaction. The results are as follo\vs:

Depth

at V.

rhich

sample

v/as

taken

Inche

- 4

- 8

- 12

- 16

- 20

- 24

Limesi

bone appl

led

1924

Pounds per

acre

No lime

3480

10360

4.5

5.6 p!I

6.9 pH

4.7

5.1

6.6

4.7

5.3

6.0

b.l

5.6

5.3

5.6

e.i

5.5

5.8

5.9

The figures show, first, that the surface application of lime has
affected the reaction of the soil to a depth of 20 to 24 inclics at least.
It is not laiown how much deeper an effect was produced because deeper samples
were not talcen. Second, the lasting effect of the lime is shov.Ti,

For practical purposes, a^top-dressing ■' application to Massachusetts
untilled grasslands of 1 to 1^ tons/lime every 3 to 5 years, continued until
reaction of the soil reaches pH 6.0 to 6,5 to a depth of 8 inches, should
prove satisfactory; after that, the reaction may be expected to be maintained
by an application of 1 ton of lime every 5 to 10 years. For tilled land
it is preferable to work the soil through the ploi-red layer by means of plov;
and harrow.

More About Po or Orchard Soils

IVorkers at the Cornell Experiment Station have been leaders in re-
minding us of something we have alv;ays knovm, that some soils are better for
apple trees than others. Moreover, thoy hove told us more than we kncv; be-
fore about good and poor orchard soils. A recent publication gives facts
concerning yields and returns from various orchards in v;estern Nev/ York as
shown below. The soils are rated from 1, (best) to 6, (poorest).

1 2

171 136

tl45 195

105
$86

71
$50

57
$38

Bushels per acre
Receipts per acre

Moral — Get rid of unprofitable orchards on the poorest soils
and see that new plantings are made only on the best orchard soils.

The same publication gives some interesting information on the use
of spray materials, Tv/enty-five years ago the expense of spray materials
per acre vras almost as much for orchards on poor soil as for those on good
soils. Now it is over four times as much for orchards on good soils. The
expense per vlOO of fruit receipts, however, is no greater on the good or-
chards because of higher yields. Expense of spraying the good orchards has
increased about four fold in the last 25 years. With increasing costs of
spraying and management, the Io'vY producing orchard on a poor soil is in-
creasingly at a disadvantage. J, K. Shaw

P rofits in Ve stern Fruit

Folks often ask "How can V.'cstcrn fruit men stay in business, con-
sidering the lev; prices which they receive for fruit?" The Rural New Yorker
presents this explanation based on figures in Better Fruit.

"Tshen yields of apples £s.re 350 boxes ner acre and the selling price
is ^1 a box, there is a loss of $20.50, but ^vhen the ;'ield is 700 boxes,
the proi'it is (172. At 900 boxes the profit is Si-SSS. An average crop in
'^enatchee on full-bearing, heulthy trees is j;;iven in the neighborhood of
700 boxes per acre. If, now, the price is increased from v'l a box to s,1.25
the profit per acre on a JOO-box crop is v£07. Or, shovdng the results in
a different way, the cost per box for a 350-box crop is vl^OG, for a 400-box
crop it is 99 cents, for a 500-box crop it is 38 cents, for a 500-box crop
it is 80 cents, for a 700-box crop it is 75 cents, for a 800-tox crop it
is 72 cents, and for a SOO-box crop it is 69 cents.

Profits on sweet cherries are reckoned at "sero" when cherries are
sold at 6 cents a pound and when the yield per acre is 1 5/4 tons, but they
reach *542.50 when the ;deld is 7 tons. Even at £ cents a pound the pro-
fit is v402.50 on a 7-ton crop, v,1-iereas there is a loss of i,3£ on a 1 3/4-
ton crop.

Peaches and apricots shov; similar relations, with a profit of C2.80
per acre on a 10.8-ton crop sold at v20 a ton, and a profit of C432 on a 21.6-
ton crop at the same price per ton. V/hen the price goes to v60 a ton the pro-
fit fro:;: the 21,6-ton crop may reach vi,33G.

Do You Ilnow

^-^^ That bees carry about three pounds of nectar into the hive for
every pound of honey they store? Then thej, work it over and over in a cur-
rent of air which they make by fanning their wings, until excess moisture is
evaporated.

That there may be as mary as 100,000 species of one particular
group of insects, the parasitic Hj-menoptcra, in existence in the vrorld?
This is tlie group to Vv-hicli the peach moth parasite (Macrocentrus) belongs.

That a leaflet containing more than 30 Apple Recipes may be ob-
tained from the State College? Prepared by i,!ay E. Foley, the leaflet tells
hoTiT to make Apple Pan Dov.'dy, Applesauce Cake, Indian Apple Pudding, and other
tempting dishes too numerous to mention.

That there arc today on farms in tliis country about 60 automobiles,
25 tractors, and 15 motor trucks for every 90 farms? The numbers of horses
and mules on farms in 1940 totaled about 13,368,000 compared with 22,386,000
in 1920? L. Southv:ick

That orna^npntal stock represents about three quarters (74.43^;) of
all nursery sales in the iJnitod States? A country-wide survey of nurseries
reveals this interesting situation. L. S.

That an acre of productive apple orchard utilizes beti^een 44 and
90 grams of boron (or 14 to 25 oz. o^ borax) annually? This is the estimate
of Canadian investigators. L.S.

That orange growers in California and P'lorida recaive almost ex-
actly the same percentage of the consumer's dollar? The distribution among

-6-

different agencies and services is as follows:

Retailer

Packing, etc.

Hauling

Jobber

G-rov;er

California

Z2%

18^0

24JJ

6/0

30^0

Florida

That the total rainfall in Amherst during the first five months
of 1941 was 8.6 inches below normal? The number of inches each month up to
June v/as as follows: 2.21, 1.59, 1.63, ,55, and 2.87. June brought a
rainfall of 6.13 inches. Tiie normal for these months amounts to 3.61, 3.19,
5.70, 3.35, 3.60, and 3.75.

That Bro\vn Rot in peaches is closely related to the circulation of
air in the orchard? Quoting from New Jersey Hort. Fews , "Brovm Rot of the
peach is favored by too closely planted trees, by a site v;here air circu-
lation is poor, because of dense hedge rov;s or woods too close to the or-
chard, by an air pocket fonned by higher surrounding land, and by a tall
growth of weeds during the growing season."

That coal, air and v/ater have '-aQ^-rx converted into a shatter proof
plastic from v;hich a transparent, keen-edged fruit and cake knife is made?
It can be used for cutting citrus fruits w ithout fear of corrosion. Blade
and handle are moulded in one piece.

That the Stamp Plan started experimentally in Rochester, New York
in May, 1939 had been extended by late 1940 to some 275 areas throughout the
United States and was reaching several million persons in needy families?
It is said that if every family in the country making less than ilOO a month
ate as much as families which do make $100 a month, it vrould add two billion
dollars a year to the Nation's food bill. Thirty to thirty five million
acres of land v;ould be required to produce tliat extra food. That's an area
f^bout the size of the state of Iowa,

That largo amounts of available potash are being found under a
hoavT,- mulch even to a depth of two or three feet? Quoting from a recent
Potash News Letter, "Recent experiments show that favorable response of
fruit plants under heavy mulch is due to improved moisture relations, better
supply of nutrients, and of equal Importance, a better supply of readily
available potash. Studies on raspberry plants at Bcltsville, Md. by Darrow
and Llagness showed a much greater cane grov^th and five times as large yields
under the mulch as in the cultivated plots. Determinations of the potash
content of leaves from mulch and cultivated plants shovred 2,39/d and ^Q&'^o
respectively."

That there may be onl;- onc-fil'tu as many blueberries of certain
cultivated varieties in a quart as there are of vv-ild blueberries? In a re-
cent federal publication (Circ. 583), "Atlantic, Pomberton ajid Burlington
Blueberries", mention is made of a sample of wild high bush blueberries
bought from a roadside stand v.iiich had 384 berries to a \ pint cup. The same
cup held 184 berries of the Rubel variety, 100 of Jersey (largest variety
v/idely grown), 82 of Pemborton and 73 of Atlantic.

That v^estern New York growers are talcing steps to prevent un-
necessary bruising of apples? A coimnittec on harvesting and packing practices

-7-

inakes these recommendations: (l) Follow spray practices which v,'ill eliminate
the necessity of washing or brushing the fruit, (2) Pick the fruit carefully
in rig-id containers, employing;; pickers on a timo basis, (o) Yvhere possible,
pack directly from the picking containers without dumping, (4) V.Tien tender
varieties are packed in boxes with a bulge, the container should be stored
and transported on its side, (5) More educational work should be done with the
trade and retail handlers to prevent rough handling from orchard to consumer.

That Ladino Clover is proving a soil conserver par excellenoe?
A, B, BeaiJimont, Extension Soil Conservationst says, "A newcomer ar.iong forage
crops bids fair to become one of our best soil conservers. Ladino, or giant
white clover was introduced into Massachusetts in 1923. The rapid increase
in the acreage of this legume in this state is remarkable: In 1940 there
vvcre a pproximately 2,000 acres of it. Its spreading habit, mat of tough
runners and branching root system make it almost ideal for, holding soil against
forces of erosion. Being a legume it is rich in protein and excellent for
pasture or hay. It thrives best on moist, fertile soils. It appears that
this cr<^P may persist indefinitely under favorable grovjth conditions, but
experience accumulated to date indicates that aproductive life of 3 to 5
years is a reasonable expectation in Ivlassochusetts."

That Indian Orchard, near Springfield, may have derived its name
from the wild fruits harvested there by the Indians, County Agent Y.'. T.
Locke submits this statement found in the Springfield Library, "Below 'Great
Falls' v.'hich v/as Indian Leap, the Chicopee River widens forming v;hat ivas
knoivn as Big Cove, embracing nanj'' acres of comparatively still waters which
surrounded an island containing four acres of fertile land with grape vines
in abundance, also v;ild apples and plum trees. Some of the older residents
declare that this island r;as the 'Indian Orchard' from which our village
was named. The island is now covered by the flowagc from a canali' Mr. Locke
adds that the water impounded by the present dam could cover a good many
four acre islands,

A_Tip from the Re tailer

Retail storekeepers meeting v.dth- fruit growers in Springfield said
that they would welcome an apple grading law v^hich would require that apples
be correctly graded according to quality when on sale in retail stores. They
pointed out that if such a law were enforced, and the storekeeper himself were
penalized for deterioration in quality, ho would learn to be more careful in
handling his apples. He v;ould buy better quality to begin with and he would
so regulate his purchases that his fruit would be cleaned up before it had
a chanc i to deteriorate. Thus the consumer would get better quality fruit
and the conscientious retailer would benefit through the elimination of mis-
labeling by his less scrupulous competitors. J, IV. Dayton

Public Hea lth Servi ce Finds S pra yed Appl es Not Dan gerous

Most fruit groy;ers are aAvare that for the ptTst three years the
U. S. Public Health Service has been conductiz^.g an investigation of the dan-
ger to public health from lead and arsenic residues on apples. A 180-page
report of their work has been published, ivhich should be reassuring to any
wlio fear that their health may bo endangered by eating sprayed apples. Studies
were made of 1231 men, women, and children living in the apple grov/ing regions
of VJashington. Many of the individuals studied were engaged in orchard spray-

• 8-

ing and had a greater exposure to lead and arsenic than consumers of apples.
Only six men and one women showed anj;- sj'mptoms whatever of lead arsenate
poisoning, and these sxTTiptoms v;ere too sliglit to say that these few wire de-
finitely poisoned by lead arsenate. The report fails to show that eating
sprayed apples that have not been washed is dangerous to health. However,
fruit grov/ers should continue to be careful to follow a spray program that
will leave the least residue consistent with control of insects and diseases.

J, K. Shaw

Horm one Sprays

It is expected that manufacturers and dealers v/ill exhibit hor-
mone "drop control" spray materials at the fruit grov/ers' meetings during
Farm and Home ''A'eck. It is probable that most of the brands on the market
will be on display. This will afford a good opportunity to growers to ex-
amine materials, compare costs, and talk with the vari.ous representatives.

L. Southwick

Ethylene Dichloride Em ulsio n

• "The"re""h'a've'Teen rUports of very severe injury to several peach or-
chards in Michigan from the application of ethylene dichloride emulsion for
the control of peach tree borer. One grower is reported to have lost 2,000
out of 3,000 young trees. Although there have been no reports of injury
from this material in Massachusetts anyone considering its use should wait
until we find out more about the situation in Michigan. J. S. Bailey

I.Tio's '.'ho on the Farm and Home T'cel: Program

Bateman, Eleanor, retail market reporter, Llass. Dcpt. of Agric, Boston.
Denman, C. B., agricultural counsel, national Association of Food Chains,

ITashington, D, C.
Hainan, Chester, Surplus Marketing Administration, U. S. D. A., Boston
Hewlett, Freeman S., associate ih horticulture, Agric . Exp. Sta., '.'Vooster,Ohio
O'Neill, Thomas H., llanagcr. New York-New England Apple Institute, ^ie-w York, N.Y.
Piper, V.'alter E., market reporter, Mass. Dcpt. of Agri, Boston
Shaw, Jacob K., research professor of pomology, i.I. S, C.
Southwick, La^-n-cnce, research assistant in pomology, L". S. C.
Thics, Viilbur H., extension horticulturist, 1.1. S. C.

Van Meter, Ralph A., professor of pomology and head of Division of Horti-
culture, M. S. C.
Y.'ebster, Louis., director of markets, Mass. Dept. of Agric, Boston
Yeager, A. F. , head. Department of Horticulture, Univ. of K. H., Durham

F. S. Hewlett of Ohio vdll deliver two talks, the first Thursday
afternoon at two thirty on "Soil iioisture and Irrigation of Orchards, and
the second Friday afternoon at three o'clock on "How Orchard ilanagement
Affects Fruit Set and Development," A. F. Yeager speaks at tv.'o o'clock
Thursday afternoon on "How iiclntosh Apples Get Bruised." Other headliners
on the Friday program include C. B. Den:nan and Chester Hainan who v/ill bring
important information on the marketing of fruits. It looks like a good pro-
gran. T,ith. a little cooperation from the vreather man vie look for a good
attendance at both sessions.

• 9-

Ye llow L eav es App ear in Many Apple Orchards

Lack of rain is making itsolf felt in many apple orchards in
Massachusetts where the smaller leaves which developed early in the season
are turning yellow particularly on trees of the Baldwin and Rhode Island
Greening varieties. This is just what vie should expect in view of the se-
vere shortage of water in the soil. As mentioned elsewhere in this issue,
we experienced a shortage of more than eight inches of rainfall in Amherst
from January 1 until June 1. Other sections of the state appear to be
equally dry. It may be well to remind ourselves again that a large fruit
tree may require as much as 4500 gallons of water during the season. To
supply the daily need v:hen air temperatures are high and the loss of moisture
from the leaves is excessive, the roots must have access to an unfailing
supply. Yl'iere tree roots extend to a depth of eight or ten feet there should
be no yellowing of leaves. But if the entire supply of moisture must be ob-
tained from a layer of soil two or three feot deep, it is easy to imagine
the tremendous competition which goes on between the various leaves on the
tree. This competition may result in a dropping of many of the fruits as
well as a shedding of some of the leaves,

Heavy Peach Crop is Forecast

The United Stat'es peach crop will total about 66,000,000 bushels
according to the latest forecast as compared vdth 54,000,000 bushels in 1940.
Lry weather caused some decline in peach prospects in the southern states
during May,

Representatives from about a dozen peach producing states net in
Columbus, Ohio, June 18, to consider r;ays and means of handling the large
crop. Home canning of peacnes is one of the items stressed at that meeting.
The group represented all important pcacli producing areas, which incidentally
does not include Nnw England. The group requested all branches of the dis-
tributing trade and all state and federal agencies including those dealing
Y:ith nutrition and home economics, defense and marketing, to support a na-
tion-wide cairipaign to stress more home canning of peaches, find also urged
the continuance cf sales efforts in the northern states similar to the peach
campaign which was developed in the South.

A Fovi Recent Bulletins

^"CuTr'x.ppl'es for Dairy Cows," Bui. 326, Va. Agr. Exp. Sta.,
Elacksburg, "Soil Lrosion in Maine and Its Control," Ext. Bui. 2tid , Univ,
of i'iaine, Orcno. "Repairing and Jidjusting llowing ■■iachines ," Ext. Bui. 291,
Univ. of ijaine, Orono, "The Connecticut Apple Industry," Ext. Dul . 306;
Univ. of Conn., Storrs. "The Apple Orchard in New -iaiBpshire," Ext. Bui. 59,
Univ. of IT. II., Durham. "The Biology and Control cf the Round-headed Apple-
tree Borer," Bui. 688, Agric. Exp. Sta., Geneva, N. Y. "The Oriental Fruit
Lloth in Missoyiri," Exp. Gta. Bui. 424, Univ. Of Missouri, Columbia. "Con-
trol of the Apple Maggot," Circ. 145, Conn, Agri. Exp. Sta., New- Haven.
"Soil Reaction (pH) Preferences of Plants," Special Bui 306, ?,Iich. Exp,
Sta., East Lansing, "A Small Practical Vinegar Generator," Circ. Bui. 174,
Mich. State College Exp. Sta., East Lansing. "Orchard Irrigation, " U. S,
D. A,, Farmers' Bui, No, 1518. "Irrigation Problems in Citrus Orchards,"
U. S, D. .... Farmers' Bui. Ac. 1876,

FRUIT NOTES

Vol urne 5 Number 8

August, 1941

In this Issue:

Observations in Franklin County Orchards

Fruit Grading Standards

Chokecherry Leaves Shovj Autuiiin Coloring

Russet Injury on Delicious Apples

Late Appearing Apple Maggot Flies

Do You Know?

Effect of Hormone Sprays on Keeping Quality of Apples

Does It Pay to Store Ordinary Apples?

Issued by the Extension Service, Vjillard A. Hunson, Director, in further-
ance cP Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, I/Iassachu setts State College, United
States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Ser-\rices cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - August, 1941

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Observations in Frank lin County Orchards

Yhe writ'er' n'as ' just~rriade"ar'ser'ies of 22 orchard visits in Colrain,
Aslifield, Slielburne, and other hill tovms in company with Assistant County
Agent Stanley Burt. Practically every farm in this area has its Baldwin
orchard. T.'hen we think of Franklin County we commonly think of Baldv/in apples
because of the prominent part they have played in its agricultural history.
Ivlany shiploads of Baldvdns have been exported to England in years past. And
even though the export trade has disappeared many thousands of Baldwin trees
remain. A large jauriber of these trees are more than 25 years of age, and
as stated in the June issue of Fruit I^otes, the Baldwin crop of the current
season is disappointingly small.

As vife travelled from orchard to orchard during the past tv/o weeks
we vrere impressed with tne foliowijig items: (1) A large proportion of the
Baldwin trees in Franklin County are of doubtful value from a proi'it making
standpoint because of severe v.'inter injury in 1934 or because they are nov;
too old or too tall to render economical apple production possible. On prac-
tically every farm old, tall, scattered Baldwin trees should be cut down and
made into firewood. The wood burning furnace is an ideal market for these
old timers. (2) Orchards v;hich are somev.'hat younger, located on good soils
and sufficiently compact to permit efficient spraying may well be given more
attention. The common practice of cutting hay in the orchard and hauling it
to the barn is not increasing the grower's chance of profit from these trees.
If the older trees are eliminated considerable land now devoted to an unprofit-
able orchard will be released for the growing of hay. '"hatever hay grows in
the orchard should be used for mulching purposes except in rare instances
vfhere the soil is so fertile that a moderate amount may be removed and fed
to livestock. (5) In the orchard, as in other farm enterprises, we are likely
to get out no more than ve put in. If we delay fertilizing, pruning, mulching,
and spraying until some future time when a big crop is in prospect, the big
crop may never appear. \'ie recommend for the more promising Baldwin trees in
Franklin County and elsewhere a little investment, as suggested above. If
they fail to respond, these trees like the old timers whicli have outlived
their usefulness, should be made to contribute to the wood pile. There is
reason to believe that the 1942 bloom xvill be fairly heavj^. The coming fall
and winter is therefore an ideal time to reorganize the orchard by cutting
out the less promising blocks along witn the scattered trees and by doing
something to insure a crop of marketable fruit in the rest of the orchard.

A Borrov;ed Editorial

The following timely statement on "Fruit Grading Standards" in a
recent issue of the Rural New Yorker deserves tlie attention of every fruit
grovjer in Massachusetts.

"Far-sighted fruit growers are looking beyond the minimum grade stand-
ards now in force, to something better. Present day regulations call for cer-
tain size, color, and blemish standards, mostly directed at oxitvTrd appearance.

-2-

But now, creeping into the situation is a desire to set up standards which
will insure a product to the consumer which v.-ill result in complete satis-
faction and repeat orders; standards which will apply to quality from the
standpoint of flavor and use.

"To be sure, some progress has already been made in singling out
the uses and best seasons of certain varieties, as the R. I. Greening apple
for cooking, the Delicious apple for eating out of hand, the Y.'ealthy apple
for Fall, the Mcintosh apple for late Fall and mid-Winter, and the Northern
Spy and Rome apples for Spring. Rut even this is not enough. Orange growers
are turning to standards of fruit quality as judged by acid content, sugar
content, and other analyzable internal fruit characters. This method auto-
matically rules out of the trade those varieties vrhich t-re of inferior qi.iality,
and prevents past- season, soft, unappetizing fruit from reaching the consumer.

"It is a step in the right direction. It is quality that the con-
sumer v, ants and quality he must and will have, all the way from size and ap-
pearance clear through to condition, crispness, flavor, texture, and aroma.
This is the market of the future, and the ore v.iiich growers mast keep constantly
in mind if they are to hold their ovm and progress with the times and with the
competition from other fruits and other sections."

Chokecherry Leaves Show Autumn Coloring

Many Massachusetts roadsides cause the traveller to wonder if the
month is October instead of Auj.ust. Here and there we see a blaze of color
in chokecherries infected by X Disease. In some cases these plants are dan-
gerously near peach orcliards. These telltale signs in chokecherries should
be as effective as a red flag in w^arning peach growers about the menace of
this mysterious disease.

Since 1731 vvhen Peach Yellows were finst recognized, virus diseases
of peaches have intrigued the scientist and worried the fruit grower. Follov/-
ing in the train of the Yellow^s has been an ever increasing list of virus
troubles, including the X Disease which was first noticed in Connecticut in
1933. The visible symptoms of X Disease on peach leaves may le easily recog-
nized. According to E. Li. Stoddard of the Connecticut Station, "About eight
or nine weeks after grovrth starts in the spring, part of t!ie foliage on an
infected tree suddenly will develop indefinite yellovf or light orainge areas
which rapidly increase in size and number until the entire leaf is involved.
V.'ith the progress of the disease the color intensifies, the yellov: and orange
become blended vdth red, and the leaf becomes stiff and brittle. Eventually
most of the foliage on the diseased branches will develop the characteristic
symptoms and drop with the exception of the tip leaves which rarely are shed.

'H'.'hen the leaf symptoms appear, the fruit on the affected parts of
the tree usually shrivels and falls, or continues to hang on the tree as dried
up mummies. The disease does not appear necessarily over an entire tree at
once but may show at first only on a few twigs, or even on only one twig,
spreading irregularly over the tree in subsequent years. This habit often
makes it difficult to spot an infected tree in the orchard. The fact that
diseased peach trees alv/ays are associated with diseased chokecherries leads
to the conolusion that the chokecherry is the original offender. It is not
known by what means the disease is transmitted from chokecherry to peach but
it is supposed that the transmission is made by some insect vector vhioh has
not been discovered vet."

The only practicable means of eliminating chokecherries seems to
te through the use of a weed killer, i-lor.'ing or even grubbing out the roots
is ineffective. Ordinarily a second application on the leaves is sufficient
to put the chokecherries out of commission. A new non-inflamraable material
of considerable promise is nov>r being tested at the State College. The in-
fecting distance appears to be about 300 feet.

Russet Injury on Delicious Apples

"~ Many" f 'a'ct'ors~c'o ntr i b ut e to the russetting of apples, but fundamen-
tally russetting is due to soluble arsenic. Laboratory tests have consistent-
ly shovm the merit of lime in reducing or preventin?^ the formation of soluble
arsenic, and this informetion is the basis for the lime recommendations in
the official spray schedule for apples issued by the State College. The re-
sults from our orchard spraying experiments support laboratory results in
favor of limt. V,'e have not obtained results to support the h;^othesis that
the addition of line weakens the sulfur. While soluble arsenic, in our opin-
ion, is the fundamental cause for the russetting of Delicious and Baldwin
apples and most of the yellowing and dropping of Greening foliage, its forma-
tion in injurious amounts is intimately bound up with cool, moist, slow-drying
weather during the early cover sprat's. That ^^,^6 of weather prevailed in 1940
but not in 1S41. Furtheniiore, almost 100% of the growers are novj using lime
with sulfur and load arsenate ro tha,t russetting in 1941 in commercial orchards
is not as evident as in other years.

At IValtham, Delicious trees sprayed v;ithout the addition of lime,
show typical spray russet on the apples, wliile other trees sprayed vdth lime,
wettable sulfur and lead arsenate in the usual proportions, are free of it.
Yvith the type of drying v;eather that has prevailed this year, there is not
as much yello'.ving and dropping of Greening foliage as in 1940, and up to the
present time the contrasts between lime and no lime in the writer's experi-
ments are not significant.

The number of pounds of lead arsenate and the brand of lead arsenate
can also be factors contributing to arsenical injury on apples. Therefore,
on varieties vxhich are especially susceptible, like Delicious and Baldv;in,
and vmere scab and curculio are not too serious problems, 3 lbs. of leed ar-
senate with 4 lbs, of a high grade wettable sulfur and 6 lbs. of lime w^ould
seem to be an ideal combination for the cover sprays. In one large coirimercial
orchard \'.'here this combination was used this year Delicious is free of russet,

E. F, Guba

Kaybe That's IThere They Come From

Apple grovrers someti-ies say tliat they see no apple maggot flies be-
fore the middle of August. This suggests that the flies may be late in emerg-
ing from the ground in an occasional orchard. A migration of flies from other
trees is a more logical explanation, as illustrated by this observation made
August 12.

On a certain farm in xvestern Massachusetts there is a scattering of
apple trees around the buildings including Yellov; Transparent and i.lclntosh
and a Baldwin orchard about 100 yards away. At the tine of our visit there
were about three bushels of maggot infested apples under a Transparent true,!
practically all of the apples having dropped to the ground, llo flif^s were in

-4-

evidence on that tree. A nearby Mcintosh tree showed considerable maggot
injury in the fruit and sonie of the apples had already dropped because of
maggot infestation. Several flies were observed in this tree. Practically
no maggot damage vias apparent on the Baldv/ins. These observations support
the testimony of entomologists who find that maggot flies attack early var-
ieties such as Transparent, Astrachan, Gravenstein, etc. to a greater extent
during July and August. The Porter variety has long been considered a favor-
ite of the apple maggot. These apples soften up readily and provide an ideal
place for the maggots to develop vrhen the apples drop. This brings up the
question, V.Tiere do maggot flies go after the apples have dropped from the tree?
If they are still interested in laying eggs it is logical to assume that they
will seek other trees the fruit of which is not j'^et infested. Perhaps they
move from trees of summer or fall varieties to trees of winter varieties.
This may account for the appearance of the flies in Ealdviin trees as late as
September. It is quite obvious that if the above mentioned Transparents vrere
gathered up promptly and destroyed there would be fevcer flies to infest later
varieties. Furthermore, this Transparent tree which will not bear a crop in
1942 will make its influence felt in the rest of the orchard as thousands of
flies emerge from the ground beneath it and sally forth in search of a home.

Do You Know

That the production of plows for tractor use exceeds the production of
horse dravm plows in the United States? Disappearance of horses and mules on
American farms in 20 years has taken away the capacity to consume the food
from 70 million acres, according to the census. This is more than the entire
farm acreage of lovia and Missouri combined, and v/ould be sufficient to feed
84 million human population.

That the first half bushel of Michigan's Redhaven peaches brought a record
price of $30? This was the first commercial offering of the new variety on
the Benton Harbor market. It is said to have excellent shipping qualities and
if of a brilliant red color.

That the annual output of United States fruit canning plants amounts to
about 50 million cases? Peaches lead v.'ith over 12 million cases.

That the canned fruit and vegetable requirements from the 1941 pack for
the armed forces of the United States will amount to about 7,900,000 cases of
canned vegetables and 2,250,000 cases of canned fruits? This estimate includes
the combined requirements of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Coast Guard and
Marine Crops, as well as the Army and Nav^'-.

That sulphuric acid mixed with citrus pulp makes a plastic from which
Florida citrus field crates possibly may be made in the future? This new dis-
covery is part of a recently started i" 50, 000 program of citrus research.

That Boj'senberries, Youngberries and Nectarberries account for more than
56 per cent of all bush berry shipments to the Los Angeles and San Francisco
markets? Raspberries rank second in popularity with common blackberries third
and Loganberries fourth.

That a nev; method of determining winter hardiness in apple root stocks
has recently been developed by U.S.D.A. workers? The test consists in freezing
at 20° F. large numbers of apple seedlings and then selecting from the frozen
plants the small number that show little or no injury, '

-5-

That 10 years of investigations ot the Fruit Products Laboratory of the
University of California have resulted in the perfection of formulas for fruit
candies not only pleasing to the taste but high in dietary value? According
to ViT. V. Cruess, these candies offer an outlet for surplus prunes, peaches,
pears, figs, raisins, and apricots. Fruit candy formulas are prir.ted in
Circular 10 of the California College of Agriculture in Berkeley.

That Ontario vromen are being organized to do farm labor by the Farm Ser-
vice Force in conjunction with the Ontario Department of Labor? They are
needed for three kinds of work: (1) on fruit and vegetable farms; (2) in
fruit pickers' camps — as camp mothers, cooks and assistants; (3) in canneries
and packing houses.

That a ladder with a novel joint action so it can be used as either a
step ladder or a straight ladder has been invented? This ladder comes in
five sizes, is very rigid and should be useful both for pruning and harvesting.

That a colloid mill process being tested by the N.Y. Agr. Exp. Sta. in
the making of fruit juices ^.Ives additional nutritional qualities to the juice
and also strengthens its flavor? The mill may be used on vegetables as well
as fruits. Grinding of the cores, skins, fibers and other parts releases
concentrated food values not obtained by usual processes.

That the oeople of Ireland, in spite of nearness to the European V.'ar
retain their sense of Jp-u:":ior? T. L. Doran of the Dept. of Botany, sends us
this clipping fro:u the Meath Chronicle and V est Heath Herald published in
Cavan, Ireland. Quoting from a column called A Fly Round Cavan, "A funeral
was seen passing through Bailioboro at half past tv.'elx-^e on Sunday night:
four men dressed in white were carrying the coffin: there was no lid on the
coffin, and the corpse was sitting up and he was singing to the top of his
voice: 'Eat More Fruit.'"

That an orchard sprayer of an entirely new tj'pe is being tested in a
Maryland orchard? A. ?. Vierheller, Extension Horticulturist, writes, "The
machine consists of a large steel cylinder, hauled horizontally as a trailer
back of a tractor. The cylinder houses the spray tank, motor, large air
propeller, f.nd a system of nozzles. The liquid is fed to the nozzles at
40 pounds of pressure and is blown into the trees with great force by the
propeller which makes a driving mist. An operator located in the cylinder
controls the amount of spray and the speed of the propeller."

That the presence of very small quantities of a given element in leaves
may be detected by means of a spectroscope? In recent experiments with grape
leaves the boron content of leaf samples from treated and untreated vines of
several varieties was determined by this raothod. These analyses are in very
close agreement v;ith the observed deficiency symptoms. The Ontario variety
which seems to be very susceptible to the deficiency, shovred a much higher
boron level in both treated and untreated vines than the other varieties.

That apple ice cream is a recent addition to the list of delectable apple
products? 0. C. Roberts submits this recipe which he recommends: 3 qts. 20$^
cream, 24 whole eggs, 5f- lbs granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 lbs. whole
apples. Hix all ingredients except apples and cook in a double boiler or

steamer until they just barely reach a boil, then cool. Slice the unpeeled
and uncored apples and cook in as little v;ater as possible until they are
soft enough to run through a sieve. After this allow to cool and add pulp
and Juices to the cream mixture. Pour into freezer. This nix v/ill make
approximately 5 gallons of apple ice cream.

That an excessive application of borax may affect the storage quality
of apples? Australian workers report that such an application affects ad-
versely the storage quality of apples of the Jonathan variety by increasing
the aznount of internal breakdovm. Applications of one-half pound per tree
resulted in no injury, but applications of one pound, and especially three
pounds per tree were harmful. Not only was the keeping quality of the fruit
affected, but the leaves of trees receiving excessive amounts of borax were
small and paperj' v.dth sjnnptoms of scorching.

That fruit pectin is proving very effective in surgery in the treatment
of wounds? After more than three years' use of pectin solution in the treat-
ment of a sizable series of various types of wounds, investigators find that
such therapy results in a very prom.pt response \".dth cleaner wounds and a rapid
groTA.'th of tissue. The method seems to be of particular value in the chronic
type of lesion v;hich often resists all other therapeutic efforts.

That the State of Missouri is planning to tax apple growers to enforce the
present grading law and to ad->-ertise and promote apples? The J'issouri Senate
passed the rlissouri apple tax and grading bill on June 18 which provides for
a penny assessment on every bushel of apples except for 500 bushels vfhich are
exempt. The bill now must be signed by the Governor.

That a more general use of standard U. S. grades for apples is indicated
in the Ilortheastt The State College in cooperation with the Division of Mar-
kets, is now working on a simplified outline covering the more important U. S.
grades. An illustrated chart similar to the one on Massachusetts grades pre-
pared about 10 years ago, is contenplated.

That August is a critical month in the new strawberry planting? A vigor-
ous grovjth of runner plants should be stimulated this laonth, v.'eeds should be
eliminated regularly, and for best results runner plants should be properly
spaced.

That tlie Depart.aent of Labor and Industries has a labor lav bulletin
which contains the complete law relating to the vrorx of the Division of In-
dustrial Safety and that it covers labor laws as related to Agriculture?
Following are three items in these laws: (1) The Division of I^idustrial
Safety has no jurisdiction over agricultural labor as such, except in such
accessories as stripping, sorting, manufacturing or packing tobacco, cider
making and other similar operations. (2) The child labor laws are liberal
in the case of children employed in domestic service or on farms. Children
between 14 and 16 who have completed the sixth grade may be granted a permit
to work on the farm or to engage in domestic service. (3) During vacation
or outside of school hours, no such permit is required nor is a permit re-
quired for children above the f.ge of 15. In case of certain other t^.'pes of
work (not farm work) however, permits are required up to the age of 21.

That Apple Llarket Reports are issued regularly by the Division of l.iarkets
of the Liass. Dept. of Agr. from August to !,iay, twice weekly during the heaver
shipping period, and v.'eekty for the remainder of the marketing seasonj These

-7-

reports may be obtained for a moderate charge by sending a request to W. R. Cole,
Sec'y. of .I.F.G.A., Arnhf^rst, "lass.

The Effect of Hon.ione or Grovrbh Substance Sprays on the Keepin g Quality of
Apples

~-~- Recent experiments at the University of Illinois indicate that tre
use 0-'' hormone or grovrth substance sprays does not Impair the keeping quality
of apples sprayed with such materials. In these experiments Jonatnan, Grines,
and r.'inesap apples xvhich had been sprayed with three different brands of hor-
mone raaterials were subjected to a critical exa;mnation at monthly intervals
during the storage period. Y-'ith apples picked at the optimum stage of maturity
no significant difference in keeping quality was observed betwesn those
sprayed vith the various gro'v.'th substances and those which had received
no spray.

Jonathan apples v;hich were allovjcd to remain on the tree two weeks
beyond the optimum stage of maturity ripened faster in storage, lost weight
m.ore rapidly, and developed a higher percentage of Jonathan spot than the early
picked apples. Late picked Grimes ripened faster and lost weight more rapidly
than thore picked at the optimum stage of maturity. Late picked Yfinesap, free
from v:atercore, seemed to keep as well and lost vreight no more rapidly than
those picked tvro weeks earlier, but thr percentage of vxatercore in the late
picked fruit was considerably higher thrn in that picked earlier.

The results of these e::<:peri,Tients suggest that ripening of apples
in storage is not affected by the application of hormone sprays vjhen the apples
are picked at approximately the optim.um stage of maturity. However, excessive
delay in harvesting varieties v/hich respond to the use of horm.one sprays is
likely to shorten the storage life of the fruit. 0. C. Roberts

Does It Pay to Store Ordinary Apples?

An appie buyer of a form.er day classified apples according to three
grades: good, ordinary, very ordinary. \"e all know xvhat should be done with
"very ordinary apples." liow- about the middle class, ordinary apples? The
following summary of receipts and expenses furnished by a Y/orcetiter County
grower, tells its ovm story. Concerning a certain lot of applet, he says,
"At picking time I realized that they were not all good enough grade to stand
a storage e::pense of 26fi a bushel, so I put them in a less expensive storage
and paid 15i2^. Other expenses were: picking 10/, supervision and hauling 3/,
box 10/, nails, slats, shredded paper, liners, etc. 3/, transportation to
storage (20 miles) 5/, transportation from the storage to the point of sale 5/,
and some^vhere along the line, grading, packing and sorting 10/. Then if these
apples sold for 6r:/ the cormission amountr;d to 0-^-/. Adding all of these items,
vre get a total cost of G7g/ which means a net loss of 2|/ a bushel in addition
to the cost of grov;i}ig the apples.

"These are figures which are nlain as day and accessible to all of us,
and I wonder if a more thorough knowledge of them might not stop the movement
of some such apples to market. I feel that if we can possibly work a lot of
the cheap apples into horticultural by-products, cider or stock feed, we will
be helping ourselves soi'icwhat and the apple business tremendously."

FRUIT TOTES

Volume 5 Number 9

September, 1941

In this Issue:

Here's an Idea

Hormone Spraying

Alumni Seminar in Pomology

U. S. Apple Grades

Federal Buying Program Gets Under Vlay

The Nevi York Fruit Testing Association

Fruit Growing in Canada

Do You Know?

A Visit to the Champlain Valley

Effect of Slope on a Raspberry Planting

Pointers from the Maryland Sumnier Meeting

More About Ethylene Bichloride Emulsion

ViTild Grapes

Issued by the Extension Service, Vi'illard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - September, 1941

T.-. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Here's an Idea

Although apples have been graded according to either the U. S. or
the Mass. Grade standards by some of our larger growers for a number of years,
the bulk of our commercial crop is sold with relatively little grading. Many
ordinary crops are sold "Orchard Run" vdth "Ciders" out. One of the most
common practies is to sort out so-called "No. I's" and "No. 2's." Your
guess as to the meaning of the term "No. 1" is as good as the writer's, per-
haps better. Generally, "Na. 1" means the best apples in the orchard. But
the border line between "I's" and "2's" is flexible. At least, it is flexible
enough to fit both the grower's conscience and the pri»e offered by the buyer.
We've actually seen a farmer sorting out so-called "I's" and "2's" from a
crop which looked as if it had not been sprayed. There are probably as many
different conceptions of a "No. 1" apple as there are grov;ers using that term.
"Someone has suggested a "{Futility" Grade as appropriate here.) But when we
say "U. S. No. 1," we have in mind a standard in which color, tolerated blem-
ishes, etc., are clearly defined. A "U. S. No, 1" apple has the same meaning
in Massachusetts as it has in Michigan. It is a common denominator for apples
from, any section, recognized wherever apples are bought and sol^d. Further-
more, Federal purchases are being made on the basis of U. S. Grades.

The idea we want to convey is briefly this: Instead of continuing
to pack apples on the hit and miss basis here outlined, why not pack accord-
ing to the U. S. standards? These grades are less complicated than most folks
believe. And v/hen once we get in mind the few simple requirements, it is like
measuring the individual crop with a yardstick instead of a rubber band.

In this issue of Fruit Notes will be found a brief statement of the
U. S. Grade Requirements. It will be noted that the first three Grades, "Fancy,"
"No. 1," and "Commercial,'' have the same blemish tolerances. They differ only
in the amount of color. The "Utility" Grade involves another set of blemish
tolerances. Here we have a plan by which apples of 1st quality may be separated
from those of 2nd Quality. Sorting the crop on that basis instead of the out-
dated No. 1 and No. 2 basis, we are prepared to sell in competition vath other
apples in any market in the country. If fruit is of High Color and has been
sorted out on the basis of 1st Quality, it may be marked "U. S. Fancy." If it
has Good Color, it may be marked "U. S. No. 1." In the case «tf Mcintosh, the
first grade requires 50% Color, the second grade, 25% Color.

Hormone Spraying

We will be interested in reports from fruit., growers anywhere concern-
ing the success of spraying to control fruit drop. Special blanks are avail-
able and have been sent out to a few grov/ers, but they are not by any means
necessary for reporting. A copy of Bulletin No. 381, "Spraying to Control
Preharvfcst Drop of Apples," is available to anyone who writes in for it.

L. Southwick

Alumni Semina r in Pomology

On November 14 and 15 the Department of Pomology xvill conduct seminar
meetings, mainly for graduates, to review some of the nev;er things in fruit grow-
ing. -Vi'atch Fruit Notes next month for program. R. A. Van Meter

U. S. APPLE GRADES
An Outline of Principal Grade Requirements

Official Grade Name Grade Characteristics

("U.S. Fancy" High color )

1st Quality ("U.S. No, 1" Good color ) Mature, hand picked

("U.S. Commercial" No color req'd. )

(Same blemish tolerance on all three grades)

2nd Quality ("U.S. Utility" No color req'd. Mature, handpicked

Blemishes Allov;ed in U. S. Grades

1st Quality 2nd Quality

^ancy," ''Wo.l," and"Ccmmercial" Grades "Utility" Grade

Form: fairly well formed. Not seriously deformed.

Russeting: smooth, solid - not over lOj!^ of Smooth solid - not over ^ of the sur-
surface . Slightly rough - not over -g- in. face.
in the aggregate. Rough - not over \ in.

Sunburn or sprayburn: no blistering or Must not seriously detract from the
cracking or prominent discolored area. appearance of the fruit.

Limb rubs ; dark brovm or black - not over Hot over l/lo of the surface.
^ in. in diameter. Light brovm - not
over 1 in. in diameter.

Plail marks, drought spots, etc. ; not over Superficial; not over l/lO of the sur-
^ in. in aggregate diameter; must be face. Healed breaks in skin - not over
superficial. ^ in. No unhealed breaks in skin. No

marked deformity.

Scab spots; not over ■!• in. in 'aggregate Not over 3/4 in. in the aggregate; all
diameter; must be corked over. must be corked over.

Cedar rust: not over ^ in. in aggregate Not over 3/4 in. in the aggregate.

diameter.
Sooty blotch or fly speck : Thin - not Not over l/3 the surface.

over l/lO of surface. Heavy - not over

^ in. in diameter.

T.''orm holes ; none. None.

Healed insect stings : not more than 2; Not more than 5 healed stings,
none over l/S in. in diameter.

Visible water core; not over -g- inch.

Color Requirements of "U.S. Fancy" and "U . S .No.l " for a Few Comm on Varieties

"U.S. Fancy" "U.S. No.l"

Mcintosh 50^ 26^

Opalescent " «

Baldwin Z3% 15^

Cortland " «

Delicious " "

Early Mcintosh " «

Northern Spy " "

Rome " «

Wealthy " «

Williams " «•

Gravenstein 2b% Tinge

Oldenburg «• n

Red Astrachan " "

(Further details and information concerning Special Grades available on request.)

' w

-3-

Federal Buying Program Gets Under T'ay

Purchase Announcement No. T issued by the Boston office of the S.I.'I.A.
contains the following statement covering Varieties, Grades, Sizes and Prices
of apples to be purchased, beginning September 11, 1941.

Classification "A": Delicious, R. I. Greening, Mcintosh, Northern Spy,

Cortland and Baldwin.
U. S. No. 1 Size 2-p' to 2|-" "~r 85 cents

Classification "B": V^galthy, Wagener, and Gravenstein.

■J. S. No. 1 Size 2g" minimum 95 cents

V. S. No. 1 Size 2^" minimum 85 cents

Vfagener and Gravenstein
Combination U. S. No. 1 and Utility Size 2i" minimum • 65 cants
Combination U< S. No. 1 and Utility Size 2|-" minimum . 75 cents

Complete details concerning Loading Instructions, Containers, Inspec-
tion, etc., may be obtained from j^our county agricultural agent or from a member
of the Industry Coinmittee. The Committee members are as follov/s: Harold A.
Priest, Gleasondale, Chairman; John R. Chandler, Sterling Junction; R. E. Peck,
Shelburne; V^. H. Thies, Amherst; H. P. Gilmore, Y.'estboro; A. M. Hov/ard, Pitts-
field; IVilliam R. Cole, Amherst.

The Nev/ York State Fruit Testing Association

This association is well knovm to many of our fruit growers- It has
introduced many new varieties bred by the W. Y. Geneva Experiment Station and
elsewhere. The annual meeting is scheduled for September 18 when there will be
discussions of new varieties led by many v;ell knovm pomologists. The r eport
for the past year shows a decrease in business. The association must have in-
creased support from fruit growers if it is to prosper as in the past. It has
done a good work and is worthy of support from all progressive fruit men.

J. K. Shaw

Fruit Growing in Canada

On a recent vacation trip, the writer travelled through the fruit
growing regions of the Annapolis Valley and New Brunsvdck. The Annapolis Valley
is an old fruit grov/ing section. In recent years grov/ers have had their share
of troubles and many of the orchards look neglected. Evidently fertilizer pur-
chases, spraying and pruning have been reduced to a minimum. Other orchards
look vigorous and healthy. The crop does not appear to be very heaver and the
quality not the highest. In the past, most of the Nova Scotia apples have been
exported and of course the eJtport market is now non-existent. However, I was
told that the British Government had ordered a million barrels to be dehydrated
for shipment to Great Britain. This will be quite a sizeable proportion of the
crop, vAich is usually around 2,000,000 barrels. It will tax the dehydrating
facilities of the Valley to handle this quantity of apples, but they think
they will be able to do it.

The New Brunswick orchards seen were around Frederickton. These or-
chards are younger and on the whole look better and the crop is considerably
heavier than that of Nova Scotia, although presumably the total amount will be
less. J. K. Shaw

-4-

Do You Know

That sawdust is being used successfully as a mulch in nut nurseries?
A mixed oak and pine sawdust applied three inches deep over the surface has
given highly satisfactory results in conserving soil moisture and in retarding
weed grov.'th at Beltsville, Maryland. The sawdust aided materially in capturing
light rains.

That a reduction in freight rates has been granted to apple growers in
the Northwest amounting to 2 to 11 cents per box? This will mean an estimated
saving amounting to approximately $1,600,000 for the growers in that area.

That "Banged-up Fruit Means Knock-dorm Prices?" This slogan on a
placard is being displayed prominently in some of the packing houses in Maryland.

That the 1942 Marginal Tree Removal Program provides for a payment of
75 cents per tree for trees over 20 inches in diameter? The rates of payment
offered by the AAA for the "removal of diseased or uneconomic fruit and nut trees,
the major portion of whose fruit is of inferior quality" are as folloi.vs: Trees
5 to 12 inches in diameter, 30 cents per tree; trees 12 to 20 inches in diameter,
50 cents per tree; trees over 20 inches in diameter, 75 cents per tree.

That the commercial apple crop this year is estim.ated to total 125.6
million bushels compared vdth 114,4 million last year? Indications are that the
greatest increases in production over last year are in the summer and fall var-
ieties.

That the California Valencia orange production is estimated this year
at 27.1 million boxes? Last year 26.9 million boxes were produced. The esti-
mated lemon crop will be 16,2 million boxes compared vifith 12 million last year.

That more than 5,000 ounces of apple pollen was gathered by commercial
companies for use in hand pollinating orchards In Chelan County (Washington)
alone during the past season?

That smoked, sugar-cured ham, boiled in cider, is considered a delicacy?
It is reported to have been one of George V.'ashington' s favorite dishes.

That tender grass, dried, is estimated to contain about 23 time^ as much
Vitamin A as carrots, 22 times as much B-2 as lettuce, 9 times as much B-1 as green,
leafy vegetables and 14 times as much Vitamin C as tomatoes and citrus fruits?

That a nev;, promising, non-inflammable weed killer (ammonium sulfamate)
is now available in small quantities at a moderate price?

That the Damson is one of the few self-fertile plum varieties? A few
days ago the writer sav; a Damson tree in Bristol County bearing an exceptionally
heavy crop even though there v.'ere no other varieties of plums nearby, v/hich seems
to support the above statement.

That there are approximately 624,000 species of insects in the world?
Of about 20,000 recorded in this country, 6,000 at least, are actual pests.

That there are about as many rats as people in the United States? The
Federal Fish and Wild Life Service says there are about 123,000,000 rats in this
country, almost one for each human inhabitant. The annual "rat loss" is estimated
at $189,000,000.

• 5-

Mice sometimes damage fruit trees as early as September? Control
measures are most needed in orchards which have a heavj/- grass cover. Too much
reliance must not be placed in wire guards.

That much may be learned from roadside cuts, gravel banks, building
excavations, etc., about the fitness of a soil for agricultural purposes? There
are literally hundreds of places in Massachusetts where soil profiles have been
exposed to show the characteristics of our various soil typos.

That an annual pruning plus tvra or three applications of Bordeaux Mix-
ture is likely to mean the difference betvreen a crop of good grapes and a few
poorly filled clusters of partially \vithered berries? Vj"hile harvesting the grape
crop ^ve have a good chance to evaluate our pruning and spraying methods.

That an obscure fungus disease of apple trees may cause the leaves on one
or more branches to take on a silvery appearance? This disease is appropriately
known as Silver Leaf. It was observed in several Massachusetts orchards during
the past summer.

A Visit to the Champlain Valley

A recent letter from H. P. Gilraore of Vrestboro tells of a visit to the
Cham.plain Valley of New York. Among his comments are these: "The orchards I
visited had a fine crop of Mcintosh of fully as good size and better color than
ours here. They have had groiving conditions very similar to ours this past
season. It has been very dry so there is very little scab in the well cared
for orchards. Codling moth is a little more in evidence than in our best orchards.
Second brood leaf hoppers were just showing up and I saw a few infestations of
red mite and maggot. So their conditions are very much like ours. The main var-
iety is Mcintosh. That variety makes up 80 or 90% of the crop in the orchards
visited. In the older orchards Fameuse was used as a pollenizer but since the
loss of the Canadian market, the trees are being grafted over to Delicious and
Cortland. It may be a bit too far north for Delicious which do not look as v;ell
as some of ours. The Baldwins were badly frozen out in the winter of 1933-34.
Some Greenings are also grown. The severe freeze also seriously injured some
Mcintosh trees as evidenced by some black heart and dying back. V.inter injury
is one of their worst fears ^vith the result that nitrogen fertilizers are used
rather too sparingly to prevent late grovrth. The one outstanding difference on
first inspection is the absence of hurricane damaged trees. They were fortunate
to escape the hurricane of 1938. Labor costs are slightly lower than ours. I
had a very enjoyable visit with A. E. Burrell who gave me a lot of information
on orcharding in the Valley and made my trip most interesting."

Ef fect of Slope on a Raspberry Planting

Does the direction of slope have anj'-thing to do with success in raspberry
grovdng? According to Andrev: Love of Auburn it exerts a real influence. He
writes: "In 1935 I planted l/3 of an acre of raspberries on a northern slope.
On the top of the slope are woods which check southern and southwestern winds.
At that time I had two other beds on the other side of the hill on equally well
drained and v/ell fertilized soil, one an acre, the other -^ acre in area. This
gave me beds on direct northern and direct southern exposures for comparison.
The acre bed on a southern slope grew v/ell and suffered severe winter injury for
several years. The hurricane did a good job of v/recking it so I plowed it under
in 1939. I have never had any real luck with the \ acre bed, also on a southern
slope. Some years I get a fev; berries but most years, I take the job of growing

-6-

a beautiful hedge as one of my losses. On the northern slope I have had crops
every year, and good ones too, until this year.' I find that very few rasp-
berries around the county lived over last winter."

Pointers fr om the Maryland Summer Meeting

IrTa recent News Letter issued by A. F. Vierheller, Extension Horti-
culturist in Maryland, vre note these points of interest: (1) In a terraced
peach orchard at Smithsburg, Md., bait pails are being used as one means of
controlling Oriental fruit moth. A mixture of lignin pitch and terpinyl ace-
tate is placed in quart engine oil cans, using 8 to the acre. (2) New cover
crop plants under test shov; Reed Canary Grass and Tall Oat Grass as promising
for' grov.'ing mulch material outside the orchard. (3) Concerning the use of ethy-
lene dichloride for peach borer control, the vnriter says, "It is necessary to
tamp all soil cracks around the trunk, then pour the proper amount of material,
diluted according to directions for tree age, on the soil around the base of the
tree and not on the tree trunk. (4) C. P. Harley says that water core in apples
is due to high temperature causing hydrolysis of starch, thus increasing osmotic
pressure in the cells, causing them to rupture. If the leaves are well supplied
v/ith nitrogen they build up starch much faster and if high temperatures occur,
water core results. In short, the apple cells become "droimed out."

More About Ethylene Dichloride Emulsion

Ethylene dichloride emulsion looked very promising as a control for
peach tree borers when it was first introduced. It still looks promising. But
the number of reports of iQjury following its use indicate that it is still in
the experimental stage. Most cases of injury have been traced to careless prep-
aration or application of the emulsion. In other ;vords, it hasn't yet been made
"foolproof." On the other hand, injury has sometimes resulted where everything
seems to have been done according to directions. These few cases suggest that
some factors such as varietal differences, condition of the trees, or soil type
may be involved.

Further reports on the use of this material have come from M^^chigan,
New Jersey and New York. The Michigan Experiment Station has tried ethylene
dichloride emulsion in various parts of that state during the past three years
without observing injury anywhere. But several Michigan growers had very se-
vere injury to a large number of trees as a result of the application of this
material in the fall of 1940. One grov.'er severely damaged 3,000 out of 4,000
3-year old trees. The injury appeared in the form of dead areas on the roots
four to six inches below the ground level. This is not like the usual form of
winter injury in Michigan, v;hich appears at or very near the soil level.

M. A. Blake, in recent issues of the New Jersey State Horticultural
Society News, reports on injury vdiich occurred on the Experiment Station grounds
at New Brunswick. Some 3-year old seedling peach trees were treated v/ith ethy-
lene dichloride emulsion in October. A short time later some of these trees
showed evidence of severe injury. Professor Blake described the injury as fol-
lows: Severe injury from this chemical in the form of brovmed cambium and
inner bark of the main trunk near the soil appeared on a few trees a few days
after the treatment. The affected area extended upward towards the branches.
By mid-winter the brown bark of severely injured trees could be detected at
some distance. VyTiile injury was relatively light, the inner bark and cambium
were only slightly discolored. In the more mild cases the discoloration was
yellowish and the tissue of the inner bark appeared more spongy than normal.

-7-

Such slightly injured trees T;ere delayed in foliation the following spring. Such
trees greatly reser.ble winter injured specimens, including the symptoms of bark
injury. A report from New York State states that where injury from ethylene di-
chloridc occurred, it was due to improper or careless preparation and application
of the emulsion.

Ethylene dichloride emulsion v/as used again last fall on several of the
State College peach orchards. It was applied on several different dates and on
trees of several different ages, but in only one orchard was any injury observed.
It is very doubtful if injury in this case was due to the gbhylene dichloride. It
looked more like winter injury to trees weakened by unfavorable soil conditions
and an unusually heavy infestation of borers. Although there is no clear-cut
evidence of injury from ethylene dichloride in Massachusetts, experience else-
v/he're indicates that this material should be used with caution. For the present
it seems wise for Massachusetts growers to stick to v/orming with a knife and
vdre for a few trees, or paradichlorobenzine for large numbers of trees.

If some growers wish to try ethylene dichloride emulsion experimentally
on a small scale, they should be particularly carefal about three things: First,
make up the emulsion to the proper strength. And don't add a little more for good
measure. This may please the buyers of your peaches but it won't work here.

Second, measure out carefully the amount of emulsion to be applied to
each tree. Don't overdose. The old saying, "If a little is good, more is better,"
doesn't apply. Overdosing vjHI certainly get you into trouble. Third, keep the
emulsion off the trunks of the trees. Dr. Snapp's first recommendation was to
pour or spray the material on the trunks. Later experience shov;ed this is a
dangerous v;ay of applying the material. He therefore changed his recommendation
a year ago and advised keeping the material off the trunks.

Anyone using this material should keep careful notes on hov; the emulsion
was made up, the amount used, time of application, and condition of the trees.
Then the trees should be observed every week or two during the remainder of the
fall and early winter to see if and v;hen injury appears.

J- S. Bailey

Ta'ild Grapes

fFe delightful aromas of the fruit harvest season are among the uncounted
dividends of the fruit business. It matters not whether apples, peaches or grapes
are in the process of being packed, each lends its characteristic aroma to the
packing house. For lack of suitable adjectives, the writer refrains from attempt-
ing to describe the subtle fragrance v.'hich cones from each ripening fruit. V.'ild
grapes seem to possess an odor not even surpassed by their cultivated relatives.
A few days ago this fact was impressed upon us as \ve carried a peck of wild grapes
in the back seat of the car during a tv/o days' trip. Eacli time the door v;as open-
ed these vdld grapes, in spite of their tough skins, revealed their presence.
Later they were made into grape juice and in that form proved a second delight.
Not that we would recommend the cultivation of wild grapes. But if they grow in
profusion nearby let's take time to pick enough of them to enjoy their character-
istic odor and some delicious juice or jelly as well. Incidentally, it is claimed
that few, if any, of the blossoms which develop on wild grapes are perfect. In
other words, they are either staminate or pistillate. This accounts for the fact
that some vines produce no grapes at all v;hile others produce an abundant crop.

FRUIT NOTES

Volume 5 Kumber 10

October, 1941

In this Issue:

Items from Here and There

1941 Rainfall as Belated to Fruit Size and Color

Alumni Seminar Program

Beach Plum Jelly Research Project

Apple Grower Enthusiastic About Irrigation

Planting a New Orchard

Mouse Populations Increase

Mouse Control in Rtorage

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services coopsrating.

FRUIT NOTES - October, 1941

V/. K. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Items from Here and There

Nev; Baldwin. A Baldv.'in apple of exceptionally dark color has been
sent to the State College by a small orchard ownier in Auburndale. The apple
is apparently a "sport" or bud variation, rather uncommon in the Baldwin var-
iety.

Variation in Starkin^. Another striking variation was observed in
the orchard of John Lang in East Taunton. One branch of a 10-year-old Stark-
ing tree bore about a dozen apples which shov/ed a few narrov/ reddish stripes
on a green background. The rest of the apples on the tree were normal Stark-
ings.

Late Maggot Fly. An apple maggot fly v/orking overtime is the re-
port of a Hampden County "grower. One fly vms observed while this grov/er was
picking apples, October 6,

Original Delicious Tree. A report from Iowa says that the original
Delicious apple tree" was kiricd~y the sudden freeze that did so much damage
to apple trees in that section last Armistice Day.

Adventure in Marketing. The entire crop of apples in British Colum-
bia v:ill be marketed~ver one de"sk this season. Definite prices have been
established according to grade and if sold for less, in order to move them,
the government vfill make up the difference to the growers.

Horticultural Research in China. There is still an interest in fun-
damental research even in war-torn China. The projects under investigation
reported from the University of Nanking in Chengtu include methods of pruning
Grimes Golden apple trees, pollination and fruit setting of citrus fruit trees,
simple methods of storing citrus fruits, dehydration of fruits, etc.

Trucking Peaches. One motor-trucker in the Northwest tells the story
of hauling Vj'ashington peaches into the Middle West at a profit; and picking up
eastern peaches for his back haul part way "iVest — at a profit.

Northv/est Apple Crop. Better Fruit magazine says "Providence and
adequate government'^inanccd production produced the finest crop of apples
that the Northwest has witnessed in a decade."

Florida Cloudburst. Recent rains have apparently settled the dust
in Florida"!! The University of Florida rain guage shov/ed more than 12 inches
during a three day period while Cross City, nearby, reported 14 inches in 48
hours 1 o^acksonville received a mere 5 inches during one 24-hour period.

Horticulture and Defense. "iVriting in the Rural New Yorker, H. B.
Tukey says']! "The protecti've value of fruits and vegetables in the diet is being
recognized as never before. Horticulture is definitely a part of the defense
effort."

Baldwin and Spy Crop in 1942 . The 1941 crop of Baldwins and Spies
in New York State is reported as being smaller than 1940 Vi'hile that of R. I.
Greening, Mcintosh, V.'eaith^^ Delicious, Cortland and Ben Davis is in each
case larger. This is very similar to the situation in Mass. and suggests
the likelihood of a heavier crop of Baldwins and Spies in 1942. Maybe that
neglected Baldwin or Spy orchard deserves a little extra attention during the
next few months.

Notes from New Hampshire. A recent letter from C. 0. Rawlings of
Nev; Hampshire brings these interesting comments. "Most of our growers vrere
surprised at the size of Mcintosh considering how dry the season has been.
We had practically no internal cork where Borax had been applied, but in or-
chards where none ' vra.s used, considerable shov;ed up. In certain blocks cod-
ling moth did considerable damage. We will be obliged to tighten up on our
control methods for this pest in those blocks next year."

Fertilizing Peaches. A timely word on fertilizing of peach trees is
offered to Connecticut grov/ers by H. A. Rollins. Referring to trees v/eakened
by winter injury or dry v.-eather he says, "Trees of this t2'pe should respond
to a little extra care next spring such as a second application of fertilizer.
Growers are urged not to attempt any practice this fall that will encourage
late growth and so make them subject to winter injury, "[here hen manure is
being used as a fertilizer, wait until the ground is v/ell frozen before apply-
ing it or, better still, wait until late winter or early spring."

Bouquets and Bees. The yield of apples in a 20-acre Pennsylvania
orchard has been increased 16,100 bushels over a period of three years as a
result of using bouquets and bees, according to J. U. Ruef, Fruit Specialist
at the State College. Previously, the annual yield of Delicious in this or-
chard had not exceeded 1800 bushels. During the 3-year period the yields
were 8500, 13,000, and 6000 bushels respectively. The estimated increase
makes allowance for a 1000-bushel per year natural increase, which would re-
sult from the larger size of the trees. Priced at 75;^ por bushel for orchard
run fruit, the increased yield meant a gain of $12,075 from the 20 acres over
the 3-year period.

Rodent Control Supplies. A detailed report concerning Rodent Con-
trol Supplies has been received from the District Agent, U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1140 Park Square Building, Boston. Quoting from this report, "In
order to conserve finances, simplify procedure, increase efficiency and co-
operate more completely with the county agent, the Rodent Control Fund will
operate in the future on a cash basis, v/ith the exception of canned red squill
rat bait when bought in lar^;e amounts, in which case 30 days credit vrill be
allowed. Future rodent control supply orders v.d.11 be sent only to county
agents direct, or to the cooperator on instructions from the county agent."
Any grov/er interested in getting the Field Mouse Rodenticide or other rodent
control material should consult his county agent.

Mammoth Maple Loaf. Imagine a single leaf of a sugar maple tree
measuring 15 inches in wi'dtlT and 20 inches from tip to point of attachment
on the branch. This leaf is on display in the office of R. H. Holdsworth of
the Forestry Department. It was found on an exceedingly vigorous sprout grow-
ing on Mount Toby.

-3-

Praise for Ben. In an old file we find a clipping from the March 30,
1895 issue of a New York nev/spaper which lauds the lov;ly Ben Davis apple to the
skies. "Having no trace of flavor of its ov/n, it readily takes any other flavor
and becomes a novelty to the housev/ife and the canner. Chicago and the South
and Vest are dead stuck on this apple and buy it at any price. It will keep
sound from one picking season to the next. And the Ben Davis never rots. Bruise
it if you want to, but that bruise v/ill simply dry up. It is big and red and
solid, and pretty as a picture. But there's no more taste to it than a door
knob, and no more smell than a piece of ice. And yet they raise more Ben Davis
than any other kind and they've got as high as *9 a barrel for ■'"em."

Outbreak of Bitter Rot. A severe case of Bitter Rot (not Bitter Pit)
has appeared in a commercial orchard in the town of Dartmouth. The crop of
Rhode Island Greenings on certain trees is practically v/orthless. This disease
is fairly common in Pennsylvania, but fortunately is not very prevalent here.
This particular outbreak might have been prevented by more thorough spraying.
A sufficiant number of sprays v.'as applied, but only about one third as much
spray material as was needed to cover the trees thoroughly, due in part to an
antiquated, low pressure sprayer.

How to Save Gas. A writer in the Rural New Yorker gives 15 simple ways
of saving gasoTTne^ Here are some samples: How to accelerate . Don't jam your
foot down on the accelerator. It doesn't get you away any faster and it pumps
more gas than you need into your engine. A heavy foot uses excess gas. Hov; to
stop. Coast to a stop if you can. Every time you put your brakes on while the
motor is running fast, you throw away power and gas.

1941 Rainfall as Related to Fruit Size and Color

While the season of 1941 v/ill not be remembered for its large apple
crop nor for the profits of 20 years ago, certain unusual characteristics in
the behavior of orchard trees are quite outstanding. The season started out
with remarkably low rainfall and bids fair to end in the same v:ay but during
mid-summer rainfall was about normal. The record of rainfall at Amherst is
as follows:

March April May

Normal 3.70 3.35 3.60

1941 1.63 .55 2.87

Our trees have made a remarkably good vegetative growth, and even
though the apple crop is not large, the individual apples are of normal size
and well colored. The large average size of apples at first thought seems
queer, but perhaps the following explanation v;ill throw some light on the sit-
uation. The deficiency of rainfall up to the month of May may not be signifi-
cant because there vias enough reserve m.oisture from the winter season. Further-
more, the early drying out of the soil and the accompanying warm weather were
favorable for early root and leaf development. Then the adequate rainfall in
June and July kept the trees going and enabled them to make efficient use of
the early developed roots and leaves. Abundant sunshine in August and September
favored starch formation in the leaves which seems to be a prerequisite to good
color development. The rainfall for 1341 seems to have been very favorable for
both tree and fruit. J- K. Shaw

ALIT. INI SEMINAR - M assachusetts State College, November 14 and 15, 1941 .

This program is intended pr_imarily for alumni although other interested
individuals are welcome to attend. A copy of the complete program may be obtained
by v,'riting Roy E. Moser, Stockbridge Kail, M.S.C., Amherst, Mass. Two sessions of
special interest to men engaged in horticultural vrark have been arranged.

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Total

3.75

4.10

4.08

4.26

26.8

6.13

4.04

1.79

2.88

19.9

•'f ! i' r> ■■■

Beach Plvu n Jelly Research Project

Beach plums (Prunus narltina), growing wild in the colorful Cape Cod
area, have an astringency vfhich imparts to jellies and jar.is a delightfully
different flavor. Although these products enjoy a good sale at roadside stands
and by a few commercial specialty manufacturers, there is comparatively little
knov.Ti about the beach plum and its jelly making properties.

The Department of Horticultural Manufactures at the Massachusetts
State College v;ill conduct an investigation of the beach plum for the purpose
of standardizing procedures for making jams, jellies, and other preserved prod-
ucts from this fruit. Such factors as the effects of variety, maturity, freez-
ing, and canning on the pectin, acid, and sugar contents vdll be studied.
The nutritive properties of the beach plum and its products v.dll be considered
also.

Because of the growing demand and favorable publicity the beach plum
is receiving, an increase each year in the size of the crop is not unlikely.
The time is ripe for extensive studies of the beach plum so that it may soon
take its place with other better knovm fruits. A. S. Levins

Apple Grower E nthusiastic about Irr igation

L. B. IJichols"of Hanover Is sure that irrigation pays. He has sup-
plied additional water to his 25-year-old apple orchard for the past 4 years,
after 6 years without it. The yield has increased about 50^ under the same
fertilizer program, and most of his fruit is in the 2 3/4-inch or better class,
instead of 2 l/2. He harvested more than 1000 bushels of Mcintosh from a 2-acre
block this season. The color was exceptionally good.

The irrigation layout is about as simple as one can imagine. Using
2 l/2-inch fire hose, bought 8.t 17/ per foot including couplings, the water is
raised to the highest point and allov;ed to flow over the surface v/hich is cov-
ered by a heavy grass sod. The hose is shifted occasicnalljr to provide dis-
tribution. The maximum lift in the orchard is about 35 feet. A 4 H.P. engine
operates the 200-gallon pur minute centrifugal pump. Mr. Nichols has no record
of the total amount of v'ater used, but it is safe to say that each of the 65
trees received at least 1500, and perhaps 2000 gallons during the season.

Planting a New Orchard

H. P. Gilmore of V.'estboro sends in this report of his experience in
setting out apple trees last spring: "On April 15 while the ground was still
wet we set out a 2-acre block of Mcintosh with Early Mcintosh for fillers. Be-
cause of the rush of early season work and lack of help we did not get a second
3-acre piece ready for setting before May 1, so heeled-in these trees in my
garden. About that time I read R. A. Van Meter's article in Fruit Notes stat-
ing that the first year in an apple tree's life was very important and that the
first month was the most important of all. I decided to set out the 3-acre
piece at once rather than wait a year, so the trees were set on the day of the
twilight meeting at my place, about May 10. We set the trees in one day in
rows 40 ft. apart, 20 ft. in the row, making about 54 trees per acre. That
afternoon we took the 500 gal. sprayer and puddled in each tree, sticking the
nozzle v;ell into the ground, using about 400 lbs. pressure until the ground
boiled. The nozzle was the same as was used in resetting hurricane damaged
trees. V'e unscrevred the 8-nozzlo cross head from the regular broom handle and
screvred on a single nozzle with one l/4" hole. A small handful of nitrate of

■5-

potash was put around each tree before puddling and soil was shoveled in to
level it off.

Ten days later I noted that every tree had started to leaf out. I
vrent up to see the first block set and it was just starting. The second block
although set several v/eeks later came into leaf first and has done better all
summer. All the trees arrived from the nursery at the same time. The second
block has made v;onderful groirth for such a dry season and is well ahead of the
block which was not v/atered.

Mouse Populations Increase

According to the U. S. Fish and Y.'ildlife Service, there has been a
gradual upswing in populations of tree girdling meadov; mice throughout the north-
east during the past two years. This increase has been checked by drought con-
ditions in some sections, where limited amounts of food and cover have pre-
vented populations from being higher. Infestations are spotted, and numbers
often show extreme variation in different parts of the seone orchard. Since
these rodents seek the most favorable habitat, lar^e numbers have concentrated
in areas of heaviest grass cover. The scarcity of natural food this year in-
creases the danger of possible damage to fruit trees during winter months.

Population counts in fruit areas shov/ed as many as eighty mice per
acre on September 1st. Thus, before mnter sets in, such orchards will be in
the serious infestation class. In some cases, disced orchards often had from
sixty to ninety-five per cent of all tree bases infested. Cultivation practices
during late summer have had little value in reducing mouse populations. On the
other hand, such operations often served to reduce the amount of food and cover,
thus forcing the mice to concentrate in tree rows and increasing the chances
of winter girdling.

Vfhilc fev; instances of early damage have so far been noted, fruit
grovrers in Canada experienced girdling as early as last August. ITith the com-
ing of cold weather, damage will soon start in many orchards. Fruit growers
are urged to begin control operations as soon as possible, varying bait place-
ments according to the number of active signs found present. The rodenticide
may be obtained through any county agricultural agent.

Mouse Control in Storage

' (Robert M. Htlrg of the Fish and IVildlife Service, with headquarters at
the Federal Building in Worcester, has prepared this timely message for fruit
growers. )

In this region there are three kinJs of mice v/hich damage apples in
storage, namely, the meadow mouse, the deer mouse, and the house mouse. There-
fore, a consideration of the methods by which we can control them is important.
At the outset the storage place must be made mouse-proof. No one can afford to
risk storing such a valuable crop as apples unless the storage structure has
been made both rat-proof and mouse-proof. Even v.'ith a mouse-proof building,
mice do get in, either by entering the doors \vhen one goes into or leaves the
storage room or by finding refuge in packing boxes and hence arc carried into
the storage. The best time to start thinking about controlling these mice is
before the apples are stored. In other words, place the poison in the storage
before it is filled \rith boxes. It might also be wortliv;hile to place some be-
tween the boxes while packing if this is possible.

.6-

There are several things that can be used to put the poison in, such
as pieces of pipe, mailing tubes, short pieces of tile, boards nailed up
against the wall where mice run, or a home-made type poison station. Usually,
tablespoon amounts of poisoned baits distributed throughout the storage in
poison stations is sufficient for effective feeding and control. Small amounts
v;ell distributed seem to ivork better than large amounts in fe^ver places. This
vdll supply a permanent poison available to the mice at all times. Powdered
strychnine. Arsenic, and Thallium are effective poisons. (ZnP is not a good
poison to use because it releases odors and does not last long, i.e., it oxi-
dizes readily.) There are several choices of poisons to be used because there
are several animals to deal with. Follov/ing is a report of the effectiveness
of these poisons on the three mice with which we have to contend in storages.
Strychnine is effective only in the control of deer mice; moreover, resistance
to it can be built up. Arsenic gives good results in the control of all three
mice but is an emetic at certain level's! Thallium, moreover, is exc ellent for
all three mice because it has no v;arning powers or taste.

Suggestions for permanent type bait materials for use in mouse control
in storage are as follows: Attractants Used. Since all these mice are grain
eaters and since grain is both a good attractant and an easily worked ingredi-
ent, steam crushed oats, oatmeal, dried bread crumbs, or a mixed grain of oats
and v/heat nre desirable. Of course, other small grains can also be used. Ad-
hesives Used. To any one of these attractants an adhesive must be added. And
only enough of the adhesive is used to permit the poison (powder) to stick to
the grain or attractant. Either a shrup or an oil is desirable as an adliesive.
Of the various oils, light oil is preferred, such as mineral oil or olive oil.
If a material such as cottonseed oil or peanut oil is used it should be cooked
first. In any event don't use bacon grease, lard oil, etc., because you are
dealing with the meadov; mouse and these arc not acceptable to him. Of the sy-
rups, corn syrup is satisfactory. Ra tio of Poison to Attractant . Strychnine
is mixed in the proportions of 1 oz. of pcv;dered stryclonine to 12 quarts of
cereal (Strychnine sulphate should not be used because it is more bitter, less
toxic, and more costly); arsenic is mixed in the proportion of 1 oz. of micro-
nized arsenic to 10 quarts of cereal; viith regard to Thallium no data can be
given except through personal contact (Thallium may be purchased on the open
market) .

Poisoning can be supplemented by using small vrooden-base snap traps
baited vdth material acceptable to all three mice. These traps should be set
at various places throughout the storage. Traps, however, must be looked at
once a day or oftener depending upon the number of mice. Moreover, traps
should be reset and rebaited frequently, as fresh bait is preferable. In
summarizing mouse control in storage, the prerequisite in any storage place
is to so construct the building that it is rat or mouse-proof. Even v.'ith a
mouse-proof structure nice do got in, therefore, poisoning before packing is
necessary. Permanent tj^pe baits should be prepared and put in tablespoon quan-
tities in bait stations frequently placed throughout the storage. Moreover,
this poisoned bait may be supplemented by the use of snap traps.

FRUIT KOTES

Voltme 5 Number \jlS

"ovomber* 1941

In this Issue :

Fall Care of the Small Pruits Planting

Profits from Cultivated Blueberries

Qviince, Ri'.st on Apples

S.ii.A. Program to Continue

Time to Ovei'haul the Sprayer

Here's an Idea

Two Fruit Pest Control Conferences

Do You Kn o\«r

Apples for Da^ry Cows

One i.ieans of Clianging the Bearing Year

Issued by the Extension Service, lYillard A. Llunson, Directorf in furtherance
of Acts of lay 8 and June SO, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - November, 1941

W. H. Tliies
Extension Horticulturist

Fall Care of the Small Fruits Planting

"' Late fall is considered to be an ideal tlnie to set out red rasp-
berry plants. Plants so set are ready to start growing earlier in the
spring than spring set plants. The only possible objection to fall plant-
ing would be in case of a winter with unusually light snowfall which night
cause sone of the plants to heave. This can be avoided if a forkful of
mulch is throTA.m over each plant.

It is about tir,ie to mulch that stravirberry bed for the winter.
Don't wait until the ground has frozen or considerable winter injury may
be done to the crovms. According to reports from Illinois, one of the
principal causes of "he plants" which produce no fruit, is Y;intcr killing
of the fruit buds in the croivn. A. P. French

Profits From Cultivated Fluoberries

A nev; crop. Fab ul ou's prices. Get rich qu.ick. Or is it? Y.Qiat
do blueberry growers think? In riev/ Jersey they feel that they must get
20 cents per quart to break even. At times the price received by the grower
has been close to this figure. In Michigan they feel that they must get
30 cents per quart to "make a little." And they are worrying about the
price getting too lov/. They have even r:iade arrangements with canners to
take part of the crop if the price does get too low.

In liassachusetts three prominent cranberry and blueberry growers
stated recently that they have made more money per acre on blueberries than
on cranberries. Considering the valvie of the cranberry crop, this is a
startling statement, J. S. Bailey

Quince Rvist on Apples

liost "of~the "cedar rust" damage to apple fruits this year T,vas
caused by quince rust. In some seasons, losses from apple rust are greater
than those from quince rust. This year, not only was^there a scarcity of
cedar-apples or galls of the apple rust disease on the cedar trees, but
spores v/ere unusually late in reaching maturity because of the dry weather
prior to the apple blossom period. By the time apple rust spores were ma-
ture, the young apples and many of the leaves had passed beyond the stis-
ceptible stage •

Quince rust behaved differently. Being perennial in the branches
of red cedars .and junipers, it was abundant as usual. Horeovor, its spore
development in those branch cankers appeared not to be delayed so greatly
as in the case of apple rust spores on the cedar galls. As a result, there
was an abundance of mature quince rust spores in some parts of the state
during the applo blossom period, the most susceptible stage of the fruits
to either rust disease. The susceptible period extends from a veiy few

-2-

days» to rarely 10 days, after petal fall.

Infections of quince rust this year apparently occurred during
the general blosson-period rain of Hay 8-10, the 18-hour wet period on
I'&Y 17 (in some sections of state only) and possibly during the ov-ernight
vret period of liay 23, although the last rain must have been near or after
the susceptible period. Hence, the bulk of the damage to fruits this year
no doubt started during the rains of IJay 8-10 and (or) May 17. Since the
intervs.l between the pink and calyx sprays was so much longer than between
the caly>: and first cover, and especially since the v;et period during
bloom was so much longer than on the 17th, it is quits probable that most
of the fruit infections from quince rust occurred during bloom.

The interval betvi-eon sulfur sprays must be evun shorter for the
control of rust tlian for the control of scab. Limited observations indi-
cate less damage this year from quince rust where a spray or dust preceded
the rainy period of liiy 8-10 than where no blossom period application v/as
made, 0. C Boyd

S .LI .A. Program, to Continu e

As this is being v/ritten, the following announcement comes from
the office of the Surplus i.'arketing Administration in Bostom "The Surplus
Marketing Administration annovinces that the Apple Purchase Programs in
I.5aine, Hew Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, PJiode Island and Connecticut
mil not be terminated November 15, 1941. Purchasing will continue until
fi-^rther notice. Prices, terms, specifications and conditions included in
Pu.rchase Announcement iTo . 3 dated Octobsr 13, 1941 will remain unchanged."

Time to Overhaul the Sprayer

'He offer the suggestion that December is a better month than Ifey
for overhauling the sprayer. Le.bor is likely to be more scarce than ever
next spring, and sprayer parts difficult or impossible to get. "-Thy not take
the old sprayer apart betvreen now and the holidays and make sure that everj''-
thing is in tip-top condition. H- A- Rollins expresses the same idea in
his last issue of "Seasonal Fruit yotes." He v/rites, "If you are going to
need new equipment or repair parts for farm machinery for this next year,
place your orders as soon as possible. Delay in ordering may mean very slow
delivory or no delivery at all. Don't 7;ait until late v/inter or early spring
to overhaul the spi^yer. '<Thy not find out what parts you need, and order
them now. Planning for the next season should be done early if you expect
to have the necessar^^ equipment for the 1942 season."

Here's an Idea

Terminal gro\\rth in a fruit tree is commonly considered as an indi-
cator of the supply of nitrogen in the soil. In a bearing apple tree we like
to see an average terminal grovrth of at least 6 or 8 inches and in a non-
bearing tree at least 10 or 12 inches. The teirminal gro-wth offers a conven-
ient guide in figuring out how much nitrogen should be used. But growers
occasionally find a tree which fails to respond to an application of nitrogen.
A tree may shov/ little or no terminal grovirth even after a fairly liberal ap-
plication of nitrogen has been made. YvTi^ere this situation exists, it is a
good plan to examine the lower part of the trunk and the adjacent roots for

-3-

mouse injury. Borers will sometimes cause a similar condition. Another
example is found in hurricane damaged trees vrtiich have suffered severe
root'breakage on one side. vVe therefore offer this simple suggestion.
liVherever a tree fails to make satisfactory terminal grovvi;h, and particularly
if it has failed to respond to an application of nitrogen, it is a good
plan to look for injured bark on the lower part of the trunk. T.sany apple
trees in I/!assachusetts show a development of spurs throughout the top. This
condition should arouse our suspicions concerning mouse injurj'- or hurricane
injurji-. It nay be advisable to do a little digging around such trees and
find out if they will justify a fertilizer application next spring. I.feybe
they should contribute to the supply of wood for the fireplace.

Two Fruit Pest Control Conferences

The third araaual conference of Experiment Station and Extension
Service workers in fruit pest control will be held in Aralierst November 26.
Representatives from the various IJev/ England states and from the Hudson
Valley are exoected. Fimgicides and insecticides will be reviewed and ob-
servations of the current season reported. The arjiual fruit spray chart
revision conference is scheduled for December 4. At this ti^ne each of the
snray charts will be gone over in detail and changes made in accordance
vrith developments during the past year.

Do You lOaow

Tl'-at the Cortland apple is 43 years old? The original cross between
Ben Davis and Mcintosh was made in 1898 at the Geneva Experiment Station.
The seedling tree bore its first fruit in 1906 but was not generally intro-
duced until 1915.

That the value of horticultural crops in the U. S. amounts to
about 12>b of the valu.e of all crops grown? The total value of all crops
amounts to about 10 billion dollars arjiually. The annual value of fruit
crops is about 421 million, truck crops 256 million, potatoes 250 million,
ornamental crops 209 million, and ntits 20 million.

That strav/berries contain at least 90^, i7ater? Recent analyses by
E. B. Holland and "7, S. Richie shov/ strawberries to have the highest water
content of any tree or small fruits grown in this region. The average -irnter
content of 10 varieties of raspberries was '36%. Blueberries were found to
contain 80.5^^ and cranberries 87.2;;i. The water content of three varieties
of apples after coring and paring v/as as follows: Mcintosh, 85.4fi; Baldwin,
85.7Joi Vfeaithy, 87.4^.

That "heavy" or fine textured soils actually weigh less per unit
of volume than so-called "light" soils v/hich are of coarser texture? These
terms, according to A. B. Beaumont, arose from the fact that the finer soils
are harder to work and require more pov:er in the process of cultivation.

That a rubber tired ■vra.gon or trailer may be constructed at rela-
tively little expense? If interested in this piece of home made equipment,
drop a line to the v«riter and fvill details vrill be supplied.

That the removal of soil from around the trunk of a fruit tree in
the fall tends to encourage v/inter injury? The lower part of the trunlc and

-4-

the roots are likely to be injured when the first cold weather sets in if
deprived of the protective layer of soil. It is an excellent idea to remove
grass and weeds fron around apple trees as a means of keeping mice av;ay from
the tree. But if vegetation is removed in the fall the space should be
filled in with sand or gravel.

That peach leaves seem to contain^ on the average, more potassium
than apple loaves? J. R. llagness of the Bureau of Plant Industry in a re-
cent talk at the Horticultural Seminar in /jnherst, stated that 1 1/2^ is
about the border line of deficiency of potassium in peach trees, Virhereas
apple trees may contain only 1%, Thus peach leaves with a potassium con-
tent of 1 l/^% would obviously be deficient, whereas apple leaves v;ith that
same amount might still contain enough for normal needs.

That peaches have been groivn from peach pits in two years? That
is the record achieved by scientists at the University of California. The
process was speeded up by removing the kernels, soaking them in a nutrient
solution of agar, sugar, and vitamin B\ for three weeks. This treatment
results in rapid germination. By the time the young trees are S months old
they are ready for field planting and by their second birthday the young
trees have produced peaches .

That gum may exude from a peach tree for any one of half a dozen
reasons? Th? most common cause is the peach tree borer. Other causes in-
clude riieclianical injury'-, winter injurj'-, bro^/m rot, and anything else which
tends to injure the inner bark. One tree \'^as observed this fall in which
a sr.-iall amoimt of gum had exuded from all of the tips attacked by Oriental
fruit moth.

That one acre of corn requires about 4,300,000 povmds of irater?
This is equivalent to about 19 acre-inches . Although the exact water re-
quirements of an orchard are not laiown, a mature orchard may require as
much water per acre as corn. It is estimated that a mature apple tree may
require 4500 gallons of water during the grov/ing season.

Tliat the roots of a plant grow later in the fall and earlier in
the spring than the above groimd portion of the plant? Careful studies
of the behavior of roots show that some root growth 2-iay take place in apple
trees even during the v/inter months. This emphasizes the need for setting
fruit plants early in the spring. If set during April while the air is
still cool, the roots have a chance to develop before the buds. If set
during /'ay the plant is under a handicap because top growth begins before
the plant has a satisfactory root system.

That a growing squash has Vi'lthstood a measured pressure of 2 l/2
tons? Professor T.'. S. Clark performed this experiment many years a go in
Amlierst, using a unique metal "harness" with a lever arrangement for adding
weights as the squash grew. Ho also attempted to measure the root system
of the squash vine. He calculated a total root length amounting to 15 m.ilcs.

That the P.egional Iiarket wholesale auction of fruits and produce
opened its 7th season October 27 at the Boston Regional Produce f.iarket in
Cambridge? C. F. Dutton, tho auctioneer, conducts sales each Monday and
Thursday.

-5-

That elm leav-js roay be used for mulching a strav,-berry planting?
0. C. Boyd calls to our attention the fact that elm leaves do not mat dovm
as much as other leaves, such as maple. Elm leaves tend to curl up, thus
nrovidinc a fluff^' ti^e of mulch material which does not smother the plants.

That the moldy condition often found in the core of an apple is
caused by spores v/hich enter through the caly^: end? Delicious and horthern
Spy are quite subject to this sort of thing. 0. C Boyd informs us that
one of the common molds causing moldy core is a species of Alternaria.
Mold spores which enter through the open calyx and pass through the calpc
tube to the core find ideal conditions for germination and grov«rth inside
the apple .

That the effective control of apple scab in lassachusetts dates
back a little more than 20 years? In an old file wc find this statement
under date of August 23, 1921: "Fruit grov/ers ' meetings v;ere held in Groton
and Littleton where elaborate experiments arc being conducted by Professor
!<Irout on the control of apple scab on I'clntosh apples. Bot\7ocn 300 and 400
people from all parts of f.Sassachusetts and nearby states attended, shoiving an
interest in this subject among fruit growers."

That there are in the United States about 2000 research labora-
tories using 5000 chemicals and 2500 different kinds of instruments? The
Office of Production Management has given these laboratories an A-2 priority
rating which means that they should bo able to obtain all the me.tcrials they
need to carry on scientific research.

That a large number of organic corapounds are being tested in the
U.S.D.A. laboratory at Eeltsville, liaryland as possible substitutes for the
coiTKon fungicides, sulfur and copper? Of the tens of thousands of organic
compounds, there maybe one or two which will prove valuable, A systematic
study is now being made by suspending spores of a fungus, such as brovm rot,
in nutrient agar and then allcaving a solution of the material to drip over
these spores for some time. The agar plates ?.rc then washed and observa-
tions made as to the killing povrer of the material. As a further test bean
plants are used as "guinea pigs" to determine whether or not the material is
caustic on the leaves. If it shows some promise it is next tried on apple
leaves .

That over 86% of the farms in Hew England are owner-oporated, as
compared vrith 50^i for the U.S.? Hew England's Z% of the U. S. farms ac-
count for 5% of the farm cash income, and they receive about l/2 of If, of
the Federal payments .

Tliat oranges account for about 50^ of the fresh fruits and vegeta-
bles exported to Canada? Lemons accoimt for 10%' and grapefruit 9f^. Fresh
grapes constitute the largest non-citrus fruit item, folloxTOd by pears and
strawberries .

That less than half as many Canadian apples as last year jnay seek
an outlet in the U.S. this season? According to the U.S.D.A., this is due
in part to increased buying of fresh apples by Great Britian. The British
I'inistry of Food recently decided to purchase about 2, 000, 000 bushels of
Canadian fresh apples.

f>\

;-\

■i^.-*-

.<i.O'^

m---.'VnlilllNVMir r Vi ■

V. i.'/)i\ \ ■■:■:'■■■•:••■ ■.;^' S?y -.. V //./_v Ff ■ .f .JS; ■■•■.• J \__ ' tj.' ■■■::: .■■ ^•: . ■ i '■ ,•.«

'x>

Applf^s for Dairy Cov:s

' ThlV c'T\\~seeins to have -^aten : lore than her share of ap^^les and :.iay
be in a "barrel of trouble ," If >ier ev.Ticr had fed that quantity ever a period
of about 12 days, -the results v/culi have boen quite different # "Unfcrtunately, "
writes J. G. Archibald in the Rural Few Ycrker» "most carA's are not possessed
with sound judgment. They are liko sor.o people in the natter of over indul-
gence in something they like. Probably over indulgence in apples when oppor-
tunitjr presented itself has "lad disastrous resr.lts vfith more t han one brssy
and it is such oasos that fi:: thc:.:solvos in the minds of the OTv^ner and his
noighbcrs ."

"Vjhat then may bo the safe limit in rationing apples tf cpws? i'c
hard and fast rule can be follcvcd blindly. Size end individuality rf cows
require that we -isc oi'.r judg,: ...nt in this as in all other matters pertaining
to successful feeding. A gooc'. old friend of mine who vfas a successful dairy-
man and orchardist fed cull a-;^les to niikJng ccvrs regularly but ho always
said. Tot more than a peck to f, cov; cV-.ily.' I bcli.ve that is t->. g >od general

-7-

guide although I have Icnovm people who fed tvrlce that many. Apples may take
the place of a portion of any other standard succulent feed such as silage,
root's or grass but it should be remembered that they have a somewhat higher
water content than either silage or grass and adjustment should be made ac-
cordingly.

"On a dry matter basis, a peck of apples is equivalent to about
10 povmds of good corn silage. It should also be remembered that apples arc
a strictly carbohydrate feed. Their content of total protein is low and it
is not highly digestible. Roughly, they contain about l/6 as much digestible
protein as good corn silage does. For these reasons apples cannot take the
place of any considerable part of the grain in a milking cow's ration. I
strongly suspect that much of the drying up of cor.'s reported v;hen apples are
fed is due to the failure to recognize these iiiiportant facts.

"Curiously enough, the recorded results of feeding apples to cows
are very meager. In two experiments at the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa,
Canada back in 1904 and 1905, apples vrere substituted for a portion of the
ensilage and roots custoi:iarily fed. The cov;s relished the apples and seemed
to thrive on them, snail gains in weight being noted. There ■v\'as a slight in-
crease in milk yields when the apples were fed.

"In 1905, at the V.'ash. Agr. Exp. Sta., whole apples were ensiled
alone and also with alfalfa hay, in the proportion of 80f! apples and 20^% hay.
The straight apple silage did not prove particularly sat is fact or^-, being too
soft for best results, but the apple-alfalfa silage was a good product, verjr
palatable to cows, and maintained milk production on a verjr high level."

0:16 I'eans of Changing the Bearing Year

IiTthe' October" Issue of the American Fruit Grower, we find a report
of a sprayijag experiment at the University Experimental Farm, Kearneysville,
W. Va. A block of 13-year-old York Imperial trees, 25 to 30 feet high and
almost completely bierjiial, was used for the testing of two materials: (1) A
tar oil distillate and (2) a material laaown as DITO, a prepared mixture of
dinltro-ortho-cyclo-hej:j'-l-phenol in oil. The trees were sprayed at the early
pink stage, check trees and treated trees being selected at random through
the orchard. These materials proved very satisfactory from the standpoint
of practically complete removal of the crop which was the objective of the
spraying, 'ifhere a single application of 2T' tar oil distillate v;as used prac-
tically no apples set on those trees.

Since 1953 the even numbered years have been relatively short apple
crop years in the U.S. v;ith much better prices prevailing than during the odd
numbered years. I'any orchards, however, have been producing their main crop
during the odd numbered years with disastrous financial results to the grower.
This experiment suggests a method by v/hich the on year for part of such bien-
nial orchards can be changed and orchard production as a whole made more \ini-
form from year to year without the complete loss of the crop. It would appear
to merit the serious consideration of grov/crs who have certain varieties in a
strongly biennial condition.

FRUIT NOTES

Volume Kumber 12

December, 1941

In this Issue!

The Fertilizer Situation

Leaf Analysis and Fertilizer Meeds

Origin of Kevr Apple Varieties

Sawdust Mulch

Seagraves Honored

Small Fruits Investigations

An Interesting Old Timer

Results ¥[ith Hormone Sprays

Boysenberries in Massachusetts

Meadow Mice

Preventing Rabbit Damage

Do You Know?

They Say It ",'orks

1941 Fruit Notes Index

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State Collec_e, United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - December, 1941

V;. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

The Fertilizer Situation

The situation on fertilizer supplies for 1942 indicates a definite
shortage of certain nitrogen materials, possibly some curtailment or delay-
in supply of other items, and some increase in price of all ingredients ex-
cept for lime. Priority demands for large amounts of nitro£:en for munitions
use, and the interruption of normal shipping facilities by boat to routes
by rail are factors which add uncertainty as to supply and which, along with
rising costs of bags and labor, add to the price,

NITROGEN materials are likely to be limited in supply of certain items,
at least until the fall of 1942 when several new nitrogen plants are ex-
pected to be in operation. Cyanamid promises not over l/5 the normal
supply costing at least ;i:10 more per ton. Agricultural Urea is mostly
diverted to munitions use, with probably none available for farmer use.
Nitrate .of Soda remains available for farmer use, but at curtailed amounts,
costing ITlcely upwards of $5 or more a ton, Sulpliate of Ammonia gives
promise of being available in largest amount, "showing the" least increase
in cost and is suggested as the principal nitrogen material for farmer use.
Natural organic nitrogen carriers are high in price, with soy bean meal
possibly the least expensive of this form of plant food,

PHOSPHATE supplies are being seriously affected by transportation problems.
S uperphosphate (16-20^) material appears most drastically affected by
transportation problems to a point where many local distributors at present
are unable to quote a price or be assured of further requirements. Triple
Superphosphate will probably be available in about the same amounts as
last season, at an increased cost over $2 per ton. ¥ihile this material
v;ill probably be the cheapest source of phosphoric acid the supply is
limited we understand and some distributors may not have it. Ammophos
will not be available for supply, Steai.ied Bone meal supplies are short,
quoted about vl6 or higher per ton, and the supply of Precipitated Bone
is short.

POTASH supplies of high grade are more favorable for the Northeast and
may be adequate for the spring trade at perhaps only a slight increase in
cost. Supplies of the higher grades for the country in general, however,
may be short, occasioned by a 4-montli strike and may necessitate substi-
tution of lower grade manurt, salts.

MIXED FERTILIZER goods are bting quoted at least by some distributors at
reasonable increases ranging up to about ■i.S a ton. The increased cost of
some tobacco grades may be double this.

Vife assume that local distributors may have reasonable stocks on hand
for early spring requirements. Nevertheless, we urge planning now for antici-
pated farm requirements and early placement of fertilizer orders to insure
priority in supply. R. W. Donaldson

-2-

Leaf Analysis as a Means of Determining Fertilizer Needs of Fn.iit Trees
Determining the availatle nutrients in tlie soil as a means of
learning fertilizer requirements for crops has received some attention in
recent years. There is not a perfect correlation betvjeen nutrients in the
soil and in fruit trees though there is usually some correlation. Determin-
ation of nutrients in the leaves may suggest the fertilizer needs of the tree,
Workers in the U.S.DjA. find that a potassi'om content of over 1% in apple
leaves and 1,5^ in peach leaves indicates an ample potassium supply. As it
falls below these points there is increasing likelihood that a potassium fer-
tilizer will be beneficial.

Last July and August there appeared symptoms of a nutrient deficiency
in one of our young apple orchards at the State College. Leaf burn v;as evi-
dent and the older leaves fell prematurely. The symptoms resembled those on
other trees growing on a soil knoT/^Ti to be low in magnesium. Determination of
magnesium in leaves from (1) partially defoliated trees, from (2) a tree in the
same orchard but carrying its leaves, and from (3) a tree in another orchard
that was making very good grov;th, followed the pattern of tree grovd;h. The
very good tree was highest in magnesium content, the partially defoliated trees
lowest, and the other tree intermediate. It iiiay be significant that these de-
ficient trees v;ere fertilized v.-ith potash (and nitrogen) last spring. Potash
fertilization has been shov.T^ to bring out symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
Y,e expect to find out next season if these trees are actually suffering from
a lack of magnesium.

Y«'e have found that long continued liberal nitrogen fertilization may
develop symptoms of potash shortage. These and other facts show the signifi-
co.nce of a proper balance between the many chemical elements necessary for sat-
isfactory groi»,i:n and production of orchard trees. This does not mean that
everybody should change his orchard fertilizer from nitrogen only, to a com-
plete fertilizer, perhaps including calcium, magnesiiim, boron, copper zinc,
manganese and other elements that have been shown to be necessary for fruit
tree growth. If nitrogen alone results in satisfactory growth and production,
continue to use nitrogen only, but if performance of the trees declines and
especially if deficiency smptoms appear, it is time to study the situation and
find the remedy. J. K» Shaw

Origin of Some New Apple Varieties

Probably not more than 5^ of the national apple crop coines from
varieties of knovm parentage. Most of the commercial varieties are chance
seedlings. Only v/ithin recent years has the product of the plant breeder
found its way into our commercial markets. The Cortland is one example of
a commercial variety v:hose parentage is known. Most grov.-ers are familiar
v.-ith this variety and know that it represents an attempt to combine the high
qualities of the Liclntosh with the keeping and shipping quality of the Ben
Davis. . The follov/ing list of other nctv varieties is presented to clear up a
misunderstanding as to their parentage.

The Macoun variety is a cross betv»een Mcintosh and Jersey Black.
The origin of such varieties is expressed by placing the letter "x" between
the parent varieties: Macoun (:.;cIntosh x Jersey Black).

Kendall (Kclntosli x Zusoff)

Early Ilclntosh and Milton (Mcintosh x Yellow Transparent)

Sv/eet Mcintosh (Mcintosh x Lawver)

Lawfam (Fameuse x Lawver)

Lodi (Yellov: Transparent x liontgomery)

Sweet Delicious, Medina, and Nev/fane (Delicious x Deacon Jones)

-3-

Apple Grower Pleased with Sawdust j .iulch

Paul V.'ashburn of Leominster has been using spare time to good advan-
tage in transferring a huge pile of sawdust to a relatively droughty part of
his orchard. Using a truck body holding about S-g- cords he has spread 160
loads around the trees in a c-acre area. At 4 tons per load, that means a
total of 640 tons of wet sawdust. Making full allowance for the large amount
of water which it contains, that's a lot of sav/dust. Paul is delighted with
the results. Young trees which were not doing very well before are now making
good grov.'th.

A liberal layer of sawdust on a hillside must aid very materially in
the penetration of rainfall. It must also prevent surface evaporation to some
extent, and if sufficiently heavjs it helps to hold dovm competing vegetation.
Unlike mulch materials containing more nitrogen, which decay rapidly, sawdust
is -/aluable mainly because it stabilizes the moisture supply in the soil.
ViTiere sav;dust may be had for thf hauling, this method of mulching may well
be considered as a means of utilizing labor and trucks at odd times.

Seagraves Honored

H. S. Seagraves, pioneer fruit grover of V.'est Newbury, was the re-
cipient of a set of Bailey's "Cyclopedia of Horticulture " at the final twilight
meeting of the season in Essex County. Meeting at the Brooksby Farm in Peabody
late in August this presentation from friends and neighbors came as a complete
surprise. After spending a number of years in the clothin^ business in Boston,
Mr. Seagraves took over the management of the Long Hill Orchards which he has
successfully managed for more than 20 years. During these years he has exerted
a real influence on the fruit industry in Essex County and has shov/n a spirit
of friendly cooperation. His friends and neighbors have also seen fit to con-
fer upon him the title, "Dean of Essex County Fruit Growers." V.'e join in con-
gratulating ?Iarry as he receives this unique honor.

Sm.all Fruiis Investigations a t Beltsv ille, lid.

At the recent horticultural "seminer in Amlierst, J. R. Magness told
of research now under v;ay in the breeding of cranberr^/ varieties resistant to
"False Blossom." Some of these ncv; varieties appear to b e more productive than
the varieties now being grown. Ho also stated that a new type of cranberry,
the cells of which possess double the normal number of chromosomes, has been
developed by the use of that magic chemical of plant breeders, colchicine.
Investigators arc also attempting to develop blueberries V;-hich will thrive on
upland soils, lie. stated that the Blakemore strawberry is now the most exten-
sively planted of all strawberry varieties.

An Interesting Old Timer

On the farm of V.'. J. Nutting in Leominster there stands one of the
largest Baldwin trees v;e have ever seen. The trunk circumference at a point
about a foot above the ground is 11 feet. Tiie circumference of the outer
branches is 129 feet. Iv.r. Nutting, v;ho has lived on this farm for about 75
years, says it v;as a large tree v.'hen he was a boy. He recalls harvesting 15
barrels of apples from this tree in a single season 50 years ago. It is in-
teresting to note that graft unions are still apparent on the branches. Evi-
dently this was a seedling tree grafted to Baldwin 100 or more years ago.

-4-

Results with lioniione Sprays

V. e are interested in hearing, from more growers regarding their 1941
"hormone" spray program and results. The more reports we have, the better
can V'le evaluate this nev; method of drop control. Please send your report (as
brief as you li':e) to me at Massachusetts State College. L. Southwick

Boysenberr5' Too Tender for Massachusetts

Frequent inquiries arc made concerning the possibilities of the
Eoyscnberry in Massachusetts. Except for limited trial or for a novelty,
this dewberry is not adapted to our climatic environment, largely due to a
lack of v.dnter hardiness. Even in New Jersey, according to the State Horti-
culrural Society Nevs, it requires adequate v;inter protection to make it a
satisfactory hoiae garden fruit, and is considered too tender for commercial
planting. L. Southwick

A i-Iote on Meadov; ilice

It is a cause for speculation as to just why field mice do not attack
the cultivated blueberry. Evidently, there is no case of girdling on record.
It so happens, however, ti;at apple bark is one of the more favored foods of
mice and it is hoped that suitable control measures have been undertalfen in
orchards, especially young orchards, where mouse runs have been in evidence
this fall. The proper use of the rodenticide distributed through the Fish &
V.'ildlife Service has proven 100>j effoctive in our orchards at the College.

L. Southwick

Preventing Rabbit Damage

Rabbits seem to be quite numerous this fall in certain localities.
If such a locality happens tc be near a youiig apple orchard, considerable
bark injury may be the result. In a small experimental planting at Li. S. C,
rabbits have already caused some damage. If no control measures were taken,
it is very likely that injuries v/ould become increasingly extensive follov.ring
snowfall and colder weather. 'Vith the limiting of their food supplies, rab-
bits often turn to chewing bark and cutting off tv.'igs from the lower branches
of apple trees. Some protection can be had v:ith small trees by usin^, high
wire guards. But the most effective control consists of eliminating the rab-
bits. The American Fruit Grower states that Michigan State College has de-
veloped a repellent v.-hich will keep rabbits from gnawing the bark. Seven
pounds of pulverized rosin is mixed with a gallon of alcohol and &llov«ed to
stand 24 hours in a warm room. One gallon of repellent is supposedly enough
for 150 to 200 2-year old trees. L. Southv;ick

Do You K now

That the first strawberries of the season in Florida brought a fab-
ulous price? A recent news item from Plant City, Florida, says, "The first
strawberries have come into the market here, and brought 45 ^l pint. Cool
weather has revived the plants and the rains vrhile heav^'-, have caused no ma-
terial damage to the berry fields. Movement of berries, provided weather con-
ditions remain favorable, should get under v;ay early next month in a light
way by refrigerated express."

That a detailed survey of production practices v/as made last summer
in 19 strav^berry plantings in Bristol County? This survey, conducted by H. F.

Trevett, revealed an average yield of 6661 quarts per acre. Among other
thing^^s, the survey shows quite conclusively that fertilizer practice alone,
bears little or no relation to jaeld. Success in straivberry growing is
associated v.lth a nu.'nber of related factors.

That several large, luscious strawberries v/ere picked in a Spring-
field garden on the first day of December? A. ii. Robinson of 76 Miller Street
is the man who produced this unusual crop, proof of which appears in the
December 2 issue of the Springfield Union.

That live cells in the skin of an apple are capable of developing
the red color pigment, v.'hereas dead cells are not? The failure of storage
apples to t ake on additional red color, even v;hen exposed to ligrit, is be-
lieved to be due to the death of cells in the skin. In a 1932 report from
the Boyce Thompson Institute, Arthur reports that most of the epidenr^al cells
were found to b e dead in apples stored until November 8,

That v/ooden apples are proving useful in teaching apple packing at
one of the migrant labor camps in the Northwest? On hearing this report,
someone remarked that Ben Davis apples are evidently no longer available.

That the fuel value of v/ood is almost directly proportional to its
density? For example, dry hickory wood, which v;eighs 4500pounds per cord is
about equivalent in fuel value to soft coal. Sugar maple, weighing 4,000 pounds
per cord, has a fuel value 7/8 that of coal. 1'i'hite pine weighs 2200 pounds
per cord and its fuel value is 2/5 that of coal. Sound apple wood should have
a fuel value approximating that of sugar maple, vhite oak, red oak, and beech,
namely, 7/8 that of coal.

That one's mouth may be more efficiently cleansed by chewing an ap-
ple than by using a toothbrush? This is especially true of a tj-ps of apple
-.vi'iich requires considerable chewing. Further infonnation on this subject will
appear in an early issue of Fruit Notes.

That an average dairy cow, during the grazing season, will remove
from the soil 115 pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of phosphoric acid, 93 pounds
of potash and 37 pounds of calcium oxide? Even v.lth conservation of the manure,
one-half of the nitrogen and phosphorus and 30)b of the potash may be lost to
the pasture soil.

That a new material known as ammoni'om sulfamate is proving effect
in killing poison ivj/" and other unwanted plants? On poison ivy, dosages be
tween l/2 and one pound per gallon of water applied at the rate of one to 1;|-
gallons per hundred square feet of lemd has given excellent control. Tests
of this new material are being planned for Massachusetts next season.

That the production of fruits for distribution in fresh, dried or
canned forms is expected to increase 1.5'/; (from 14.8 million tons this year
to 15 million tons in 1942). It is expected that the consamption of the 12
major f resh fruits may amount to 135 pounds per person in 1942 compared with
136.5 pounds per person in 1941. This slight decrease is due to the fact that
larger requirements for dried and canned fruits will reduce sli-,htly the quan-

ive /

titles of the 12 major fruits available for consumption in fresh form in 1942.

That the U. s. has supplied more than 80^1 of the fresh fruits and
vegetables imported into Canada during the past 15 years? Canada has been the
most important market for American exports of fresh citrus fruits, grapes, and
certain berries. The major portion of this movement has consisted of com-
modities not produced in Cojiada or those which can be shipped at a time when
similar Canadian products are not available.

That foxes and coyotes, considered as carnivorous animals, are also
fond of fruit? In a recent bulletin on "Food Habits of the Coyote," issued by
the Fish and 'fildlife Service, the author points out that this animal is in-
clined to eat v.'hatever food is readily available. Records show that coyotes
v,rill eat grapes, figs, prunes, pears, apples, and various wild fruits. The
prize fru.it-eating coyote of this study, trapped in California, had his stomach
filled with fruit, - 30 grapes, 8 prunes, and pieces of pear. In the 17 states
studied, hov;ever, cultivated fruits made up only \/'6 of l^o of this animal's
food. Wild fruit made up 1 l/'6%.

They Say It 1/Vorka

You've heard the expression "There are tricks in every trade." Fruit
growing is no exception. Here are three examples of Yankee ingenuity in New
England.

J. V,'. Collins of Yi'estminster, Vermont writes, "Noting that you recom-
mend a ring application of Borax, I am taking the liberty to say that for the
past three years vre uavt- used the Cyclone seed sower for the application of
this material, and find it possible to make a very even and satisfactory (to us)
application. You know, no doubt, that tiiis is a device for applying small seed,
which is distributed by turning a crank. Thirty pounds per acre has been the
amount o^ Borax used in all cases,"

T. M. Rorrie of V.'estwood wanted to propagate some nev.- grape vines
from mature vines of good varieties in his vineyard. Instead of making cuttings
and v/aiting for them to ta.kc root he follo'.ved a suggestion made at a tvdlight
meeting, laying do^m a few "arras" and burying them with soil. By late suriimer
he was delighted to find that they had developed a strong root system. These
plants may be separated from the parent vines next spring and planted in a new
location, tlms saving at least a ]'e-s^r in establishing a new vineyard.

At the Clark Farm in Shelburne crov/s were doing considerable damage
in a extensive strav/berry planting. Hearing that croxvs were afraid of snakes
tne ov.7ier made several "i.ritatiou snakes" using rubber hose, rope wrapped with
cloth, etc. These v;cre laic in conspicuous places in the strawberry planting.
After that, according to the owner, no crow c£me near the place.

The Story of Sulfur

Believing that fruit grower? are interested in knowing more about the
common materials used in grov.-ing fruit, v;e intend to include in the next few
issues of Fruit Notes some interesting facts about sources, method of prep.Ta-
tion, other uses, etc. In the Janu&.:ry issue we shall include a story about Sul-
fur obtained from a series of pamphlets belonging to 0. C. Boyd.

-7-

1941 FRUIT NOTES INDEX

Advertising March (4)
Apole Insects Feb. (5), (C), Mar. (6)
Apr. (7), May (5),
Aug. (3)
Apple Scab Feb. (4), May (5), June (4)
Apples for Cows Nov. (6)
Apple Yields Apr. (3)
Army Buying Apr. (1), July (2)
Apple Grading Aug. (6), Sept. (1), (2)
Beach Plums Oct. (4)
Bitter Pit Mar. (3)
Blueberries May (4), Nov. (1)
Foron June (2), Dec. (C)
Bruising Feb. (6)
Canada Sept. (3)

Mar. (3), June (7)
Dec. (3)
Apr. (6)

Jan. (3), Feb. (6),
Apr. (4), June (3),
July (5), Aug. (4),
Sept. (4), Nov. (3),
Dec. (4)
Drainage June (2)
Farm Income April (3)
Far^; & Home Week June (4), July (8)

Jan. (6), Sept. (5),
Nov. (2)

(1), (2), Feb. (1),
(2)
(5)
(3)
Apr. (5)

Clonal Stocks
Cranberries
Deer Control
Do You Know?

Federal Programs
Fertilizers

Dec.

Mar.
Fire Damage June
Fruit Quality Feb.
Home Fruit Planting

Irrigation May (2), Oct. (4)

Labor Apr. (3), May (3), July (1),(3)

Lime July (3)

Mailinp; List Jan. (4)

Feb. (2), Mar. (1), (5),

Apr. (6), June (6),

July (4), (7)
June ( 1 )

Jan. (1), May (5)
Orchard Crowding May (7)
Orchard Management Mar. (o), Aug. (1),

Sept. (5), Nov. (2)

Marketing

Mulching
^..trition

Peaches Feb. (2), June (5), (6),
July (8), (9), Sept. (C)

Planting Mar. (Z), Apr. (1),
Oct. (4)

Pollination Feb. (l), Apr. (2),
Oct. (2).

Packages Feb. (7), May (5)

Pruning Mar. (4)

Quince Rust Nov. (1)

Rabbit Injury Jan (6), Dec. (4)

Rainfall June (1), July (3),
Oct. (3)

Raspberries Apr. (5), Sept. (5),
Nov. (1)

Ringing May (1)

Rodent Control Oct. (2), (5),
Dec. (4)

Russeting Aug. (3)

Sawdus t May ( 3 ) , Dec. ( 3 )

Spraying Feb. (4), Nov. (2), (7)

Spray Residue July (7)

Soils Jan (5), Apr. (7), July (4)

Storage Jan. (5), Mar. (2),
Apr. (3), June (4),
Aug. (7)

Strawberries Feb. (l). Mar. (1),
June (7), July (1),
Nov. (1)

Taxation July (3)

Tree Removal Mar. (l)

Varieties June (l), Dec. (2)

Vitamins (See Nutrition)

Y;ild Grapes Sept. (7)

Viinter Injury Mar. (l)

ITeather May (1)

X-disease Aug. (2)

Index is included for the benefit of the occasi.-.na.l individual v;ho keeps

in pare .ithe sis indica\-,e

a i:.l.? of F'-i;:;; No-es. Ni7.'t

ticuljir i-*;em appears. No ao^oTpt

''Do You Know" heading. Such items have appeared in

p.xg'.-; ^v. v;hi

a 'ji.r-

boen '.T^ade to classify the items under the
of -che 12 issues in 1941.)

FRUIT NOTES

Volune 6 JIunber 1

January, 1942

In this Issue:

Here ' s kc Idea

Sone Facts About Sulfur

Is a EacJcyard Orchard Practical?

Sound Advice on Sprajdng Equipjnent

Pear Vfood Weeded for Umbrella Handles

New Beach Pluiri Project

Do You Know?

the Peach Crop for 1942

Arsenic Toxicity In the Soil

Food for Thought in Selling Apples

Apple Varieties in Nova Scotia

Weather Conditions Here and in England

Rabbit Injury

Taxation of Forest Lands

Serai-Dwarf Apple Trees

Issued by the Extension Service, V.'illard A. LIunson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of 'Ae.1' 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States
'Departr.ient of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

FRUIT NOTES - January, 1942

W. H. Thies
Extension Plorticulturist

Here 's An Idea

Y/'ith a heavy demand for nitrogen in the making of munitions,
several of the nitrogenous fertilizers are entirely off the market while
others will be both scarce and expensive. This will probably mean that
many of our sod orchards will either go mthout the annual spring tonic,
or some other means of stimulating the trees will have to be devised.

If a good yield is to be obtained in 1942 and in 1943, tree vigor
must be maintained. In a sod orchard, additional nitrogen is almost certain
to be needed eventually, and if 10 pounds of nitrate of soda per tree gave
good results last year, we naturally would like to continue with the same
fertilizer program. But suppose vm cannot obtain the same nitrogenous
fertilizer used last year. It is obvious that a complete fertilizer car-
rying, let us say, one-quarter as much nitrqgen as the nitrogenous ferti-
lizer, would have to be applied at the rate of 40 pounds per tree to pro-
vide the same amount of nitrogen. Such an application v;ould, of course,
be a fine thing for the cover crop but might be hard on the pocketbook.
A broadcast application of a complete fertilizer would occasionally be
very desirable, particularly where a "nitrogen only" program has been
followed for a number of years, although a complete fertilizer applied
at the usual rate per acre camiot be depended upon to supply as much ni-
trogen as the trees may need.

But there are at least five things which Massachusetts growers
may v/ell consider as possible substitutes for the commonly applied nitro-
gen carriers. (1) Use more mulch. Almost' anj'thing in the way of organic
matter found within hauling distance, regardless of the time of year, will
pro-ve beneficiAl in our sod orchards. Hay, straw, corn stalks, potato
vines, saxvdust, or seaweed may be used to compensate for the anticipeted
shortage. (2) Use poultry manure where tree and grass groirth show that
it is needed. Precautions concerning amount and time of application should
be observed. (3) If the sod is reasonably heavy, harrow the orchard once
or tv;ice in early spring. In many orchards, there is an accumulation of
organic matter iRhich dates back 10 or 15 years or more. This may be the
year to cash in on a little of this material. A light harrowing during May
will give the grass a setback and bring about the decay of some of the or-
ganic matter and thereby provide some nitroi_,en for the trees. Harrowing
should be done in such way that erosion ir avoided. (4) If the trees are
at all brushy, somewhat heavier pruning nay be in order. This may be the
year to do the pruning v;e intended to do last year. By pruning out vreak,
shaded, downward grovdng parts of branches, and by a fairly liberal thinning
of poorly located wood throughout the top, we can bring about a more effi-
cient distribution of the available nitrogen, and thereby invigorate the
rest of the tree, (5) Cut out extra trees. In nanj'- orchards there is

-2-

need for cutting out every other diagonal row in order to give the trees
adequate sunlight and to eliminate crovj-ding belov; ground. Thus, we not
only add to the supply of vrood for the fireplace but we give the remain-
ing trees a better supply of nitrogen, sunlight, water and other things
which accompany balanced nutrition. More mulch, more efficient pruning,
better spacing, and in some cases a little early spring harrowing, will
go a long way toward stimulating our sod orchards and therebj'- maintain
good production. Poultry manure may also be used to good advantage.

Some Facts About Su lfur

The yellow magician, sulfur, has held the center of the stage
of world progress for nearly 4,000 recorded years. Ancients dispelled
evil spirits v.-ith it. Chinese produced gunpowder with it. Egyptians
bleached fabrics v;ith it. Artists made paint with it. Early sculptors
bronzed statues Vsiith it. Alchemists tried to make gold with it. Drug-
gists make medicine of it. Prepared foods contain it. Agriculture and
industry are dependent on it. Plants, animals and humans cannot live
without it. Sulfur is truly a magic element. At least 2,000 years B.C.,
pagan priests were using sulfur in their ceremonial rites. Homer, in his
Odyssey, mentioned its use for fumigation, and Pliny, another famous Greek
of that day, spoke of four different kinds of sulfur for medicinal and tex-
tile uses. Until comparatively recent times, Sicily was the chief source
of the world's upply of sulfur. In the 15tn Century a large deposit of
this material mixed with limestone and other impurities was found there.
For the past 35 years practically all of the sulfur consumed in this coun-
try has come from mines located in the Gulf Coast regions of Louisiana
and Texas where large deposits are found at depths ranging from 500 to
1500 feet below the surface.

During 1940, the sulfur industry succeeded in meeting the greatest
demand for this material in the history of the United States. About 2^
million tons of sulfur were shipped during that year. The estimated re-
quirement during 1942 is 3 million tons. Stocks of sulfur are noxv near an
all time high. Instead of six months' supply available at the beginning
of the other World Vi'ar, it is estimated that there is now enough sulfur
above ground to last nearly two years. Crystalline sulfur melts at 240° F.
Thus, by pumping super-heated water into the deposit far under ground the
melted sulfur, almost chemically pure, is pumped out and allowed to solidify.

Aside from the enormous demand for sulfur as a fungicide, this
interesting element finds its way into the following industries: fertilizer,
pulp and paper, rubber, rayon, oil, iron and steel, paint and varnish, etc.
About 50 pounds of sulfur are required in the production of one ton of paper
used in printing. One pound of sulfur is used in manufacturing each pound
of rayon which finds its way into clothing and even rubber tires. One
pound of sulfur is used in the 17 pounds of rubber which go into the av-
erage automobile tire. Eighteen pounds of sulfur, as sulfuric acid, are
used per ton of steel.

The first scientific use of sulfur as a fungicide goes back to
1853 xvhen DeBary published his great work on cereal rusts and smuts. Soon
afterward, sulfur came into general use in France and adjoining countries

as a dust in the control of pov/dery mildew of grapes. In recent years,
France alone has used about 100,000 tons of sulfur annually in protecting
its vineyards against grape diseases. The importance of sulfur in the
growing of apples is too familiar to require emphasis. Our pest control
is actually built around the use of sulfur. V«e are indeed fortunate tliat
sulfur in its various forms, including the various brands of v^ettable sul-
fur, are still available in spite of the heayj^ demand for sulfur in indus-
try. Incidentally, one of the wettable sulfurs, flotation sulfur, comes
as a byproduct in the making of coke. The hydrogen sulfide v;hich must
be removed fr^m illuminating gas, goes through a number of interesting
chemical processes and finally emerges as flotation sulfur. There is
reason to believe that the supply of sulfur required for spraying and
dusting purposes v.dll be ample to meet the current season's n^sds at least.

Is a Back yard O rchard Practic al?

V/ith limited space"a vail able for a fruit planting, there is much
evidonce to show that the average individual in i,lassachusetts will obtain
more satisfaction and more fruit for home use if he C'^nfines his efforts
to small fruits such as strav/berries, raspberries and grapes than he vrill
from a planting of tree fruits. Apples in particular seem to be subject
to an unusual nuir.ber of troublesome pests v;hich require close attention
and a thorough, ivell timed spray program if usable fruit is to b e obtained.
Fully recognizing this fact, v;e are not only surprised but disturbed by
recommendations recently released by an authority in fruit growing in one
of the southern states. Speaking before the national Defense Gardening
Conference in vVashington, December 20, on the subject, "More Fruit for
Home Use on Our Fanns," the speaker made this statement: "Spraying prac-
tices may be needed, especially for apples and grapes. In many districts
and sections, however, these and other fruits m&Y be grown successfully
without spraying." The writer is reasonably sure that the above mentioned
sections do not include Massachusetts. The speaker also made this sta.te-
ment; "Tree fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries,
should occupy a prominent place in the home fruit garden. They should,
of course, be supplemented by bush fruits, grapes and strawberries."
Vvhile we cannot speak for the southern state in which this advice may be
in order, under our conditions bush fruits, grapes and strawberries should
come first in the backyard planting. Under no circumstances would we ad-
vise the planting of apple trees in the backyard unless the owner is not
only av/are of the pest situation, but is equipped to do something about it.

Sound Mvice on Sprayi n g Equ ipment

The follc^ing suggestions come from one of the manufacturers of
spraying equipment. Just at this season the advice is most timely, and
should be heeded by every fruit grower,

"Defense calls for extra care of your sprayer equipment. So many
people still do not realize the seriousness of our national situation from

an industrial viewpoint. There are still too many drifting along, business
as usual, hoping the war v/ill not affect them. The plain facts are that
v;ar production is going to require most of the available manufacturing of
this country, 'i.hat little manufacturing is left will be applied to actual
necessities. The old sprayers, now in service, must be kept running for
it v;ill be impossible to build enough new ones during the ivar. You must

make your present equipment run and you must give it every possible care
to keep it running without using any more parts than can absolutely be
helped*

W.e are all saving our tires by driving feiver miles and at slov;er
speeds. Let's save our sprayers by using them only when absolutely neces-
sary and with no higher pressure than necessary. Let's take extra good
care of them — keep them stored out of the weather when not in use — flush
pump v/ith clear water after spraying-^-don't let it freeze up — stop and
take time to make necessary adjustments when we see something needing
attention — adjust tension of chains and V-Belts to save v/ear — don't run
with regulator chattering — be more careful starting and stopping, when
throwing the tractor in and out of gear — be especially attentive to oiling
and greasing — in short, take care of your machine as thoughjou would never
get another.

Vie may soon have the same restrictions on spray hose that we now
have on tires. Avoid accidentally rubbing on wheels and sharp rocks, do
not kink, and keep it out of the sun when not in use. Many accessories,
especially spray guns, are made of brass and aluminum--take care of those
you have for there may not be metal available for more. Vfastefulness and
carelessness is unpatriotic and a crime against the country almost as much
as actual sabotage. In the past it has only cost the man who is careless, i
but now it is different — money will not buy replacements which do not
exist. Everyone of us must do our part to conserve our country's resources,
and that includes sprayers. Keep them oiled--Keep them running.

Pear Wood Needed for Umbrella 'Handles

A request has just been received that we assist in locating a
source of supply of bending stock for umbrella handles. Pear wood is one
of the kinds mentioned and the most desirable size is a sprout or limb ap-
proximately 7/8 to 1 inch in diameter which the concern cuts into 12 inch
lengths. Green stock is preferred. The material used in these handles
was formerly imported from Japan and that supply will probably be curtailed
for some time. Any fruit grower interested in this new market for pear wood
should get in touch with R. B. Parmenter, Extension Forester, M.S.C., Am-
herst, Mass.

Nev/ Beach Plum Project

The last session of the legislature appropriated ^bOO for inves-
tigational work with the Beach Plum. The prosecution of this project has
been assigned to the Pomology Department and J. S. Bailey has been given
immediate charge. Early in January, Prof. Bailey visited Barnstable
County and Martha's Vineyard and conferred with those interested in the
industry. He found several problems which are worthy of study. The
selection of superior varieties from the various types along the coast,
methods of propagation, pruning, fertilization and pest control, are some
of the problems in need of investigation. A program, soon to be outlined
on the basis of these observations, should yield results of value to the
industry. J. K. Shaw

Do You Know

That high school students harvested many of the apples grov/n
in V.'ashington last season? V.Tien a serious labor shortage developed at
harvest time in the 'Venatchee-Okanogan apple belt, the high schools
closed and- 90^ of the students v;ent into the orchards and packing houses.
Seventy-four pupils of the Entiat (ViTashington) High School earned
$4,351.60, according to "Better Fruit." - R. A. Van Meter

How many varieties of apples there are? Ragan's List of Variety
Karnes appearing in American publications from 1804 to 1904 includes 14,284
names. About one-half of these names are considered as synonyms. Evident-
ly, about 7,000 names of distinct varieties of apples were published during
that one hundred year period. J. K. Shaw

That a recent Farmers' Bulletin discusses 19 parasitic, 10 non-
parasitic and 10 virus diseases of potatoes, a total of 39? The plight
of the potato grower seems to be getting tougher and tougher. Not many
years ago he was confronted Y.'ith only two diseases, early and late blight.

J.K.S.

That losses in unpacked colonies of bees in Ohio are so severe
that honey production is unprofitable in tv/o years out of five? The sit-
uation may be similar in some sections of Massachusetts. In Ohio, it has
been found that, with normal strength colonies having good and sufficient
stores and pollen reserves, winter losses can be practically eliminated
by supplying insulation equal to 4 inches on the sides and ends, 2 inches
on the bottom, and 8 inches on the top of the hives. L. Southwick

That the use of ozone at a one or two parts per million concen-
tration for an hour each day will prevent the development of mold in stor-
ages? It Vvdll also retard tiie development of scab, rots, and scald. L.S.

That the different "fractions" of soil water freeze at different

temperatures? Free or gravitational water which moves dovmward in the

soil readily un'de'r~the Trifluence of gravity freezes at or above 29.3° F.,

most of the capillary water between 29,3° F. and 24.8° F. , while the

colloidally absorbed or combined vmter does not freeze even at a temper-
ature of 100" F. below zercT]! fTTis latter water is never available to
plants. L.S.

That boron is icn-own to occur in 56 different minerals? The only
T^idely distributed one is tourmaline, a borosilicate of iron and aluminum.
Vjhen this mineral weathers, boron is washed out in tlie form of borates
which adcumulate in solution in lakes and oceans. L.S.

That seleniium is the only mineral element definitely known to be
absorbed from the soil by plants in sufficient quantities to make them
lethal or deadly ti^ animals? This is the cause of "alkali disease" of
livestock in the V»est. L.S.

That a mature apple tree will produce, on the average, about 3
pounds of carbohydrates a day throughout the growing season? In clear
vreather about half the daily output is produced between 9:30 A.M. and 2:30
P.M., according to A. J. Heinicke of Cornell University. He found that dark
green leaves produce 2 to 4 times as much as light green or yellowish leaves,

L.S.

-6-

That Webster defines "bruise" as follov;s: "to batter, contuse,
injure, pound, break, pestle or maltreat? Even Ben Davis must succumb ■
from such treatment. L.S.

Tliat Jonathan, PUiode Island Greening, King and Rome Beauty are
more susceptible to arsenical injury than Mcintosh, V^ealthy, and Delicious?
This was reported from Michigan where the recommendation for prevention of
injury is the inclusion of a 1-4-100 or a 2-4-100 zinc sulfate-lime mixture
to sprays containing arsenical s beginning two weeks after calj/-x. L.S.

How to file a pruning saw? The writer has a good supply of a
manual dealing with the care of various kinds of saws, prepared by a na-
tionally known saw manufacturer. A postcard will brin^ a copy to your work-
shop. Just ask for the Saw Manual. .

That a total of 498 plants have been patented during the past 10
years? Of this number, 356 are on flov;ers, 99 on fruits and nuts, 23 on
ornaraental s , and 20 on miscellaneous plants. Rose patents alone number 246.
Fruit patents are distributed as follows: peach-27; apple-13; cherry, plum
and strawberry-7 each; grape, orange and nectarine-4 each; pear-3, raspberry,
blackberry, dewberry, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and pomegranate-1 each. The
largest number of plant patents granted in any one year since 1931 was 85
in 1940-; the smallest number was 32 in 1934.

The Peach C rop for J^9 42

The prospects for a peach crop in the College orchard are very
poor. A survey made January 28 showed the percentage of live buds as follows:

Elberta

Golden East

Carman

Red Rose

Valiant

Buttercup

Sungold

Polly

Oriole

Golden Globe

Veteran

Hale

Cumberland

Due to the late, wannfall the buds are very much more advanced
than usual for this time of year. It is, therefore, not strange that they
should succumb to higher temperatures than usual. The lov/est official tem-
perature for Amherst was -13° F. on January 8. A thermograph near the
orchard on the same date registered -10° F. Although there are still enough
buQs on some varieties for a good crop, the winter is not over yet. Y/e won'tj
"harvest any peaches" 'til after Y^'ashington' s birthday, J. S. Bailey

Arsenical Injury in Young Peach Trees Growing on Old Apple Land

In an article on the subject of arsenic toxicity in the soil,
E. C. Blodgett describes a poisoning of young peach, apricot and Italian
prune trees in Idaho caused by arsenioal residues in old apple orchard soilsi
The symptoms included leaf spotting, shot-holing and premature defoliation,
accompanied in pronounced cases by a crop of small, bitter fruits. Injury
was greatest during the first two or three years following setting of the
young orchard, and became progressively milder as the trees grew older and
as the roots grew deeper into the soil. The disease was readily reproduced
artificially by (l) setting young peach trees in pails of soil taken from

-7-

affected orchards and (2) by growing, trees in soils taken from non-orchard
sitesto which lead arsen&te was added in various d03ag,es. Other trees
^rovm as in (2) except that no lead arsenate wag added, remained normal.

0. C. Boyd

Food for Thought in Selling Apples

in an aadress~at the annual meeting of the Virginia State Horti-
cultural Society, V. E, Gardner of Llichigan State Golle^:e made this in-
teresting statement: "If the apples are a bit under colored, variable in
size and snape, if they show a good many bruises, in brief if tliey are
below par, they are left on tlie shelf and the oranges and grapefruit are
purchased. This is corroborated by the experience of chain store system
buyers and super-market operators. They say that Vifhen they have really
fancy, highly attractive apples to sell, not only do they sell them in
larger x'-olume than oranges and grapefruit, but they can and do sell them
at higher prices and the citrus fruits must be priced in proper relation
to them in order to b e moved. On the other hand, if the apples are below
par, it is the citrus fruits that set the selling pace and set the price
and the apples must be priced down in order to sell at all," L. Southwick

Fr uit Production - 1942

normal growing conditions in 1942 will probably result in a
smaller production of apples, peaches, pears, plums, and prunes, and a
larger output of apricots, cherries, grapes, strav/berries, oranges, grape-
fruit, and lemons than in 1941, according to the January issue of The
Ag ricul t ural Sit uation. L. Southwick

Apple Varieties in Nova Scotia

A recent survey of orchards in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia,.
including 30,368 acres, reveals that the heaviest planted single variety
is Stark. This is followed in order by V^agener, Baldv;in, Ben Davis, Golden
Russeti,'. King and Red King, Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Gano, Ribston,
Mcintosh, Cox Orange, and Blenheim. Total Llcintosh trees numbered only
55,916 whereas there were 184,155 Stark trees. In recent plantings, Wag-
ener holds first place, followed in order ^Golden Russet, Llclntosh, red
sports of Delicious, Cortland, and Crimson Gravenstein. Some 40,000 trees
vj-ere removed by organized tractor pulling in 1940. About half of these
were 51 years of age or over, about a quarter 41-50 and a quarter 21-40.
By variety the heaviest pulling was in Baldwin, Nnnpariel, Gravenstein,
Stark and the odd varieties. The report of the Nova Scotia Apple Llarketing
Board for the 1939-40 crop season lists some 214 varieties of apples handled
during that season. L. Southwick

Vfeather Conditions Uere and in England

It is interesting to note tiTe considerable differences in rainfall
and sunshine in a fruit growing section of England and in Massachusetts.
The figures here given represent the normals or the average conditions over
a period of years' as observed at Amherst, Massachusetts, and at Kent, England.

Precipitation in Inches Hours of Sunshine
April - September AJinual Annual

Amherst 23,1 43.7 2353

Kent 11.8 26.2 1480

■8-

Although irrigation has given favorable results in liinited
trials in England, drought conditions seem to be mentioned less fre-
quently by the English than by Massachusetts farmers. The maritime
climate of England is probably responsible. Besides less sunshine,
temperatures ran^e lower during the growing season, and humidity^may
be higher than in most parts of Massachusetts. There is reason to be-
lieve that a total rainfall of only 11.8 inches from April through Sept-
ember would be inadequate on many Massachusetts fruit farms. L. Southwick

Rab bit In j ury

A newly developed repellent for preventing rabbit damage to fruit
trees v/as mentioned in December Fruit Kotes. This repellent is a fruit
tree coating and is effective against cottontails. It has been recommended
by v;orkers in the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station. More than 200
materials or :aixtures have been tested since 1937. The only repellent that
proved to be safe on trees as well as effective against rabbits v»-as a mix-
ture of rosin and ethyl alcohol as stated in Fruit Notes. Cheaper grades
of rosin and of denatured commercial ethyl alcohol were found to be as
satisfactory as the higher grades. Seven pounds of rosin are dissolved
in one gallon of alcohol (slightly more than one part of rosin to one part
of alcohol by weight). This may take up to 24 hours in a warm room. The
container should be closed to prevent evaporation and to allow shaking.
iJo heat should be appliedl Treated trees vrill turn white but this does
not'~change the eTfectiveness nor does it harm the trees. The repellent
should be applied in the fall and only when the bark is dry. One applica-
tion protects all winter. Yie have not tried this repellent as yet at the
State College. L. Southwick

Classification and Taxation of Forest Lands and Fo rest Products

The'T.'aw covering the taxation of forest lands was ainended last
year by the Massachusetts Legislature as follov^s: All forest land, having
an assessed valuation not in excess of ^25 per acre for land and growth
became automatically classified January 1st, 1942. The assessors notify
owners of forest land' on or "before March 1st, 1942, that such land is
classified. If the land is not classified, the owner can appeal to the
State Forester for a hearing. The owner of classified forest land may cut,
free of tax, wood or timber therefrom for his ovm use or for the use of a
tenant, not to exceed s;25 in stumpage value. On any amount above this $25
he must pay a products tax of such percentage of the stuiapage value as is
set forth in the following schedule:

VJ"ood and Timber Cut from Land Classified — Less than three years,
\%; three to six years, 2^; six to nine years, 3%, nine to twelve years, 4^;
tv/elve to fifteen years, 5^; fifteen years or more, 6^.

The ovmer shall make a return to the assessors before April 1st,
showing the amount of wood and timber cut from classified land during the
preceding c'ttLendar year. A form for this will be provided. The owner pays
annually a land tax based on an adjusted valuation. The adjusted valua-
tion of classified forest land shall be the percentage of the full value
of the land including the growth thereon as of January first of each year
as set forth iij the following, schedule;

-9-

In the year of classification, 90^o; in the first year follov;ing
such year, 80^'; in the succeeding years up to the ninth year follovdng
classification the percentages are 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10, re-
spectively. In the ninth year and thereafter the adjusted valuation shall
be the lesser of (a) or (b); (a) Five dollars per acre, (b) The full
value of the land including the grovrth thereon.

Every individual o^vning woodland, even as lov; as three acres,
is affected by this act. Copies of this act are obtainable from the De-
partment of Corporations and Taxation, 239 State House, Boston, Kass, For
further information consult: (1) Your local assessor, (2) Department of
Conservation, Division of Forestry, 20 Somerset St., Boston, (3) Massachu-
setts Forest and Park Association, 3 Joy St., Boston, or i.4) the Extension
Forester, Massachusetts State College, Amherst.

Semi - Dwar f Apple Trees

~ There seems to be a grov;ing interest among fruit growers in semi-
dwarf apple trees. The most promising stocks for such trees are Mailing I,
rv and VII. Trees on these stocks maybe expected to reach roughly tvro-
tiiirds the height and three-fourths the spread of trees on seedling roots.
They groitr nearly or quite as rapidly as ordinary trees until they begin to
bear. The age of bearing will depend on the variety and on cultural prac-
tices, but v/ill be from two to five years sooner than if the trees v;ere on
seedling stocks. When they begin to bear commercial crops, growth, es-
pecially in height, is checked. They can be planted somev/hat closer than
standard trees but should be allovred from 20 to 35 feet according to var-
iety and soil. The fruit on semi-dwarf trees is practically the same as
that of standard trees though we expect that high color may be more readily
attained. Trees may prove shorter lived and may suffer more from poor
growing conditions. We believe that acre yields from suitably spaced trees
will be greater. Unfortunately, trees on these stocks carmot now be gen-
erally obtained except at rather high prices, but we expect that this will
not be true in future years. J. K. Shaw

Cor rection

In a recent issue of Fruit Notes, it was stated that field mice
do not attack the cultivated blueberry. This statement is not entirely
correct. There are a few well-authenticated cases of mouse girdling of
blueberry bushes, although Yi. W. Dykstra of the Fish and Vv'ildlife Service
says that injury to blueberries is uncommon. It is most likely to occur
on young shoots and on bushes heavily mulched with hay. ¥«here mulch is
used, hovrever, control should not be difficult since mouse "runs" are
easily located and baited. There is some evidence that sawdust may be
unattractive to meadow mice. L. Southwick

Boysenberries in Massachusetts

Although the Boysenberry is not particularly well adapted to our
climate, it seems that this nev; fruit has done fairly well in isolated in-
stances in this state. O^e report from a grower in Barnstable County tells
of a 300-quart crop grown last season. The writer v.'ill appreciate hearing
from anyone who has experienced some success v;ith this fruit. L. Southwick

•Iti^-*.' ■ '. .

■ : -V

FRUIT UOTES

Volume 6

Number 2

February, 1942

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Supply Situation
1942 Apple Spray Chart
Contrast in Nursery Advertising
Orchard Soil Acidity
Do you Knov;?

A::nual Report of Exp. Sta.
Hassachusetts Apple Juice
Thev Sav It Viiorlcs

Mulchin[, Experirients

Farn ivianures

17ar Ti-ie Apple Prices

Beekeepers' Supplies

Apple Tree Census

Apple luaggot Control

Tree Pulling

Guns, Tanks and Apples

The Supply Situation

Fertilizers. The supply of nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia,
cyanamid, etc., forT942 farm operations will be not more than 50^^ of
normal and in some cases will be as lov: as 20^0 of previous supplies. Some
of the materials normally used in fertilizers were previously transported
by ships which are not now available. Plans are under way for monthly ra-
tioning of nitrate of soda by states at a fixed price, plus transportation.
Early shipments will go into the southern states. Supplies of superphosphate
in 1943 may be curtailed, since future shipments of phosphate rock from
Florida will involve rail instead of v;ater transportation. Supplies of
both pliosphorus and potash are none too plentiful at present, although
there should be enough mixed goods for this season at least. Some fruit
growers are buying a high nitrogen mixed fertilizer instead of the straight

Issued by the Extension Service, Y,'iHard A. IJunson, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of i:ay6 and June 30, 1914, Hassachusetts State College, United
States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

nitrogen commonly applied in ysars past. In orchards showing a scanty cover
crop, this may be a move in the ri£;ht direction.

Spray iiaterials. A recent release from the National Apple Insti-
tute readsl "Provision has been made for a sufficient supply of lead arsenate.
There will be enough copper sulfate. Plenty of raw sulfur exists in this
country for lime sulfur solutions, mixed sulfur dusts, and sulfur compounds,
the only question being whether production in the manufacturing plants can
stay on these materials. Nicotine sulfate has been placed under price con-
trol at a higher price with the object of insuring sufficient production."

Equipnent and Ilachinery. Production of new sprayers and other
machinery has oeen cut to approximately 83^^ of the 1940 supply. But produc-
tion of repair parts and replacements will be 140^^ of 1940. This includes
rubber hose. The need for early overhauling of the sprayer cannot be over-
stressed. A completely rejuvenated power sprayer may be exceedingly useful
if, and when, emergency fire fighting equipment is needed. (One grovier,
faced with a menacing fire, saved his farm buildings by having a sprayer
in readiness.) As the stock of repair parts on the dealer's shelves is
depleted, he has a better chance for replenislunent if he has actual orders
on hand. Shipments from distcuit points will move slovirly, and late orders
may not be filled on time. All worn parts should be replaced at once.

Boxes. Quoting from a recent Washington telegram, "Re your tele-
gram February 3, manufacturer may accept orders from farmers for boxes with-
out jeopardizing his defense rating under preference rating orders."
Ammunition containers and other vrar items have first call on box manufactur-
ers. A few of them, hovrever, are apparently able to turn out some box shook.
Box nails are scarce and are becoming more so. You v;ill have a better chance
of getting nails for the coming season if you order from your usual supplier
at once. In case he has none, try somewhere else. Apple growers may find
it advantageous to nail boxes at the farm when other work is not pressing.

1942 Apple Spray Chart

Barring unexpected delays in printing, the 1942 Apple Spray Chart
should be available soon. This season for the first time, either the Dormant
or Delayed Dormant spray is recommended, the choice depending upon pests
present. If rosy aphis is a serious problem, a DN spray or a DN Oil Spray
at the dormant stage is reconiaended. But if red mite is the principal early
season pest, the usual Delayed Dormant application of Misoible Oil or Oil
Emulsion is in order.

A Con trast in Nursery Advertis ing

The following description of the Dresden strawberry was seen in a
recent nursery catalog: "V.'e were disappointed with the Dresden last summer.
It set a large crop of berries, but they v/ere of poor color and too soft for
a market berry. They did not come near the standard of Howard 17, Catskill,
or Pathfinder. We will not set any Dresden this year. However, some of the
other plant grovjers speak very highly of the Dresden. For any who v;ant to
try them out, we have some nice plants."

This statenier.t, by its .frankness, is a narked contrast to frequent
extravagant statements in nursery advertising, v/hich ■aim to confuse and mis-
lead rather than to present the facts fairly. The latter t'^'pe of advertising
is illustrated by the folloxving statement taken from a recent issue of a
prominent periodical: "Bearing age plants yield in 60 days. Have plenty
of fruit to eat and sell this year. Send for these fruit- plants ready to
bear first season. Blueberries, boysenberries, strawberries, raspberries,
apples, peaches ."

The extravagance of these statements' would be amusing except for
the fact that some people, whose knowledge of the bearing habit of fruits is
limited, are going to be lured into buying plants v/hich will prove a great
disappointment. The nursery v/ith the Dresden strawberry should have a host
of friends, v/hile the other nursery merits nothing but condemnation.

' '•■; " 0. C. Roberts
Test Orchard Soils for Acidity "

If the soil is very acid certain necessary plant food elements be-
come locked up, and are therefore unavailable. If the pH is as lov; as 5, an
application of ground limestone will tend to render more available some of the
mineral elements for which we pay h^rd earned cash. Two examples from veget-
able investigations will help to illustrate this point. (1) V. A. Tiedjens
of the N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta., says, "Acid soils tend to fix phosphoric acid.
For this reason, if v/e must farm acid soils, v/e must use a 1-2-1 or a 1-3-1
fertilizer ratio so that the plants will receive sufficient phosphoric acid.
V«''ith sufficient lime in the soil, a 1-1-1 or a 1-1-2 ratio would be suitable
because more of the phosphoric acid v.'ould be available.

(2) Results of applying increasing amounts of -potash in growing
peppers on limed and unlimed soils in Hew Jersey, are strikingly shov/n in
the follov.'ing table;

Fertilizer Unlimed Limed

(1000 lbs. per acre) (Yield, bu. per acre) (Yield, bu. per acre)

5-10-0 268 297

5-10-5 268 324

5-10-10 329 408

5-10-15 356 . 405

5-10-20 345 359

From these figures it is apparent that lime increased the efficiency
of the potash in the mixed fertilizer. Lime is relatively- inexpensive. It
may be very much needed in your orchard. The cover crop is a good indicator
of soil acidity. Soil samples should be taken in each block since they are
likely to vary in degree of acidity. ^\nd if the soil in a given area tests
pH 5 or lower, an application of ground limestone this spring may prove a
very profitable investment.

Do You Know ■

That apple pie holds top rank in the army camps of the U. S.? A
poll of the various camps conducted by the V,'ar Department shov;s that apple
pie is the favorite dessert of men in khaki. Ice cream is a close second to
apple pie. Others in order of preference are as follows; Doughnuts, chocolate
cake, cherry pie, coconut cake, mince pie, fruit cobbler, banana puddin^,.

butterscotch pudding and rice pudding. Prunes and ither dried fruits, the
army release says, are still popular in spite oi the stories told by veterans
of the other Vi'orld V;"ar,

That the edible portion of an apple is in rea.Vity "a fleshy stem"?
The pineapple, however, is the crovraing achievement in ■•h'- development of a
fruit. The central core, v;hich is commonly remtJved, is -u.ilogous to tlie trunk
of a tree. The segments v»'hich radiate from this centrul c ore are analogous to
side branches of a tree and on these branches are borne , :t flowers or "eyes"
Vv-hich are also coniiaonly removed v;hen the pineapple is prepared for the table.
And so, were one to eat an entire pineapple, he .aight ver;. properly put forth
the claim that he devoured a treei

That in driving anautomobile 1,000 miles, the difference in oil,
gasoline, tire, and maintenance cost between 35 and 55 miles an hour is at
least Cl2.? These figures are offered by a California automobile club.

That tlie ort^nge crop of the United States in 1941 was 84,414,000
boxes compared to 84,082,000 boxes in 1940. The grapefruit crops for the two
years were 41,440,000 and 43,033,000 boxes, respectively. The lemon crops
were 14,220,000 and 17,099,000 boxes, respectively.

That a group of apple growers in the V-enatchee Valley in V^'ashington
have formed a cooperative ufiit to buy and operate a brush shredder. This
machine, equipped v/it?i a 90 K. P. motor is scneduled to arrive early in Feb-
ruary. Under the AAA, the government pays i.3. a ton for shredded brush left
in the orchard. Originators of the unit believe this payment v/ill almost pay
for the operation of the machine aside from the advantage of adding humus to
the orchard soil.

That the Dor sett variety of strawberry is a cross betv/een the Howard
17 (Premier) and an English variety, the Royal Sovereign?

That a sawdust mulch is provin^, an excellent mulch material for
blueberry plants? In one experiment blueberries grew ten ti.nes as much under
a sav;dust mulch as under no mulch, and tv/ice as much under sawdust as under
a strav/ or hay mulch. This report from the ^Werican Fruit Grovaer indicates
these values of mulching: Improved moisture conditions, lower and more uniform
soil te;riperatures, and no cultivation to disturb the shallow rioted blueberry
plants.

That 5 a;>ples of the Steele's Red variety received Y.hat is believed
to be the highest price ever paid for apples at an auction sale conducted by
the Michigan Horticultural Society? The sv.'eepstakes plate brought v51. or
$10,20 for each apple.

That a bas^'et of fruit may nov be deliver';-d alm^^st an^iA/here in the
U, S. by telegraph? Adopting the system commonly used by florists, a tele-
graphic agency now has ab^ut 1,000 members scattered over the country v/ho are
supplied with high quality apples f-^r prTapt delivery.

That green wo-d has '^nly 6Z% as much fuel value as the same wood
seasoned 12 months? V/ood seas-^ned 3 months has a fuel value of 85;^, o m-^nths,
90^;, and 9 months, 95^b of that seas-^ned 12 m-^nths.

- 5

That girdled peach trees are exceedingly difficult t" bridge graft?
Recent work of the South Haven, I'lich. Exp. Sta. shows that bridge grafting
peach trees with either peach or plu:n scions v.-as unsucc^issful , The peach
scions refused to "take", A reasonable percentage of the plun scions grew but
the tops above ther.i died later.

That it is likely to be unprofitable to bridge graft girdled apple
trees which are under 2^- inches in diameter? Observations and grov.-th .Measure-
ments made in a Michigan 17-year old orchard v/here part "f the trees had been
bridge grafted and part of thei.; cut off and cleft grafted following girdling
v;aen about 2 to 2-|V inches in dianeter, indicates that cleft grafting is dis-
tinctly preferable for tre'.s that size or smaller.

That slopes as steep as 55^0 in the Finger Lake District of Uev; York
have been used for vineyards? According to A, 3. Beauiaont, soiae of these
vineyards have been abandoned because of severe erosion. Practical neth'^ds of
erosion c-^ntrol are now being developed.

That California leads all other states in nunber of fan.is under
three acres? 6,476 farns are in that class.

That 60>b of the apples stored in New England February 1 were of the
Mcintosh variety, 25^ were of the Baldwin variety, 6% Delici'-'us, A% Northern
Spy, I'/o each of r, i. Greening and Rome Bfaauty, and 5^0 were of other varieties.
29% of all apples stored in the U. S. '^n that date viere -"f the Tine sap vari'>ty,
and ZA% were of the Delicious variety.

That Bor-^n is proving successful in preventing cracking of cherries.
Used successfully for several years to prevent celery steiTi crack and si-nilar
difficulties, it v/as also used successfully this year to prevent cracking of
carrots. Boron appears to give elasticity to plant cell .aeiubranes and for
that reason tests are being made in prune and cherry orchards to prevent
cracking of these fruits. In one cherry orchard, the cracking was reduced to
a negligible aiaount where borax v/as used at 30 lbs. per cere. Prune cracking
was reduced fror.i 25$^ on untreated plots to 9/:, wh'jre boron was applied;

Do You Read the Annual Report?

The Annual Report of the Experiment Station is seen by few of our
fruit grov/ers. It is in bulletin fom and has increased in size from 54 to
108 pages in the last ten years. It contains brief statements concerning
practically all the research and ccitrol work of the Station. The report covers
the year ending Novonber 30 and is prepared shortly after that date. It is not
available in printed form much before :.iid-suM.ner. Anyone seeing this Report
for the first time v;ill be astonished at the aiaount and diversity of the re-
search work going on at the Experiment Station. The edition is limited but a
copy will be available to any citizen of the Coim.ionv/ealth. The paragraph on
llulching in this issue of Fruit L'otes is adapted from the report of the De-
partment of Pomology, J. K. Shaw

Addressograph Balks; Fruit Notes Delayed

January Fruit Notes was delivered late to the majority of our readers,
due in part to a broken addressograph. For nearly tvi'o weeks the issue waited
patiently on the floor for a minor repair part, a broken spring. V.'hen it be-
caiae apparent that the repairs would require still more time, arrangements v.-ere
made for doing the addressing by hand, a slow but sure method. Another example
of the need for ordering repair parts early, and for restraining one's temper
If they don't arrive pro.aptlv. ^ -f ' t. r

-s-

Massachusetts Apple Juice

In viev/ of the increasing interest in bottled and canned apple
juice, further studies have recently been made on this product by Mass. Agr.
Exp. Sta. in Amiierst. This work has included an evaluation of different
clarifying methods for apple juice and blends of Massachusetts apples suit-
able for juice.

In Massachusetts the Mcintosh is the most important commercial
variety. Unfortunately, the juice of the Mcintosh has a rather insipid
flavor and must be blended with other varieties if used in the manufacture
of a palatable apple juice. Tests have been made to determine the maximum
amount of liclntosh juice that can be blended with Baldwin or Delicious var-
ieties to yield a satisfactory commercial product. It xsas found that blends
containing up to 60% of Mcintosh juice yielded a pleasing product. In such
blends it is not recomip.ended that over 25)j Delicious apples be used owing to
their strong- aromatic flavor. \'^ . B. Esselen

They Say It '. .orks

1. "Hard" Cider, The problem of keeping cider for year round con-
sumption has been solved by iluckley Brothers of l^a^Taesburg, Ohio. Acting on
the suggestion of T. K. Tressler of the Hew York State Experiment Station v;ho
says "Freezing is the ideal method of preserving apple juice," they are now
freezing annually 110 fifty-gallon barrels of cider into "cider ice." They
use only good, sound apples. The cid^^r is made in a commercial press where
press cloths and other materials are kept scrupulously clean. An average
blend consists of Grimes, Baldwin and Delicious. After pressing, the cider
is allovred to stand for 24 hours to allow any sediment to settle out, and is
them passed through a screen into 50-gallon barrels. Seven to 10)b "head
room" is allov.'ed so that the barrels vrill not burst when the cider is frozen.
Quick freezing is accomplished at a temperature of 5 to 10 degrees below
zero. It is then put into storage until needed. Thawing takes several days
after which the cider is poured into a dispensing unit which keeps it at 38°
to avoid fermentation. During the fair season their cider dispensing unit

is placed on a truck and hauled around to summer fairs vrhere cider is sold
by the glass. Last year 5,000 bushels of apples were sold by these men via
the pressing, freezing, storing and "selling at leisure" route. Here is a
new method of making "hard" cider, but not the kind reported to be popular
v;hen stone walls were being built in grandfather's day,

2. Peach Borers, Harry Seagraves of V.est Heivbury is demonstrating
a nevr way of controlling peach borers. He avoids the task of digging around
the trunks of trees, "worming" with knife and v/ire, and the commonly recom-
mended chemical treatment, by placing a copper or bronze mosquito wire mesh
guard around his trees at planting time. He writes "Many window screen manu-
facturers near the ocean use only copper or bronze wire. Often screens come
back for repairs having only a small break and the old screen is sold as junk.
While this screen is not as good as new, much of it v/ill last five or six
years. In fact, v/e have had some on tees for more than ten years. The soft
copper screen lasts longer as it is not so apt to break at the creases, as
hardened bronze. 17e cut a piece of screen 18" x 18" and fold it to 7-|-" x 18"
allowing 3 inches to lap over. Using a short piece of board,' \.'e flatten out

-7-

the creases, and when the whip is planted, v;e slip the flattened cylinder
dovfi: over it and let it extend two or three inches into the dirt in such
manner that the moth camiot reach the tree. The guard v/ill aiever girdle
the tree but will always be ti^ht around the trunk and will last until the
tree is five inches in dianeter. Vdiile we do not have quite so many borers
as in orchards fartlier south, we have plenty of orchards nearby which are
badly infested. But v;e have not seen a single borer in our 500 trees, all
of which were planted with window screennetting guards.

3. Storage Scald. Prevention of storage scald in the Cortland
variety has been carefully studied by workers at the Rhode Island Agricul-
tural Experiment Station. They find that the date of harvest has a definite
relationship to the amount of scald. Cortland apples were harvested on six
different dates in the Station orchard and the a:-.iount of scald in each lot
observed. The results were as follows: The percentage figure in each case
represents the portion of that lot which was entirely free from storage scald,
Sept. 16, 5=0? Sept. 23, 21^'p; Sept. 30, 85);; Oct. 7, 95%; and Oct. 14, 100^.
The late harvested fruit also has much better color and was superior in all
respects.

Ilulching Experiments at the State College

A mulch of glass wool is being used under certain trees in the
State College orchard in Amherst to determine its effect on plant nutrients
in the soil. For some time it has been known that nitrates and replaceable
potash are found in orchard soils beneath a hay mulch. Ey means of the
glass wool an attempt v;ill be made to determine whether or not these mineral
nutrients are due solely to the decomposition of the mulch or to soil condi-
tions brought about by mulching. Two 30-year-old ;.icIntosh trees grown under
cultivation have been mulched v;ith hay, two with glass wool, and tv/o are
still under cultivation. Tv;o trenches were recently dug under each tree
and soil samples at several depths were taken. These samples are now being
analyzed to determine total and available nutrients. Similar saraples will
be taken one or more times each year and analyzed.

In another plot where cultivation and mulching are under comparison,
heavy mulching vras begini in 1922. Rootlets are much more abundant Just be-
neath the mulch than in surface areas under cultivation or sod. Doubtless
there are three conditions which favor such root development, - (1) better
and more uniform moisture supply, (2) more readily available nutrients, and
(3) better aeration. The growth of these trees last sui/iiier was remarkably
good and the crop was the largest of any of the seven plots in the orchard.
There have never been any signs of nitrogen deficiency following these
liberal applications of v;aste hay. Ko fertilizer other than the mulch has
been applied for twenty years. J. K. Shaw

An Old LIulching Expe r imo n t

There is nothing new under the sun. In Vfisconsin Bui. 87, published
in 1901, Professor E. S. Goff tells of mulching a small plum orchard with
marsh hay applied six inches deep. The results were very satisfactory. The
grass (except quack grass) was killed, and the tree roots were induced to grow
almost to the top of the ground. This, he feared, made the trees more subject
to winter killing. in the severs winters of Wisconsin, He notes that the
mulched trees had more healthy foliage and the size and quality of the fruit
v;as increased. J. K. Shaw

-3-

Guard t he Suppl y of Farm Llaimres

Farmers are ur^ed to make full use of fertility from farm manures.
Accustomed supplies of commercial fertilizers are being interrupted by v/ar
conditions and a definite shortage of some ingredients is apparent. If
farmers are to maintain or increase the yield of needed products, efforts
would seem wisely spent in conserving much of the manure fertility which
is wasted at present. Considerable quantities of poultry manure are still
dumped for want of better use. Despite the labor cost of collecting and
distributing, this material should be salvaged as one of the richest nitro-
gen manures for crop use. Poultry-men having surplus manure should notify
their county agricultural agent who v»rill pass this information on to farm-
ers needing it.

Almost half the crop producing value of cow manure is contributed
by the urine which contains about half the nitrogen and three quarters of
the potash. Failure to conserve this liquid portion of manure is undoubtedly
the main cause of loss in handling manure. Much can be done to save this
important loss of urine by ample use of absorbent material in the gutter
and tlien spreading daily on the land where possible. If manure is stored,
a pit with concrete base will prevent loss later by leaching from the pile.
If excess water accumulates in the pit from rainfall, a roof shelter may be
added. Since a scarcity of bedding material no doubt is the chief reason
for this loss, farmers should seek a supply wherever possible. Sawdust and
swale grass hay are useful among other items for bedding. R. W. Donaldson

War-time Apple Prices

ViT. E. Piper of the Division of Markets submits this interesting
analysis of apple prices during the First Vvorld War: "Host growers, old
enough to remember that period, recall the boom prices during certain por-
tions of the Vvar years. Recollections, however, as to the exact time of
high prices are naturally hazy. Y.'e have consequently dug out some figures
to tell the story in as condensed form as possible. Annual production,
quantity exported, and average U. S. prices paid to farmers at intervals
of three months during each season, are shown below.

Prices

U.S. Crop

Exports

(Ave. to

farmers J

cts.

per bu

Season

(bu.)

(bbls.)

Sept.

Dec. J

.larch

June

1914-15

253,200,000

2,352,000

1915-16

230,010,000

1,466,000

105

1916-17

204,582,000

1,740,000

123

157

1917-18

163,117,000

635,000

108

121

145

158

1918-19

169,911,000

1,576,000

124

133

175

237

1919-20

140,632,000

1,061,000

162

184

232

297

Some of these crop figures are on a different basis than present
day estimates. Actual volume is, therefore, not comparable with figures
for recent years, but for all practical purposes they give a reasonably
accurate picture of the relative size of the crop during the various years
within the war period. The same may be more or less true of the price
figures. Being national averages of prices paid to farmers they would differ

-9-

somewhat from local market prices in dollars and cents, but on a propor-
tional basis they reflect the price chan^^es during the v;ar years."

YJar-time Supplies for Beekeeper s ' . .

In order to provide sufficient bees for pollination of the expected
increased amounts of fruits and vegetables, and to meet the demands for honey
as a sugar substitute, beekeepers are urged to increase both the number of
colonies and the amount of honey produced. In Kew York, plans are being made
todnuble the 1941 honey crop. Massachusetts beekeepers must do their share.
In this connection beekeepers will be interested in the following information
just received concerning commodities needed in the industry:

Sugar. Bee producers and apiarists can secure 80^ j of the sugar
they used last year' on a month by month basis. This is according to General
Preference Order M-55 as amended. ^ In addition, if this does not take care
of present needs or if the beekeeper did not feed sugar last year but needs
some this year, he should v;rite or wire. Ilr. A. E. Bowman, Chief, Sugar Sec-
tion, War Production Board, Vj'ashington, D. C. Included should be the, follow-
ing: Amount o-f, sugar already obtained under General Preference Ruling 1,1-55.
Number of colonies under production. Amount of sugar needed in terms of
100-pound bags.' The specific urgency (in number of days) as to when the
sugar must be delivered. The name of the dealer from v;-hom purchase is to
be made. Beekeepers should not abuse this privilege v;hic'h has been granted
on the basis that a beekeeper uses a small amount of sugar to produce a
larger amount of honey.

Tin. The War Production Board has made provision for the beekeeping
industry to obtain all the tin cans it will need in sizes of 5-pound and
larger. Tin containers in unlimited quantities in the sizes stated will
be made available as long as the supply lasts. Every effort should be made
to use glass and other types of containers as much as possible notwithstand-
ing the above.

Ti res . Beekeepers will be treated the same as other farmers as
regards tires. It should be explained to the local tire rationing board
that the V'lar Production Board recognizes the importance of the industry and
this is well attested by the fact that provisions have been made for the in-
dustry to obtain restricted materials such as sugar, tin, and other metals.

F. R. Shaw

Appl e Tree Census

Apple acreage in tlie United States has been decreasing rather stead-
ily for about 30 years, according to a. recent study by Scoville and Cairipbell
of Cornell University. The decrease intJie last decade was especially high,
ajnounting to about 38;;^. In millions of trees, the numbers reported in 1920,
1930, and 1940 were 151.5, 115.3, and 71.7 respectively. In Nev; England
alone, comparable figures vrere 8.5, 6.6, and 3,6. For comparison, in 1939
Massachusetts reported 1,408,872 trees of all ages.

Production has not declined to tlie same extent as tree numbers, due
to increased yields per tree. The average annual production, in millions of
bushels, v;as reported as follows: 1910-1919, 190; 1920-1929, 163; 1930-1939,
157,

-10-

It is interesting to note that number of trees may not always be
a good index of total yield. The state that boasts the largest commercial
production is Washington, even though this state stands seventh in number
of trees. The six states with largest average production for the last six
years are, in order, as follows: Vfeshington, New York, Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania, California and Michigan. IVashington averages roughly 28 million
bushels per year; New York, 17; Michigan, 7; Massachusetts, 2. L. Southwick

Compulsory Apple Magg ot Co ntrol in Nova Sc otia

The latest report of the Apple Maggot Control Board (appointed by
the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association) v.'as presented in December, 1941,
at the Annual Meeting of the Society held at Kentville, Nova Scotia. This
shov/s vfhat is being done by an aroused group of growers in compelling ovmers
of reglected trees to either spray or destroy them in the interest of the
fruit growing industry. Inspectors made 5,275 visits in 1941. Owners of
non-commercial trees were urged to have their trees removed free of charge
by the Department of Agriculture. Yfhere ovv-ners fail to comply with the
Board's orders, an inspector in eacli zone Virill destroy the trees at the
owner's expense. "Before the danger period for spread of apple maggot comes
around next year all delinquents will have been dealt v/ith." The Board is
of the opinion that the firm attitude adopted during the past year has yielded
substantial results and it is recommended that the regulations be rigorously
enforced in 1942. L. Southwick

Tree Pulli ng in Nova Scotia

Tractor pulling of fruit trees, particularly apple trees, v/hich
are deemed undesirable by their owners because of variety, condition, age,
or location, has been carried out in Canada by the Government as a free
service since 1938. Over 80,000 trees have been pulled. Ina recent report,
it was stated that the cost of this service to the Government has been about
17 cents per tree. Further reduction of unprofitable trees is highly recom-
mended. Under favorable circumstances, tree planting, including r epl anting
of good sites, is advocated. Recommended varieties are Crimson Gravenstein,
Mcintosh, Cortland, Red Delicious, Red Spy, and Red Rome. L. Southv/ick

Guns, Tanlcs and — Apples

Ajaerioa promises us guns, planes, tanks, ammunition — and food. All
these are vital things and, among items of food, we would like to see apples
prominently mentioned to take the place of our disappearing stocks. The Apple
is the favorite cleansing and vitalizing element of food among all the classes,
and the health of the nation would benefit considerably by a consignment of
those attractive Apples to brighten the menu of busy people. V^e admit that
in many ways vegetables — and especially ravif vegetables and salads--can per-
form a similar function to the Apple, but in the so days of long hours and
irregularity such foods_ cannot always* be prepared in time. There is alv;ays
time to eat an Apple, and it is the-fcusiest people who need them. (Market
Grower, Salesman, and Fruit Trader, London, England.)

FRUIT NOTES

Volume 6

Number 3

March, 1942.

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Issue:

Bees for Pollination

The Box Situation

Do You Know?

Apples and Bananas

Strawberries for the Amateur

Are Sprayed Apples Injurious to Health?

Pressure Loss in Power Sprayers

New Grapes

Strawberries Resistant to Red Stele

Fertilizer Supplies

Industry or Agriculture?

A Successful Retailers' School

The Rat Menace

Orchard Experiments at M.S.C.

Bees for Pollination

Bees play a vita
the various kinds of nut
pendent upon insects for
set of fruit. V.'ild bees
bers, but they are knovm
plantings. Of all the p
under a:iy degree of cont
so with any of the other
of crop insurance. This
supplies and labor, we c
to a larger yield of mar
season we can lower the

1 role in fruit production. IVith the exception of
s, all of our tree fruits in Massachusetts are de-
the transfer of pollen, so essential in getting a
do an excellent job if present in sufficient num-
to be relatively scarce in many of our larger fruit
ollen carrying bees, the honey bee is the only one
rol. V;e can bring honey bees into the orchard. Not
bees. The introduction of honey bees is one kind
year with its many restrictions and higher costs of
annot afford to ne^l-Jct anything which may contribute
ketable fruit. By getting more bushels per acre this
per bushel cost of production.

Beekeepers are being urged to producs more honey and wax this year.
According to F. R. Shaw of tli'j Department of Entomology, many of the larger

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in further-
ance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United
States Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

beekeepersvd.ll run their colonies for honey production this year instead of
renting them during the blossoming seasoii. He therefore suggests that fruit
growers order bees early for pollinating purposes.

T he Box Situation

An official in an Eastern box association writes: "The volume of
defense business is increasing daily, and if growers wait until June or July
to buy apple boxes they will probably have difficulty in obtaining sufficiertfc
quantities. YIe are of the opinion that concerns which have made apple boxes
in previous years will take care nf their regular box customers this year.
Vt'e doubt if any manufacturer v;ill be interested in taking on new accounts
but if growers will cooperate by placing orders at once , and taking delivery
from now until picking season at the convenience of the manufacturers, and
making satisfactory credit arrangements, we feel there will be no shortage."
(A list of concei-ns manufacturing box shook in this area is available.)

Quoting from the March 16 Seasonal Fruit Notes by li. A. Rollins,
"The recent survey of 24 box manufacturers in southern New England shows
that 16 are interested in making apple boxes. From the replies it is very
evident that fruit grov/ers who need apple boxes for the 1942 crop should
order early if they expect to have delivery by harvest time. Most of the
box manufacturers prefer to furnish the boxes in shook to the fruit grov/er.
This may mean that you will have to nail your own boxes this year even though
you have not been accustomed to doing so. Show good judgment by ordering
your box shook now and try to obtain one keg of 4d cement coated nails for
each 1,000 box shook."

Some enlightenment on the nail situation is found in this quotation
from a letter written I.Iarch 4 by an official in a large hard^vare supply con-
cern: "We have already received orders for nails for apple boxes for use
next fall and these will be shipped in order of receipt. As you probably
know, we are on a strict quota basis and we have no idea at this time how
many kegs of apple box nails we will have available or for hovj many orders.
Because our quotas are based on previous sales and because v;e are having
many calls which we formerly did not have, and in view of the scarcity of
nails, there isn't any question but what the supply will be inadequate. The
only advice that v;e can give you is to get the orders in at once. You no
' doubt know that P-100 has been made available for farmers for repair of
machinery. Vie believe that this authority has not been passed along for
an operation item such as nails for apple boxes. But an A-10 under the
present conditions is not adequate because the factory is filled with orders
v;ith A-l-a priority, which take precedence,"

1942 Spray Charts

By the time March Fruit Notes is delivered, the 1942 Apple and Peach
spray charts should be in the hands of your county agricultural agent for
distribution. The Apple spray charts are again available on both cards and
paper stock. The Peach spray charts are available on paper stock only. These
new charts were examined and discussed for the first time at the Tri-County
Meeting of fruit grov/ers held in Amherst on Monday, March 23.

Do You Know

That Baldwin apples were selling in Boston seventy years ago at five
cents apiece? In the first issue of the Boston Globe published March 4, 1872
there appeared this item: "Good Baldwin apples are selling in England today
for a penny apiece; here they are five cents, and from that upv/ards."

That New England agriculture provides employnnent for over 600,000 men,
women, and children on about 135,000 farms? In 1940 the cash returns to our
farmers amounted to more than $.263,000,000.

That more than 1000 tons of lead arsenate were sold in Massachusetts
for incecticidal use in 1D41? If this material could be adiTiinistered individ-
ually to the various chewing insects in minimum lethal doses, less than 1%
of the amo-ont now used would probably be ample for the protection of our agri-
cultural crops.

That lists of reliable dealers in various kinds of fruit plants are
available from your county agricultural agent or from the State College? In
establishing a ne^v stra\;berry planting there are some advantages in getting
northern grov.Ti plants, while the advantages of disease-free raspberry plants
are v;ell ^recognized.

That a poorly sprayed apple tree tends to grov; taller than a well
sprayed tree? The downvirard pull on the branches of the latter nay be ten
times as much as on the former, because fewer apples drop from the well
sprayed tree before harvest time, and their average size is larger. A branch
which bears a few undersized culls is hampered but little in its reach for
the sky, while trie heavily laden branch is bent dov.niward to form a graceful arc,

That the term "DK" is an abbreviation for dinitroorthocyclohexylphe-
nol? No wonder the stuff has punch enough to knock out rosy aphis. Imagine
a football player v>;ith a name like thati

That apple roots are killed if the temperature of the soil in late win-
ter drops to 10" ^^ ? In summer, the critical temperature is 26" F. This sit-
uation emphasizes t!ie insulating effect of a layer of soil. Even though the
air temperature drops to -10° F. for a day or tv;o in winter the soil a few
inches below the surface may remain unfrozen. Under a heavy mulch, the tem-
perature change is almost unbelievably slow.

That poultry manure contains approximately the following amounts of
plant nutrients per ton: nitrogen, 20 lbs.; phosphoric acid, 16 lbs.; potash,
S lbs.? Stable manure contains more potash but less of the other two ingre-
dients, or about 10 lbs., 5 lbs., and 10 lbs., respectively.

That the average yield of strav;berries in all producing areas in the
U. S. over a 10-year period is only 1532 quarts per acre? YJithan occasional
Massachusetts grower producing more than 10,000 quarts per acre, it is apparent
that the picking in somebody's strawberry patch must be "pretty thin."

Txhat the tonnage of dried fruits in California amounts to as i.iuch as
half a million tons annually? The 1939 figures reported in California Circ.
No. 350 are as follows: apricots, 40,000 tons; figs, 25,000 tons; clingstone
peaches, 4,000 tons, freestone peaches, 24,000 tons; pears, 7,700 t'-'ns;
prunes, 134,000 tons; raisins, 239,500 tons.

-4-

That pear producti^vn in the U.S. has almost doubled in the last 2,0
ears? The increase has occurred largely in the Pacific C<^ast States, where
urin^ the 5-yr. period, 133G-40, 2/3 of the total iJ^S. pear crop was proauced.

That Calif ornians aonsune, * 18 pounds of avocados per person each
year compared with l/4 of a pound per capita for the rest of the country?
It is this disparity which makes avocado growers alert to possibilities.
of their product and which raalces many forecasters wonder if this is nof
the next nev; h'^rticultural crop for development. (This item and the two
following, are quoted from Horticultural iTotes by H. B. Tukey).

That one of the two original Vn'ashington navel orange trees, from
which the Washington navel arange industry sprang, is still growing and
fruiting in its protected enclosure at Riverside, California?

That just prior to the onset of the present v;ar, Canada exported
approximately 50^j of its commercial apple production,. U. S. 12jo, Australia
50%, Chile 50/,, and Argentina 20;;o2 These figures indicate the dependence
of the apple industry upon, free movement into export channels.

That approximately ,10;^^ (16,000,000 bu.) of the national apple crop
is made into cider? Afo (6j500,000 bu.) is used as 'dried .apples, 5'/, (5,000,000
bii.) for canned apples, 1.2^^ (2,000,000 bu.) for canned apple sauce, and l.l^o
(1,800,000 bu.) for brandy. These 5 by-products account for 19.3>o (31,300,000
bu.) ,

That, in 1941, 120,500 acres in'tliis country were devoted to growing
alsike clover "seed, 564,,-500 to sweet clover seed, 368,400 to timothy seed,
791,000 t'o alfalfa seed, 801,900 "to lespedeza seed, and 1,445,900 to red clo-
ver seed? The lespedeza seed crop constituted moi-e than a fourth of the total
grass and clover seed produced in the United States in 194r» L. Southwick

That, in 1941, the five states leading in strav^berry production v;ere
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oregon, Llichigan and Tennessee? Arkansas produced
1,540,000 (32 qt.) crates from 19,500 acres, or 79 crates per acre on the
average. Yield per acre varied from 30 crates in Kansas to 150 in the south-
ern district of California. L. S.

That it takes about four pounds of fresh grapes to make one pound
of dried raisins? L. S.

That the number of apple trees increased from 120 million in 1890
to 217 million by 1910, and then decreased until in 1940, only 71.7 million
trees were reported? L. S.

That production per bearing tree averages more than four bushels in
the entire TVestern apple section, ab^ut 7 bushels in Y;'ashington, about 1.2
bushels in the Mississippi drainage basin, and 1,7 bushels in the Northeastern
and Central Atlantic sections? L. S.

That fungicidal applications a re not generally required in commercial
apple orchards in the state of Washington? L. S.

That nearly 2,000,000 Baldwin trees in Kev>r York and New England are
estimated to have been killed or so seriously injured by the severe freezes
during the v/inter of 1933-34 that their commercial value vras destroyed? L.S.

-5-

Tliat, accordinr; to a study nade at Cornell University, Mcintosh
has usually received a premiuia over other varieties on the New York City mar-
ket in accordance with the buying power of employed city \vorkers? Improved
buying power together witu reduced uneinployment is likely to increase the
premium for Mcintosh. L* S.

That mechanical injuries in grading apples are often more serious
than those caused by bruising on the tree, by picking, sind by hauling to the
packing shed? A four-year study in Ohio emphasized the necessity for making
the grading crew "bruise conscious." L. S.

That a serious orchard disease which caused land in the far West
to be abandoned has been effectively controlled by zinc treatments? This
disease has been called "rosette" of pecan and apple trees, "mottle-leaf"
of citrus, "yellows" of walnuts and "little leaf" of grapevines and stone
fruits. L. S.

That it is probably the available metallic zinc, or zinc ion, in
the spray mixture containing zinc sulfate which tends to prevent arsenical
injury on peaches? L. S.

That the Lialling clonal rootstocks are variable in their dwarfing
effects on top worked varieties? These vegetatively propagated stocks are
known by nu:7ibers. Mailing I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII usuall;^ produce
semi-dwarf trees; Ilallinr X and XIII usually produce standard or vigorous
trees but nay have slight dwarfing abilities; IJalling XII, XV, and XVI com-
monly produce standard -sized trees; Mailing VIII and IX are very dwarfing
rootstocks. L. S.

Keep Apples in Refrigerator, Bananas Outside

A prominent printing concern recently sent to all its customers a
folder showing a grocer pointing to a widely used store hanger and saying,
"They sure look like real apples." The hanger conveys this timely v.-ord about
fancy apples, "Keep Them Cold, for Crispness." Altiiough the folder is sales
promotional in nature, it helps to impress upon consumers the need for keeping
apples in the refrigerator.

In contrast with this advice about apples, a new radio program
carries these suggestions: "Among fresh fruits and vegetables, bananas are
one of the fruits that stands high in nutritive value. Don't put bananas
in the refrigerator. Let them ripen at comfortable room temperature until
their slcins are flecked with brown. That's when they are at their peek of
food value and flavor. Just remember that fresh fruits and vegetables are
good sources of health giving vitamins and minerals. Serve them often."

Strawberries for the Amateur

In a recent issue of the Rural New Yorker we find tliese tips for
the amateur strawberry grower: 'HVidely spaced rows minixaize labor. We favor
marking out v/ith a 5-foot marker, and setting in alternate rows. Intervening
rows may be planted to any crop that will be removed by the first of August
so that the soil nay be cleaned and leveled. This v;ill allow for developing

-6-

a 4-foot rovi with a 2-foot path. Nothing sloivs up picking more than having

a solid mass of plants with no path. Such wide spacing may not give the

greatest returns for the labor involved. Land is plentiful and cheap. Labor
is scarce and high.

Like all other commercial enterprises, strav/berry growing will be
altered by war conditions. During normal times it has been localized to a
great extent. Often shipments from berry centers have been made into other
areas just as well suited to berry culture. For a time v;e shall see little
labor available for picking extensive areas of berries. Transportation will
be an increasing problem. Baskets and crates may be hard to procure. All
of there factors point toward a decentralization of berry growing. The small
grower will have several advantages. Perhaps some labor will be available
that would not otherwise be profitably be used. A nearby market is usually
available for the small grower. Transportation is at a minimum. He can
grow the best table varieties and permit them to attain the fine perfection
which comes with a vine ripened berry. Certainly the small grower has all
the advantage of meeting emergency conditions."

Are Sprayed Apples Injurious to Health?

Undoubtedly some consumers eat oranges instead of apples because
of fear of arsenic and lead poisoning from sprayed apples. Carefully con-
ducted experiments by tlie U. 3. Public Health Service at 'Jjenatchee, Y.ashington
failed to show that this fear has any foundation in fact. This study was
made to determine to v.-hat extent the eating of sprayed apples affected the
healtli of the consumer. VJenatchee was selected as the place to conduct the
experiment because the people in that area are exposed to lead and arsenic
to a greater extent than those in any other part of the United States.

In making this study a total of 1,231 persons were examined, in-
cluding men, women and children, representing varying degrees of exposure
to lead arsenate. The youngest was a 19 months old girl and the oldest an
86 year old woman. Some ate no apples v/hile others said they ate more than
2,000 a year. Even in a section where excessive amounts of lead arsenate
are used so that all apples have to be washed before going to market, 34J3
men and 5 71 v;oraen ate unv.'ashed apples.

Various tests were applied to these people, particularly tests
which would indicate the general state of health and tlie amount of lead and
arsenic eliminated from the body. These tests revealed that blood lead con-
centration v/as h'jfh'Jr in orchardists than in non- orchardists but when the
orchardist is fr^-.e from s:,:posu:e to lead and arsenic intake, these sub-
stances are el:,m:nat-=d rapid.! y so that in a comparatively short time lead
and arsenic values in the sody fall t-^ the levels of men who never had an
unusual exposure to tlie^e metals, Also, these tests showed that there is
no evidence that orchardists \;e:e subject to more ills than non-orchardists,
nor had any cases of chronic diseases been caused or influenced by lead
arsenate exposure.

The results of this experiment indicate that the average consumer
has no justifiable reason to sliun apples offered for sale for fear that tliesej
apples may contain lead and arsenic deposits which may be hariM^ul to good

-7-

health, A complete report of this experiment is contained in Public Health
Bulletin 2S7, entitled "A St^dy of the Effect of Lead Arsenate Exposure on
Orchardists and Consvuners of Sprayed Fruit." This bulletin can be obtained
from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C, at a cost of 40
cents. 0. C. Roberts

Locatin- Cause of Pressure Lo ss in P ower Spra yers

YJhen a sprayer fails to maintain pressure, a systematic check of the

outfit will usually discloce the cause of the trouble. Here are a few su£;-

gestions: (1) Is there sufficient liquid in the tank to cover the intake?

(2) Is the strainer on the end of the feed line clojjged? (3) Is the strainer

in the sediment vrell clogged? (4) Are any valves held open by solid particles--

particularly intake valves? (5) Are any valves stuck? (6) riave the discs

worn so that there is too great a discharge from tiie nozzles? (7) Is there

an air leak in the feed line? (This may occur v;ith suction feed outfits.)

(6) Are any of the plungers leaking? (9) Is the engine operating at the proper

speed? (10) Is the pressure regulator out of adjustment? rv p n

• C .R.

N ew Grape s

A recent issue of the American Fruit Grov.'er calls attention to the
Golden Lluscat and Concord Seedless as two new grapes of value. Both of these
introductions from the N. Y. (Geneva) Station have fruited in the State College
vineyard, but the results v.'ere disappointing. Golden I.iuscat is mucn too late
for our short grovvdng season. Concord Seedless is an interesting novelty but
hardly worth planting if one v/ants grapes larger than a half grown pea seed.

A. P. French

Strawberries Resistant to Red Stele

Strav^berry growers who have had trouble with Red Stele will find a few
varieties which are resistant to that disease. According to Q. G. Boyd, Path-
finder, Beauty, Aberdeen and Ilev/ Jersey No. 312 (a new late seedling as yet
not named) will grow satisfactorily in the presence of Red Stele. No other
varieties are known to be resistant to this disease. Pathfi:ider has been one
of our heavier producers and is an attractive berry. Beauty has not done too
v/ell in the State College planting but should be tried v/here Red Stele is a
problem. N, J. No. 312 looks promising as a late variety but needs further
testing. ^,p_P,

Fertilizer Supplies

By O.P.A. regulation, a top limit on prices which may be charged on
sales or deliveries to farmers of mixed fertilizer, superphosphate, or potash
has been temporarily frozen for the 60-day period, February 27 to April 27,
1942 at those prices scheduled, listed, or received, in effect during the
period February 16 to February 20 of this year. Lov/er prices may be charged.
This order does not cover sales of straight nitrogen material.

Monthly releases of nitrate of soda stocks are nov; in operation, with
200 tons apportioned to Massachusetts in March tagged half for asparagus and
half for miscellaneous use. In response to a request from the Nitrate of Soda

-8-

Allocation Committee, Director jiunson replied immediately on March 10 as followss

"Three thousand, two hundred fifty one tons is the 5-year average sales
of urjnixed nitrate of soda reported by the Experiment Station for Massa-
chusetts. If nitrate were available, probably consumers would order at
least as much tonnage as the 5-year average. Nitrate of soda is used in
Massachusetts on orchard lands, grassland, vegetable and tobacco crops.
Probably 90 per cent of it is applied before the middle of May. Conse-
quently, to be of benefit to Massachusetts farmers, nitrate of soda
should be allocated for distribution principally in March and April."

Indications are that at least 50/o or more of tlie average tonnage will
be released to Massachusetts dependent upon O.P.A., and that equitable dis-
tribution is believed most likely to occur tiirough established dealer-customer
channels. r, v;. Donaldson

Is the Production of Apple Trees Industry or Agriculture?

The National Labor Relations Board conducted a hearing in Washington,
D. C., March 3, t'^ decide this important question. Present at the hearing
were representatives of the National Grange, American Farm Bureau Federation,
and the International Apple Association. The case hinges on a proposal made
by an N.L.R.B. 3xaminer that a budded or grafted tree is xiot an agricultural
plant, that it is not a natural plant, that its production is industry. If
this contention is sustained, then, since all our fruit trees are budded or
grafted, all engaged in growing these trees for fruit production are not en-
gaged in agriculture but in industry, and the agricultural exemption will not
apply to these employees. All organizations represented at the hearing asked
that the Examiner's report be set aside as incorrect, not in accord with the
intent of Congress and not in accord with the common understanding of the
word "agriculture*"

The history of grafting and budding was covered at the hearing from
Theophrastus in 600 B.C., and the planting of grafted trees in England in
the reign of Henry VIII was mentioned as evidence of the antiquity and com-
mon usage of the grafted tree. Under the proposal of the Examiner many of
our farm animals are not in his or her natural state. A mule is not a
"natural" animal for usually it cannot reproduce itself, and all employees
on farms on which such animals are kept are not employed in agriculture but
in industry.

The only definition of "agricultural labor" provided by Congress is
the one written into the statute at the time of the passat,e of the National
Labor Relations Act. This definition is too long to be repeated in Fruit
Notes. The complete definition will be supplied if any reader is interested.
V;'e scarcely need to mention that this case is involved and far reaching.
(Details of this hearing were furnished by H. P. Gilmore of V.'estboro. )

Minutemen Rep ort on F arm Supplies

From reports recently summarized, approximately b2^i of the Massachu-
setts farmers visited by Minutemen have ordered their repair parts; 51^j, seeds;
5G,J, fertilizers, w'hile only 37fo have ordered spray materials. Sixty percent
of those who have scrap iron, have sold it. As a second assignment, Minutemen

-9-

are asked to make a survey of farm labor n-^eds to determine hov; many extra
v/orkers will be needed, when, how long, and for what type of v/ork.

A Successful Retailers' School

Sixty fruit store ovmers and clerks attended the Retailers' School
in Worcester during January and February. Six sessions at weekly intervals
v.'ere arranged and sponsored by the Y.'oroester County Extension Service, in
cooperation with the Vocational Division of the State Department of Education,
State Dept. of Agriculture, and Mass. State College. Those attending viere
given instruction in displaying fruits and vegetables, salesmanship, and in
methods of handling vAich will lessen the amount of shrinkage. Instructors
at the School were G. B. Snyder and V.', H. Thies of M.S.C., Eleanor Bateman
of t he State Dept. of Agriculture, and Gladys Goldthorpe Atkins of the V^or-
cester County Extension Service.

The Rat Menace

Robert M. Borg of the Fish & Viildldfe Service has prepared the follow-
ing timely suggestions on the control of ratsj

"Mankind has no greater, more resourceful, or persistent enemy than
the common rat. Rats are found everj'where in Massachusetts working day
and night committing depredations. If rats are terribly destructive and
dangerous in time of peace, they are doubly so in time of war and emergency.
Therefore, in our all-out production for VICTORY v;e cannot afford to let
this v/orthless pesiTgo on destroying and contaminating food and vital
supplies, spreading disease, causing fires, disrupting communications,
and killing domestic livestock.

"The rat problem is a general one and concerns every one of us. It
can only be solved by our continued and persistent efforts in carrying out
measures which are known to produce permanent results. Furthermore, per-
manent rat control is the only v/ay to attain the highest degree of health,
protection and reduction of economic losses. IIow to meet this problem
intelligently and practically is a matter of interest and ; grave concern
to us all. Every community can solve its rat problem in a satisfactory
manner if v/e, as citizens, do our part by joining in this rat extermina-
tion program.

"Rats can be permanently excluded by proper construction, repair, and
upkeep of all structures and by always keeping the premises in a sanitary
condition. Rats require both food and shelter, and they cannot exist where
either of these is lacking. Therefore, (1) eliminate all sources of food
by protecting it from rats, (2) eliminate all shelter for rats in and out-
side of buildings, i.e., places where they hide and breed, (3) eliminate
the rats by poisoning, trapping, and gassing, finally (4) eliminate rats
permanently by rat-proofing nev;^ and old structures.

"The most efficient way to destroy rats is by poisoning them. This
involves exposing throughout the rat infested area several kinds of un-
poisoned baits (meat, fish, cereal, vegetables, fruit, and others) to find
out v;hat bait the rats prefer. Then the preferred bait material should be
mixed with the poison according to directions and exposed in the same lo-
cation. Only red squill rat baits should be used by the public because

-10-

this poison has the distinctive advantage of being relatively harmless to
human beings and domestic animals. Those baits prepared with other poisons
should be exposed only by persons experienced in handling highly toxic ma-
terials. ViTierever possible place toxic baits in bait stations av/ay from
other forms of life.

"Traps are of value primarily in catching the fev/ rats remaining after
poisoning operations. Baited traps may be used, but change the bait and
location of traps frequently. Unbaited wooden base snap traps are efficient
in catching rats if many traps are set so that the rats v;ill trip them by
passing over the triggers. Enlarge the standard size trigger witii a three
inch square of corrugated cardboard by inserting it between the tvro layers
of cardboard.

"The fumigation of burrovfs and other harbors is a simple and highly
effective method of destroying r at s wherever a sufficient concentration of
gas can be obtained readily. Calcium cyanide, exhaust gases from a gasoline
motor, carbon bisulfide, sulfur dioxide, acetylene, and chlorine can be used
as rat fumigants when properly applied. However, they are all dangerous and
must be used with caution." (For additional information on the control of
rats, consult your county agricultural agent.)

Orchard Experiments at Li. S. C.

In the 1941 Report of the Experiment Station mention is made of three
tests as follows:

Lime and Phosphorus in Planting Trees. Y/e have as yet no evidence that
phosphorus is directly beneficial to apple trees on our soils; v^e knovi' that
it is readily fixed in the soil and it follows that orchard applications
may not pass into the relatively deep-rooted apple trees. An orchard of
: 36 Ivlclntosh trees of a single strain on three clonal stocks was planted in
the spring of 1941. One third of the trees were treated with 10 pounds
dolomitic limestone, one third v/ith 5 pounds triple superphosphate and one
._ third were untreated. The materials were placed in the bottom of the plant-
ing holes and well mixed v/ith the soil. As measured by trunk diameter in-
crease, the trees treated v/ith lime grew most, those treated with phos-
phorus least, while the untreated trees were intermediate.

. _ Soil Acidity in the Orchard. Lime was applied to a Sudbury orchard in
\vhich aluminum toxicity was suspected, as mentioned in the report of last
year. It appears that both grass and trees vrere improved by the treatment.
ViTith the increasing use of ivettable sulfur the danger of injuriously high
acidity becomes greater. Not only is there danger of aluminum toxicity
■ but nitrification in the soil decreases as the soil acidity increases.

Weed Killing . The attempt to get rid of wild cherries » particularly choke
cherries, around the peach orchards vms continued. A new weed killer, am-
monium sulfamate, v;as tried. It looks very promising. Used at the rate of
0/4 lb. per gallon of v^ater, ''•ne spray was enough to kill small choke I
cherries and kill or badly damage black cherries. Chlorate weed killers
used at the sajne strength were not so effective on choke cherries and were
ineffective on black cherries.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 6 Number 4

April, 1942

Y;. R. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Issue:

Twilight Lieetin^s

Transportation, State and National

These Changing Times

Spray Residues

Ilulching Proves Effective

Clonal Stocks

Deep Placement of Fertilizers

Modified Atmosphere Storage

Nicotine at Night

Keep 'Em Growing

Direct Sales

Do You Know?

Gasoline for Farmers

Creosote as a Bee Repellent

Twiligh t Lleetings

Mass. fruit growers are again getting together to discuss problems
of coiiimon interest. The first twilight meeting of the 1942 season was held
April 28 at the Walker orchard in East Longmeadov/. Other such meetings dur-
ing the same week vrere held at the Taylor orchard in Millbury, April 29,
and at the Bay Road orchard in Amiierst, April 30. The rest of the Hampden
County schedule is as follows; ivlay 8, Sanf'-ird orchard, Westfield; May 19,
Rice orchard, ITilbraham; May 29, Hansen orcliard, Granville; July 16, Fl^Tin
orchard, Rampdon. Meetings in other counties have not been completely ar-
ranged. Tuesday evenings will again be the time for the sessions in Middle-
sex County with the first scheduled for May 5. The first Essex County meet-
ing will be held llb.y 7.

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

Transportation, State and National

The efficient use nf our transportation facilities is a national
problem. Locally it becomes a trucking problem, nationally a rail problem.
lie are fortunate in Massachusetts that we have built local and farm storages
for apples in recent years. There will not be a peak demand for trucks to
haul apples from farms to terminal storages during the harvest season. Farm
trucks can get rubber to haul apples to terminal markets from farm storages
as the marketing season progresses.

Vfe should begin now to think of the distribution of the 1942 crop
of apples. If rail transportation facilities are to be economized, all cross-
hauling of traffic must be eliminated. Insofar as it is possible to do so,
our applfe growing regions should serve customers nearest to home. There is
no reason why New England orchards should not serve New England. The Shen-
andoah Valley could serve the Middle East, and Northwestern apples could
serve the Middle and Far ITest. This plan is not selfish but comes under
the heading of "must." A. H. Lindsey

These Changing Time s

(1) Bu lk Shipment o f Apples . Can you iraagine shipping Fancy apples
except in bushel containers? Bulk shipments are now being considered in the
Northwest. In a recent issue of Better Fruit, Howard Fletcher, manager of a
Washington growers' organization, says that it is an entirely sound and
practical means of transporting apples. He predicts that such a procedure
will be both common and economical as v;ell as generally accepted before the
war is ended. Besides saving a minimum of 25 cents a box on paper, nails,
packing and paper, there is the added advantage of saving storage space and
of getting apples into small tovms and thinly populated regions which v;ould
not otherwise take a full car. Fletcher does not believe it will be wise
to sliip apples in bulk into far eastern markets such as Boston and New York.
He does think there is a definite place in the scheme of things for bulk ship-
ments into mid-western and prairie areas.

There is real danger of a car shortage during the coming season. A
temporary shortage developed early in February, for the first time since 1923.
It is entirely possible that boxes v\rill not be available for C-Grade fruit,
and if this is the case and processing plants are unable to handle all low
grade tonnage, bulk shipments might solve the problem. But Fletcher does not
rule out the shipping in bulk of Fancy Grade or even Extra Fancy. He points
out that if the loss by bruising, stem puncturing and the like, amounted to
as much as 10)j, it still would not be as great as the average bruising loss
in the bulge pack boxes. He is looking ahead to 1943 when he expects priority
on boxes, cars and paper to reach a peak. He does not v/ant anyone to get the
idea he favors dumping apples into a car and rolling them off to market. He
believes, however, that if 30,000 pounds of apples were loaded carefully into
a refrigerator car, straw lined, and carefully handled in loading and unload-
ing, they will find a ready sale in many coimnunities. No large scale bulk
shipments are likely to be made this season. A portion of the 20,000 bushel
crop at the Experimental Station, however, may be marketed in this manner.

-3-

(2) La w Kicks Out the Cull. Quoting from a recent bulletin re-
leased by the National Apple Instit'ute, "No more use of the poorest apples
in making any product shipped interstate for human consumption. That is the
v/ord this week from the Food and Drug Administration, and they mean business.
The rotten, worray or otherwise unclean apples must be entirely discarded or
find some other use. Vinegar, Juice, or am'thing else meant for food use
must be made from fruit that will not vi'^late the Food and Drug Law. Viola-
tions during the coming season will be subject to seizure, injunction, and
court action. But the processers we have contacted say they welcome it as

a long needed step forward. In some sections, at least, this v/ill mean a
notable change. If our impression is correct, there will be few tears shed
by growers. Fortunately, product prices are advancing and a small rise in
the selling price can mean a considerable difference in v/hat can be paid the
grower for acceptable fruit."

The following quotation from the manager of a large New England apple
by-products plant offers a suggestion along the same line, "\?e hope that every-
where you go you will impress upon the fruit growers that a better grade of
cider apples will be demanded by all the cider mills this fall so that we may
conform to the regulations of the Food and Drug Department of the federal
government." In the long run, this cleanup of the cider business maj' be nne
of the best things which could possibly happen in the apple industry.

(3) Re strictions i n Use of P.otenone. Quoting from the Federal Regis-
ter, "The fulfillment of requirements for defense of the United States has
created a shortage in the supply of rotenone for defense, for private account,
and for export. Except as specifically authorized by the Director

of Industry Operations, no person shall hereafter use rotenone or any product
containing rotenone except for one or more of the following purposes: (a) Use
by the Army or the Nav^j- as a delousing agent, or the manufacture of any prepar-
ation for such use by the Army or the Navy. (b) Use in the protection of food
crops other than cotton, tobacco, cranberries, eggplant, cucurbixs, onions,
peppers, and sweet corn, or the manufacture of any preparation for such use."
This order, effective April 13, gives the Army and Navy priority on rotenone
supplies. It forbids the use of rotenone on the above mentioned vegetables,
except that all rotenone and rotenone products processed prior to April 13
may be used without regard to the new order. Presumably tlie manufacturer or
processor of rotenone will affix a label to his product mixed and packaged
subsequent to April 13. It should be noticed that as yet there are no re-
strictions in the use of rotenone on such vegetables as cabbage, peas, cauli-
flower, beans, broccoli, radishes, tomatoes, asparagus and potatoes.

(4) Orchard Keatin g. \'ie venture the opinion that no rubber tires
will be burned this spring to protect Massachusetts orchards against frost
damage .

A Note on Spray Resid ues

A recent bulletin from the National Apple Institute contains a mes-
sage to fruit growers from the Food and Drug Administration as follov;ss "Advise
the growers that, as far as we are concerned, their chief vi^orry vrill be to meet
the present tolerances on spray residue. \ie are going to enforce them."

-4-

The present tolerances are .05 grains per lb. for lead and .025
grains per lb. for arsenic. Massachusetts growers who follov/ the reco:nmenda-
tions on the official Spray Chart for Apples, especially with respect to the
5rd and 4th Cover applications, should have no difficulty meeting the require-
ments of the present tolerance. 0. C. Roberts

Mulc hing Proves Effective in Michigan

More good results from mulching. A recent bulletin from Michigan
reports results from a twenty-year-old orchard of five varieties. One-half
nf the area was managed on the cultivation-cover crop system. The other half
was seeded to clover, which came into bluegrass after four or five years.
Straw, daiiiaged hay or weeds was added to the cut grass grovdng among the trees
at the rate of about two tons per acre annually. Annual applications of ni-
trogenous fertilizer were made in equal amounts to the trees in both areas.
Soil moisture v,ras considerably higher under the mulch. Depth of freezing was
less and the mulch material prevented erosion. The trees in cultivation grew
faster and produced better through the first 10 years. Later, the mulched
trees bore heavier crops of better apples. The Michigan investigators recom-
mend cultivation for young orchards, with due regard to preventing soil ero-
sion, followed by sod with added mulch at the age of perhaps 10 to 15 years.
The maintenance costs of the two systems did not differ widely. J.K.Shaw

Variation in Yield of Cional Stocks

A new stock bed for growing clonal stocks yielded its first crop of
rooted stocks this spring. Calculated on an acre basis, the yields of the more
comraon Mailing stocks varied from about 7,000 Mailing II to 22,000 Mailing XVI.
Others were Mailing I, 11,000; IV, 16,000; IX, 6,000. Doubtless one reason
for these rather vride differences is due to soil and season. But some stocks
send up shoots more freely than others and there are differences in the root
forming ability of the shoots. Yields are expected to increase as the bed gets
older. Dwarfing stocks sell for about (l^SO per thousand compared with $15 for
seedling stocks. A yield of 15,000 dvmrfing stocks per acre would give a gross
return of $450 per acre. Here is another way to get rich (?). J.K.Shaw

Deep Placement of Fertilizers

In studies of sub-surface placement of commercial fertilizers and man-
ure, a Mcintosh orchard at Geneva, N. Y. gave no better response over a 3-2''ear
period to any method of deep placement than to the usual surface broadcast ap-
plication* The conclusion is drawn that until more is knovm concerning the
problem the greater expense of placing fertilizers in the root zone of trees
is unjustified. In some of the tests, the fertilizer was placed in equal amounts
in each of 20 holes made v;ith an iron bar some 20 inches deep in a circle near
the ends of the outer branches. In others, four large post holes were dug to
a depth of 24 inches, equidistant around the tree, near the ends of the outer
branches. The fertilizer v/as then mixed v/ith the soil from each hole so that
the mixture rested from 12-24 inches below the surface. (This work is reported
in Geneva, N, Y., Bulletin ^^691. )

Storage of App les i n Mo dified Atmo sp here

The objective in modified atmosphere storage for apples is simply
better preservation. It is generally agreed that many New England apples, and

■5-

Mclntosh in particular, nay lose much of their faiaous high quality in pro-
longed cold storage. In raodified atmosphere storage at 40° F. , the life
processes (ripening) nf apples are slowed dovrn more effectively than in com-
mon 32° F. cold storage. Theoretically, this should result in apples keeping
longer in better condition. This is the purpose of developing the modified
method of storage.

Briefly, the slowing down of ripening processes in modified atmosphere
storage is the result of maintaining a low oxygen concentration (around 2%,
coi.ipared vdth 21% in air) and a relativeJy h:gh carbon dioxide level (5 to lO^o
compared with .03% in air). These factrjrs more than counteract the effect of
the higher storage temperature, 40° F. This nigher temperature is helpful in
decreasing core breakdown and in maintaining b&tter quality in Kclntosh.

The modified storage room must bs practically ''gas-tight." Otherwise,
as the apples uti]ize the oxygen in the air, leakage will prevent the actual
decrease in oxygen percentage which is required. The storage room at Li.S.C.
was not sufficiently tight in 194u-41 and during the ?tart of the 1941-42
season. Very ynall leaks prevented succsosful operation. HOvvever, since
December, ]941,, this storage has perforned satisf .-ictcrily. Considering the
degree of maturity of tiie apples when the fcragH began to funotion properly,
they came out in rather good condition the '.atter p»rb of March, LIcIntosh
v.-ere over-mature, of course, ar^d a little flat in taste, bat '-therwise satis-
factory. Coftiand scalded, as v.'as expected. Golden Dej.icious were in excel-
lent condition with practically no shrivelling. It seems that this type of
storage nay be useful for extended holding of Golden Delicious j as for L'clntosh.

A condensation of this subject from the Annual Report of the Llass.
Agrl . Exp. Sta., 1S41, follows: Experiments with 40- quart milk cans as gas-
tight containers gave some interesting results. Special atmospheres vrjre
maintained by remo-'/al of carbon dioxide generated by the fruit, by flushing
with pure nitrogen at intervals, and by controlling ventilav,ion- Storage tem-
perature wab 40'' F. In the can in which the oxygen was aiiov.ed to remain be-
low 1% and the carbon dioxide was rather high, the apples developed a slight
alcoholic taste which was evidence of anaerobic resp;'.:-ation. The best Llclntosh
came from a can opened May 13, v;hich had been flushed with nitrcgen. These
apples v^-jre decidedly bettor than checks kept at 52° to 33'-' F. in the usual
way. The oxygen had been maintained in the range of 2 to 6% and the carbon
dioxide between 2 and 12%. In this, as in all of our storage tests, well ma-
tured, v.'ell colored Mcintosh gave the best results.

V.'e have learned through experience that a successful modified atmos-
phere storage must be just about "gas-tight." This is perhaps the most im-
portant factor to be considered by growers who may at some time contemplate
converting present rooms or constructing new ones. There is still much to be
learned about modified a tmosphere storage. However, several such storages are
being operated, and rather successfully, in Ijev; York State. It is entirely
possible that modified atmisphero storage, especially for Llclntosh, and pos-
sibly Delicious and Golden Delicious, may displace, in some degree, present
day conventional cold storage met?iods. L. Southwick

Nicotine at N i ght

S. IT. Harmon of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva
reports in a recent publication a very interesting point to consider in night

-6-

spraying, ''It often affords dead caln oonditions which permit spraj'-s contain-
ing nicotine to produce a fumigation effect that is seldom possible in daylight.
The taxie fumes hang in the trees for long periods seemingly killing all active
insect life. After such a treatment it is usually a week or 10 days at least
before in§ect life becomes re-established," L, Southwick

Keep 'Em Growing

About the v:orst thing which can happen to a newly set fruit tree is
to stand still or make practically no growth during the first season. If this
happens, it means not only a loss of time, but when the tree is finally in-
duced to grov;, it is more than likely tn sprout from the trunk instead of the
branches. Let's make sure this does not happen with fruit trees set this
spring. Whatever is needed to insure good grovrth should be provided. Early
planting, watering, mulching, and if needed, a little nitrogenous fertilizer
or manure, provide good insurance that the tree will not only live during the
summer but that it will make a vigorous grovrth. It is easy to develop a good
framework in a tree which makes good grov.i;h from the start. But if it loafs
along for a year or two, shaping is difficult and the stage of profitable bear-
ing is postponed.

Direct Sales of Fancy Fruit

A few days ago a representative of three hotels in Boston expressed
an interest in supplies of five fruits, — strav/berries, raspberries, blueberries,
peaches, and grapes during the coming season. Instead of picking up these
fruits on the wholesale market each day, he wants to contact individual growers
in Massachusetts v;ho can supply these fruits while each is in its prime. Of
the small fruits, the amounts needed var^' from 2 to 7 crates daily. Five to
10 bushels of peaches and about 2 bushels of grapes are daily requirements.
Any grovrer interested in this opportunity for direct sales of fancy fruits may
obtain further details by dropping a line to the v/riter.

D'-' You Know?

That about half of the total area of Llass. is suitable for agricul-
tural utilization? The percentage of agricultural suitability varies from
nearly l/3 in Barnstable County to slightly less than 2/3 in Vforcester County.

That of the total state area, nearly 2/3 is under wooded cover? The
highest proportion (nearly 3/4) is in Barnstable and Berkshire Counties. The
lowest (slightly more than half) is in Essex and Middlesex Counties.

That salesmanship means "selling goods that won't come back to cus-
tomers that v/ill?"

That American consumers pay about $2,000,000,000 a year for fresh
fruits and vegetables? O^t of this total, according to E. R. French, marketing
director of a large chain store, the farmers who grov/ the fruits and vegetables
get only about $700,000,000.

That the United States farm price of apples as recorded for Feb. 15
was $1.20 per bushel as compared viith 93/ per bushel on the same date in 1941?
V;ith the exception of the latter part of the 1936-37 season, the 1942 farm

♦ 7-

price is higher than at emy time since the 1930-31 season.

Thftt the net decrease of apple holdings in the United States during
the month of IJarch amounted to about 6,000,000 bushels or 42^0 of the amount on
hand March 1? The net decreases during March for the five preceding years were
as follows: 1941 - 38?o, 1940 - 40^, 1939 - 40^/., 1938 - 38f», 1937 - 40f..

That American farmers throw away enough used baling wire each year
to build three battleships or 3,000 medium sized tanks? Much of the 100,000
tons of bailing wire used each year is allowed to rust away in the scrap heap
after being used but once.

That more nitrogenous fertiliser is produced by lightning than is
produced in all the synthetic nitrogen factories in the world? It is estimated
that there are about 2,000,000,000 lightning strokes (about 7 for every square
mile of earth), which results in the annual production of 100,000,000 tons of
nitric acid.

That more thaja three times as large a Tolume of mixed fertiliiers
was sold by a large Ilev: England distributor un to April 1, 1942, than was sold
during the same period, 1941? The amounts for the two years were approximately
8,000 tons and 2,300 tons, respectively. The 1942 sales of each of the fol-
lowing mixed fertilizers of fairly high nitrogen content, namely, 10-5-5,
10-10-10, and 7-7-7, have amounted to more than 2-|- times the 1941 sales. Less
than 755? as many tons of nitrogenous fertilizers were sold in New England up
to April 1 as in 1941.

That American farmers will produce in 1942 enough 10-gallon cans of
milk to build 25 pyramids the size of the great pyramid of Egypt? They will
also produce enough eggs so that if you broke one every second it would take
1600 years to break them all. Enough peanuts and soy bean oil v/ill be pro-
duced to make more than 60 bars of soap as big as the RCA Building. The pro-
duction of hogs would make a solid procession, two abreast, clear around the
world.

Gasoline for F armers

On March 26, S. R. Parker, County Agent Leader, wrote to M. Clifford
Townsend, Director of the Office of Agricultural Defense Relations aind on
April 15 received the following report. It is apparent from this letter that
as far as the orders are concerned, supplies are provided for all farm uses.
It may be necessary for a farmer to file vrith his usual source of supply a cer-
tification sucii as is included here.

"In your letter of Llarch 26, you pointed out that the Massachusetts State
USDA War Board is concerned about the proposed rationing of gasoline and is
afraid that farmers might not be able to get the supply they require for their
trac"t^rs and engine pumps under a rationing system. You may be sure that this
office will do whatever it can to protect the interests of farmers in this
matter.

"It should be noted that Limitation Order L-70, wiiich was announced by the
V.'ar Production Board, limits the supply of motor fuel to distributors. Under

-a-

this order fanners r eceive preferential treatment for motor fuel used in the
operation of agricultural machinery and equipment. The order provides that
the monthly quota of Bulk Consumers shall be the full quantity of Motor Fuel
required for operation of agricultural machinery and equipment.

"Paragraph (f) provides that ^Suppliers and Service Stations shall deliver
to any Bulk Consumer or other Person such Bulk Consumer's or Person's minimum
necessary requirements of Motor Fuel for any of the following uses, upon pre-
sentation by the Bulk Consumer or other Person to the delivering Supplier of
the following statement, manually signed by such Person or a responsible of-
ficial of the Bulk Consumer duly designated for such purpose: Motor Fuel
delivered pursuant to this representation will be used only for purposes
authorized in paragraph (f ) of Limitation Order L-70, with the terms of which

Order the undersigned is familiar. '

Legal Name of Bulk Consumer or other Person
Byt

Signature of Duly Designated Official "

Creosote as a Bee Repellent

Since some agencies are recommending the addition of creosote as a
bee repellent to all spray mixtures indiscriminately, it has been suggested
that the College issue a statement as regards this matter. Xle do not consider
it advisable to make a general reconunendation to include creosote in all sprays
for the following reasons i

1. Under some c<)nditions foliage injury has resulted from an application
of creosote from the addition of creosote in the leacl arsenate spray
mixture. We do not consider that sufficient work has been done to es-
tablish the conditions under which creosote can be applied with safety.

2. The duration of the repellency of creosote has not been determined.
Therefore, it cannot be stated whether one or several creosote sprays
would be necessary to repel the bees.

3. Creosote is a mixture of variable composition. It is considered unwise
to make a general recommendation based on a material which may vary con-
siderably in its chemical make^-\ap.

At the present time some work is in progress which should give us
additional information as r egards the safety of creosote to foliage. T/Te are
also plsmning some experimental work to try to determine the efficiency of
creosote as a repellent. In the meantime we consider it inadvisable to make
a recommendation to include creosote indiscriminately in spray mixtures.

F. R. Shaw

One YJay to Grow Peaches

H. N. Click of the Department of Psychology reports a full bloom on
one of the branches of the peach trees in his yard. All of the other fruit buds"
failed to survive the low temperatures of late winter. This particular branch
hangs over the roof of a henhouse which was apparently covered with snov: when
the coldest weather occurred. This offers an interesting illustration of profiti
in a diversified (fruit-poultry) enterprise.

FRUIT ITOTES
Voliuiie G Number 5

May, 194E

Vf. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Is sue :

Some Facts About Red Mite

Codling Moth, - Apple Enemy No. 1

Time Required for Apple Scab Infections
New Strawberry Varieties at M.S.C.

Suggestions for Farmers Y/ho Employ Boys
Magnesium Deficiency in Apple Orchards
Amherst Rainfall

I Jarring Proves Successful in Curculio Control
The Fruit Grov/er in Vfer Time

Some Facts About Red Mite

The European red mite may produce 6 generations in a favorable season.
However, there are seldom distinct generations because of overlapping of br'^ods,
Regardless of the number of generations, tlie mites are usually most abundant
and destructive in late July and August. This pest is frequently held in
check by natural enemies. However, these are predators rather than internal
parasites such as are liberated to control the oriental fruit moth. The most

Issued by the Extension Service, Vvillard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

abundant predatory enemies are the lady beetle, Stethorus punctum, and the
predatory mite Seius pomi, although thrips and a predaceous bug are also
active enemies.

ilormal winter eggs are bright red and summer eggs are pale straw
color. Any white appearing or dull light colored "eggs" are usually the
shells from hatched mites or eggs from which the contents have been sucked
by predatory enemies. Heavily infested trees are seldom badly infested the
following year because the natural enemies are very active late in the season
and the mites usually migrate from badly bronzed foliage which lacks suitable
food. An adjacent block of trees is more likely to be infested the second
year.

Red mites are strongly influenced by weather and although an abundance'
of winter eggs will provide a source for an early infestation, unfavorable
weather or a plentiful supply of natural enemies may prevent noticeable damage
to the foliage, before midsummer. On the other hand, mites spread by the wind
or by birds may develop by late summer into a destructive infestation on trees
which bore relatively few winter eggs. Hot dry weather is favorable to rapid
multiplication of red mite, and rain and cool weather delay the increase of
this pest. Heavy rain storms such as thunder showers frequently knock thou-
sands of mites from the leaves and may prevent an infestation from becoming
serious.

Lime sulfur (liquid) 1-50 kills red mite and when this material was
generally used in pre-blossom sprays many potential infestations were pre-
vented. Wettable sulfur or sulfur dust does not kill red mite effectively;
in fact, it kills the natural enemies of the red mite mors easily than it
does the pest. The available summer sprays are not very satisfactory. Ro-
tenone sprays and dusts are too expensive; soap is d\fr?cult to apply, and
nicotine is not effective. Last year, modified forms vf DN sprays and dusts
appeared very promising and it is hoped that they will supply the answer to
this troublesome problem. On the basis of our present knov^rledge, hov;ever,
the wise fruit grower will apply a dormant or delayed dormant spray on trees
Vi'hich bear a heavy population of v;inter eggs of the red mite and spray most
of his orchard in this way about once in each 3 years. To date, the summer
troatmcnts should be considered as emergency sprays which should be used only
to prevent excessive bronzing of the foliage. W. D. Vifhitcomb

Co dlin g Moth , - A pple Enem y No. 1

The codling moth is the most serious insect pest of apples in the
country. It is claimed tliat this insect causes a loss of 12 to 15 million
dollars annually to the commercial apple crop. In addition, it is estimated
that we pay 3 to 5 million dollars a year to spray the orchards of the country^
■to check this pest. The apple is the favored host and all varieties are at-
tacked, but pears, peaches, and quinces may be infested.

The codling moth passes the winter as a full-grown larva within a
tightly woven cocoon. These cocoons may be fnund under rough bark, around
old pruning scars, and other crevices on the trees. They are often found in
old boxes in or around packing houses and storage sheds. Prop poles, piled

■3-

in or near the orchard, often harbor numerous larvae and serve as centers of
infostation. Coarse trash, such as broken boxes, baskets, basket pads/ broken
branches and prunings which may be present under the trees, should be removed
and destroyed, because they provide shelter for the larvae.

Pupation of the overwintering larvae begins about the time the fruit
buds show pink. Moths usually appear v.'hen apples are in full bloom, and emer-
gence may continue for five to six vreeks. Larvae which over-winter in packing
liousfjs and storage sheds tend to pupate later than those in the orchard. This
I'^.ssons th'^; value of a spray schedule based on orchard conditions and amphai^izes
the need of screening of packing houses and treatment of old containers. Stor-
age and packing houses should be screened and kept tightly closed until after
moth emergence.

The moths usually remain quiet during the day and bectjme active at
dusk. Four or five days after emergence the females begin to lay eggs on
leaves and fruit. If the v>reather is cold or storiaj'', egg laying is delayed.
The eggs hatch in about 6 or 7 days, and the young larvae promptly crawl to
the fruit. Llany of the early larvae enter the fruit through the calyx end.
The larvae that appear later in the season tend to enter through the side,
usually where tviro apples touch, Vi/here a leaf rests on an apple, or at the mar-
gins of old curculio scars or other areas where the surface of t!ie fruit has
been russeted or roughened.

The larvae require about 3 weeks to mature, after which they emerge
from the fruit and coimnence to spin their cocoons. Most of the larvae v;hich
mature before mid-iJuly transform at once to pupae and form a second generation.
Later emerging larvae crawl to a sheltered spot and spin cocoons in which they
pass the winter. There is normally one complete, and a partial second genera-
tion of the codling moth in Massachusetts. In seasons when weather conditions
favor an early maturity of the larvae, the second generation is greater than
normal, resulting in more late season damage to the fruit.

Thorough spraying with lead arsenate is the standard method of control.
Several applications are recommended as specified in the Massachusetts Apple
Spra y Chart . Dust schedules have not proved so effective as spraj/-s in codling
moth control. Recent tests v.dth materials other than arsenicals (fixed nico-
tines, etc.) have shown promise, particularly in late summer applications, when
they may be applied to give protection against second brood larvae without in-
curring the risk of excessive spray residue on the fruit at harvest time.

Scraping loose bark from the tr-ves in late v;inter or early spring re-
duces the population of oven'.'intering larvae, Wiere possible, such scrapingc
should be collected and promptly destroyed. Chemically treated bands j placed
around the trunls of the trees, will collect large numbers of larvae. Larvae
entering these bands will be killed and thus, by the disposal of early emerging
larvae, the danger of a heavy second brood is reduced. In addition, the dec-
truction of late emerging larvae will tend to reduce the danger of heavj^ infes-
tation the following season.

Bands diould be in place on the trees by at least the middle of June
and should remain until th-- fruit is harvested and all drops have been col-

-4-

lected and removed from the orchard. Treated bands should be removed, however,
before winter. In recent tests, a donnant application of an oil-pyrethrum
mixture has given good results in penetrating the overwintering cocoons and
killing the larvae. Prop poles may also be sprayed with this combination.
This treatment is still more or less experimental but it requires less time
and labor in scraping the trees and is one of the most promising of the re-
cent developments. A. I. Bourne

Time Requ ired for Apple Scab In f ections

How long must apple trees remain wet before scab infection takes
place? It depends upon the temperature. Only half as much time is required
at GO*^ as at 40°. And a light infection requires only half as much time as
a heavy infection. 0. C. Boyd presents the following data based on studies
in western New York:

Hours of Vv'etting Needed for Infections

Temperature

Light

Mode

rate

Heavy

45° F.

hrs.

40 hrs.

65-75

New Strawberry Varieties at I.I.S.C.

There will be no Strawberry Field Day at the College this year on
account of the transportation situation. However, visitors v<rill be v/elcome
at all times. Newer varieties which should be fruiting this year include
Catskill, Dresden, Pathfinder, N.J. #312, Maytime, Starbright, Redstar, North-
star, Sheiton, Hebron, and Bristol. The week of June 14 to 20 should find
most of these varieties in fruit, A. P. French

Suggestions for Farmers Vfho Employ Boys

Many boys are employed on Massachusetts farms during the summer vaca-
tion to help with the farm work. The testimony of many farmers is that with
proper guidance and handling most boys do good work and are an excellent source
of farm labor. This summer, more boys than usual will be employed by farmers
because adult workers are not available. Many farmers who have not hired boys
will do so for the first time this summer.

Although boys usually do a good job on farms they present different
problems to the farmer employer than old-ir workers do. Boys are young and in-
experienced and require caroful supervision, patience and tolerance for best
results. Fanners who have fully realized these facts have had satisfactory
experiences in using boys.

-0-

Farmers who have used boys sayj

1. Remember that a boy is young and usually inexperienced. Be kind, tolerant
and patient and most boys v/ill respond v/illingly and enthusiastically, and
are readily trained.

2. Remember that his muscles are soft and that a boy tires easily. Break him
in easily byt

a. Giving him the lighter jobs to do at first,

b. Vlorking him for only a half day for a week or tv.'o. (Some farm-

ers use two gangs at first and work each gang half a day.)

c. Using a larger gang than is normally needed and plan to get

through in the middle of the afternoon.

3. The boy may be unaccustomed to farm work. He needs a little extra effort
and supervision to teach him how to do the various jobs on a farm. Show
him just hov; to do it. Repeat this demonstration if necessary. Be quick
to praise the boy and slow to criticize him.

4. Have an understanding with the boy (before he actually starts work) about
his duties, hours of work, wages and pay day. If the boy is to live with
you, you should also have an understanding as to time off, church attend-
ance, house rules, etc..

5. Treat the boy as you would treat your ovm son, v/ith respect to food and
sleeping quarters. A boy gets very hungry and, he enjoys good food. A
light lunch, some fruit or cookies, a glass of good cold milk or some
other good drink between meals and before he goes to bed at night will
help to keep him happy and working efficiently..

6. In the evening, after the day's work is done, create a homelike atmosphere
for the boy. He is young and may get lonely. Arrange gaines for him. En-
courage him to read good books and magazines. If possible have a radio
available so he can enjoy some of his favorite programs.

7. Give the boy an opportunity to learn to do as many jobs as possible. This
will not only keep his work from getting monotonous for him but will result
in a v;ell trained v;orker for you.

8. Coach the boy in the vjays which you have found to be sensible and practicable
in doing farm vmrk and handling your problem.

9. Avoid harsh criticism, caustic remarks and profanity. This only " upsets
the apple cart" and causes ill-feeling.

10. Study boy psychology. Use good judgment and common sense in all dealings
with the boy. Put yourself in his shoes and practice the Golden Rule,

A Few Dont's

1. Don't give a boy a full day's work in the manure pit under the barn or

other similar disagreeable jobs the first day he reports for v/ork,

2. Don't forget that the boy may be unaccustomed to doing farm work.

-6-

3. Don't start him in v;ith too long hours.

4. Don't forget to praise the boy for v/ork well done.

5. Don't forget that a boy gets hungry between meals and after supper.

6. Don't forget that a boy is young and may get lonely.

7.. Don't forget that you v/ere once young and that someone xvas patient and
tolerant vdth you.

8. Don't use harsh criticism, caustic remarks or profanity,

9. Don't lose your temper.

10. Don't forget that boys are boys and like to get a lot of fun out of life.

"Be Patient Yfith the Boys" (Elbert Hubbard)

"Yesterday I rode horseback past a field where a boy
was plowing. The lad's hair stuck out through the
top of his hat; his form was bony and avikward; one
suspender held his trousers in place; his bare lege
and arms were brown and sunburned and briar-soarred.

"He swung his horses around just as I passed by, and
from under the flapping brim of his hat, he cast a
quick glance out of the dark, half bashful eyes and
modestly returned my salute. His back turned, I took
off my hat and sent a God-bless-you down the furrov/
after him.

"?rno knows? -- I may go to that boy to borrow money, or
to hear him preach, or to beg him to defend me in a
lawsuit; or he may stand with pulse unhastened, bare
of arm, in white apron, ready to do his duty, while
the cone is placed over my face, and Night and Death
come creeping into my veins.

"Be patient with the boys — you are dealing with soul
stuff. Destiny awaits just around the corner. Bo
patient with the boys."

Roy E. Mosa

Magnesi um Deficiency in A pple Orc hards

In September, 1939, medi\;im to severe leaf scorch was observed on in-
dividual Mcintosh trees in two of our experimental apple orchards at Amherst.
These trees also wore beset with excessive pre-harvest drop. The writer at
first assumed that the trouble was potassium (k) deficiency despite the fact
that in one block the K-fortiliaed plots were most affected. Tissue tests
revealed a high K condition, howev«r, which eliminated this element as a cause
of the trouble. In the other orchard, trees on on*:- particular root stock showed
the most leaf scorch. This stock (Mailing l) had been shown to be highly sus-
ceptible to magnesium (Mg) shortage in England.

Similar scorching and early leaf -fall were apparent in late August
and September, 1941, in a young experimental orchard set in 1939. These trees
have been mulched and fertilized with nitrogen (N). In 1941, II and K were

-7-

supplied in liberal amounts as this soil was low in these elements, and this
same year scorch appeared. Leaf analyses again showed high K and also low
Mg. These facts, together with corroborative evidence in England and Canada
on the relationship of Mg deficiency and high K availability, seemed to prove
that Mg shortage in our orchards Viras more than a myth.

In October, 1941, soil was taken from this latter orchard for green-
house pot tests v»ith differential fertilizer treatments. Small apple trees were
planted on February 3 and 4. About the middle of April, symptoms of Mg defi-
ciency began to show up in certain pots. Now (April 27) the sj.Tnptoms are very
distinct. Wierever Mg was included (as llgCOs, MgS04, or I,Ig-limestone) no such
sj'-.iiptons appear. Where muriate of potash v/as the only fertilizer given, leaf
injury is severe and some of the older leaves have already dropped off. Trees
in pots fertilized with N-P-K show Mg deficiency, but those with N-P-K plus lig
show none whatever. The trees in the check pots where no fertilizer was added
also shov;' no deficiency sjonptons. This is further evidence that, with a soil
already low in Mg, N and especially K-fertilization may increase Mg deficiency
syiiiptoms .

VJhether other orchards in Massachusetts suffer from a shortage of LIg •
is not known at the present time. However, it is a possibility that Mg de-
ficiency may be more general than realized. Grov;ers should be on the lookout
for the characteristic sjTnptoms, such as yellow mottling and brown d-;ad areas
on the edge or in the central portion of the leaf, and premature defoliation
of the older leaves. Often the foliage is a paler green than normal in the
initial stages. Growth is usually normal until late August and September vihen
the symptoms show up rather suddenly.

ITe hope that growers will observe their orchards a little more closely
than usual this year and advis'^ us if suspicious symptoms become evident,

Lawrence Southwick

Amherst Rainfall

Most of us remember the exceedingly dry month of April, 1941, when
only .55 inches of rain fell in Amliersti The month of April, 1942 brought
only a little more rain, ,96 inches. The normal for that month is 3.55 inches.
In comparing the month of March for the two years, we find only 1.63 inches
in 1941 and 7,89 in 1942.

The severity of the drouth in 1941 is even more apparent w'hen we com-
pare the total rainfall in the two years for an eight-month period up to May 1,
From September, 1940 to May, 1941 the total rainfall in Amherst ainounted to
only 17,8 inches. Over a corresponding period, September, 1941 to May, 1942
we received 27.17 inches. In other v^rords, we start off this spring vdth 10.3
inches more than we had last spring. It is unfortunate that much of our pre-
cipitation during the past months came while the ground was frozen. All things
considered, however, the soil is better supplied with moisture at the present
tLme than it was a year ago.

Jarring Proves Successful in Curc ulio Control

Four thousand ninety one curculio beetles collected from 80 poach

-8-

trees! That is the record submitted by 17. S. Pratt of the State Farm in
Bridgevvater. Substituting courage, ingenuity and hard v;ork for a spray
program, a year ago Mr. Pratt succeeded in bringing through a fine crop
of peaches by the method outlined below. The trees in this orchard range
from three to nine years of age.

Two sections of cloth were made by sewing together white flour bags,
the two being large enough to cover the ground under the largest tree when
both were spread out together. The ends of each section virere attached to
poles to make them rigid for easier handling and for rolling up when not in
use. Placing one section of cloth on either side of the trunk to form a
square beneath the branches, the beetles were jarred from the tree by giving
each branch a sharp jolt. The beetles were tlien gathered rapidly and tossed
into cans of kerosene.

The jarring record covering the period from May 23 to June 11 is as
follows: After two warm days, Llay 21 and 22, jarring was started. On May 23,
40 beetles were collected. May 24 and 25 brought cool v.'eather with strong
winds so the next jarring v.'as done on May 26 v;hen 160 beetles were collected.
May 27 netted 1000 beetles. During the next three days no jarring v/as done
since one day was a holiday, one day was too xvindy, and on the third day time
was not available. On May 31, 1150 beetles vrere collected; Jime 2, 575;
June 3, 540; and June 4, 400. For various reasons no more jarring v;as done
until June 11 when 226 beetles were collected, a total for the season of 4091
beetles .

LIr. Pratt says, "Perhaps I should have jarred a fev/ more times. To be
most effective, the jarring should be done every day, and perhaps tv/ice a day
at the peak count. V/e did most of our jarring in the early afternoon. The
period from Hay 27 to l,lay 31 should not have been skipped, and some of our
"stings" most likely came during that period. However, the amount of 'stung'
fruit v/as so small that we removed it in the thinning process. I feel that
boys could be used to advantage in this vrork, with a man to supervise them.
ViTe had some boys join us when we were on our knees picking up beetles and they
seemed to delight in seeing how many they could find."

Vvhile we do not recommend Mr. Pratt's method for the commercial orchard,
jarring does provide one very efficient means of eliminating curculio beetles
before they have damaged the fruit. VJ". D. Yihitcomb reports curculio emergence
in IValtham up to Hay 15 as follows: Hay 11, 2; May 13, 7; May 15, 21; Total 30.
At this date in 1941 he had collected from the same trees, 40 beetles, or a
third more than in 1942.

Claude R. V/ickard, Secretary of Agriculture, says, "Americaii fruit
growers have the responsibility of producing a vital part of the Nation's food
supply. It is certain that they will do their job well. Fruit adds variety,
vitamins, minerals, flavor and palatability to our diet. Fruits and vegetables
are interchaiigeable. Consequently, fruit produced this year in the United States
will enable us to ship more of certain vegetables to Britain. Fruit producers
thus will contribute definitely to the success of the United Nations in prosecut-
ing the war and preserving our freedom and our way of life."

There vdll bo no Farm and Home Week at Massachusetts State College this summer.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 6 Number 6

June, 1942

W. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Issue;

Grow Good Apples This Year

Apple Drying Program

Weed Killers for Chokeoherries

Controlling the Cost of Living

Conserving Poultry Manure

Facts and Opinions About Bees

Summer Management of Bees in War Time

Timely Tips for Fruit Growers

Do You Know?

Forty Miles An Hour

Seen and Heard in the Field

Some Facts About Lead Arsenate

Grow Good Apples This Year

All signs point to an unusually active demand for good apples this
fall. Costs are high but this would seem to be the wrong year to slight im-
portant orchard operations. There will be too many culls anyway, no matter
what the market situation is.

Apples fill an i-portant and vrell recognized place in the national
diet, and there is no substitute for them. All the good apples we can girow
will be needed next winter. Forget the rock-bottom prices of the depression
years; we are living in a different vrorld now. The average citizen will have
more money to spend for apples this year than he ever has had before in the
history of the industry. This does not mean ths hi3hest prices you have Icnown
but at least it should offset the present high cost of production.

?ut cull apples will never be popular. Standards are high among con-
sumers and apples must be well grown. From both patriotic and business stand-
points the situation demands the best spraying and thinning and the most care-
ful handling that can be given the crop. If this does prove to be that big
year you have been looking for, will you be ready for it?

R. A. Van Meter

Apple Drying Program

An extensive apple dehydration program will be sponsored next fall by
the government, according to the National Apple Institute. This will replace
canning to provide for long keeping at a great saving of containers, shipping
space and weight. The product is intended for our own armed forces, for Lend-
Lease shipments, and for the food stockpile being built up by this nation.
Last year the government took all the dried apples it could get and wanted
more.

The dehydrated product must be of the highest quality to be accept-
able. Contracts will be let to existing apple dryers, to apple canneries
which can put in drying equipment, and to vegetable dryers which may be able
to fit apples into the seasonal schedule.

The army has already contracted to purchase one million pounds of
apple "nuggets," which are popcorn-like particles of dehydrated apples made
at Selah, Washington. This one contract covers some 150,000 bushels.

Probably few apples will be dried in New England but the program will
remove a substantial amount of apples from the fresh fruit market. It all
helps. ^ —R. A. Van Meter

Weed Killers for Chokecherries

Peach growers who wish to protect their orchards against X-disease
(yellow- red virosis) should obtain a supply of weed kilte r to kill choke-
cherries. A chokecherry free belt 200 feet wide around the orchard is consider-
ed good protection, but a 300-foot belt is better.

There are two types of weed killers available suitable for use on
chokecherries. One is sodium chlorate. This material is very inflammable
when in contact with dry organic matter and should not be used without the
addition of a deflagration agent to reduce the fire hazard. The other is am-
monium sulfamate. There is no fire hazard connected with the use of this ma-
terial. Used at a strength of 3/4 pound per gallon of water, both materials
are effective on chokecherries. Ammonium sulfamate is much more effective on
the black or rum cherry. Although the black cherry has not been shown to act
as a host for the X-disease, experiments on its elimination are being carried
on so that we shall know how to get rid of it should the need arise.

Although chlorates have recently been given a priority rating a lim-
ited amount is being released for the control of noxious weeds. Anyone wish-
ing this type of material should get supplies at once. Information about
obtaining these materials will be sent on request.

Thp amount of material necessary depends on the number and size
of chokecherries present and for this reason it is difficult; to make a defi-
nite recommrndation. Roughly, young, straight sprouts waist high will require
l/'4-l/2 pint of spray; branched plants 5-6 ft. high l/2-l pint and larger trees
in proportion. Thp number of trees on sample areas can be counted and the
amount: of material required estimated accordingly. j, 3, Bailey

CONTROLLING TIIE COST OF LIVING

T he Fruit Gr ov/er's Part in the Nation Wide Program . Most of us re-
member all too vividly the other World War and the depression v/hich followed.
Every major war. in our history has brought not only an increase in living costs,
but a later slump and financial ruin to untold numbers of people. Unless
drastic steps are takon to halt this inflation which now threatens, history
is certain to rtpeat itself, and on a scale which staggers the imagination.
If that occurs, previous post war depressions may seem like periods of pros-
perity in 9omparison.

To prevent inflation a nation wide effort must nov; be made to control
the increasing cost. of living. Never before has the production of ordinary
commodities been so drastically limited and never before have the people in
the United States had so much money to spend for the limited supply of 'consumer
goods now available. The resulting competition among consumers for the things
they want to buy, if allowed to continue, would eventually result in a collapse
of our economic system. Federal price control is a start in the right direction,
but you and I along with the other 131,000,000 people in the country- can- and
must play a definite and effective role.

We talk about maintaining our "way of life." That includes a reason-
able cost of living. Our defense forces are assigned the task of halting ag-
gression, but their victory may prove a hollow one and our "way of life" a
myth, if we on the home front fail to halt inflation.

Where does the fruit grower fit into this confused situation? Let's
take apples as an example. Somewhat highf^r apple prices may be expected next
fall in vievj of increased costs of production. And' so long as prices remain
reasonable, no price coiling is anticipated. 7n the long run, an excessive
price on apples would be a calamity in disguisf>. For with rising prices, the
apple goes into, the luxury clftss. V»'e should keep apples at a level where
everyone can buy them and use them regularly. Abnormally high apple prices
would either accompany, or be preceded by, large increases in the cost of
things bought by the fruit grower. All things considered he will be better
off if apple pricos remain in line with" the prices of other products. Trans-
portation difficulties and smaller imports of other fruits, such as bananas,
emphasize the mutual advantage in supplying nearby markets.

An increase in net income will be permanently advantageous for the
fruit grower, if he (I) pays off debts with his cheaper dollars, and (2) if
he avoids unwarranted expansion of his productive capacity at inflated costs.
This does not mean that the fruit grower should retrench or discontinue, for
the duration, the planting of tfees. On the contrary, this ma,y be just the
time to bring the fruit plantation up to a more economic size. If .the present
sprayer is capable of handling more trees, and a suitable area is available
adjacent to the young orchard, an extension of the planting would seem an

-4-

economical procedure, if it can be accomplished without going in debt. When
the war is over, a thrifty, young orchard may look even better to the owner
than it would now. Bui this is not the time to buy a new fruit farm on borrow-
ed capital. The present plantation should be consolidated and improved. It
should be made to produce more high grade fruit per acre through better manage-
ment. All equipment should be kept in good running order. If possible it
should be repaired and overhauled instead of buying new equipment.

Seven steps have been proposed by our federal authorities to prevent
inflation and to halt the rising costs of living. These include: (1) tax
heavily, (2) place price ceilings on goods and rent, (3) stabilize wages, (4)
stabilize prices of farm products, (5) encourage increased purchases of war
bonds, (6) ration all essential commodities that are scarce, (7) discourage
installment buying and encourage the paying off of debts.

As we face an extremely critical time in our history, the fruit grower
can contribute his part to the nation wide price control program by (1) paying
off all debts possible, (2) putting surplus money into war bonds, (3) making
essential improvements without expanding in a way that requires essential war
materials and skilled labor, (4) spending no money for things which are not
essential for the fruit enterprise or for family living, (5) cooperating whole-
heartedly in the nation wide program to control inflation through price ceil-
ings, rationing, and other means which may be devised for winning the peace
as well as the war.

Conserving Poultry Manure

During this period of nitrogen shortage every farmer should be inter-
ested in the conservation and more efficient use of poultry manure. Reports of
dumping this valuable material over a bank on one largo poultry farm have re-
cently been received. A nearby farmer might have it for the hauling. This is
an example of inexcusable v/aste.

R. W. Donaldson, Extension Agronomist, offers these suggestions for
storing poultry manure where it is not possible to distribute it immediately:
"If storage is necessary, a miniuium area of surface should be exposed and com-
paction secured by added water to reduce aeration. Insulation of surfaces
with absorbent loam and superphosphate to catch escaping nitrogen are import-
ant. Storing in a pile as deep as possible (5 feet or more), v;ith perpendicu-
lar walls and concave top to catch and retain moisture is advised. A layer
of earth (an inch or so) and 300 to 500 pounds of superphosphate scattered
over each cord will do much to catch and retain escaping nitrogen. A deep
pile benefits from absorbed rainfall, and vdll not leach. During dry spells,
wotting down of piles may he advisable."

If a pile of poultry manure is allowed to dry out nitrogen is lost,
as evidenced by the aimnonia odor. If the pile is kept wet and compact, par-
ticularly if loam and superphosphate are added, the nitrogen is conserved.
Fruit growers are missing a real opportunity if they fail to obtain poultry
manure wherever it can be had in quantity within easy hauling distance. Most
poultrymen vmnt the manure removed regularly. And if it is hauled at a time
when it may not be applied with utmost safety in the orchard (July to mid-
winter) it should be properly stored, or it may be used outside the orchard
for grovfing mulch material. Any sod orchard with scanty growth of grass or

weeds will benefit from a broadcast application of poultry manure. This is
also an excellent fertilizer for growing young trees but must be used in
moderation in a bearing orchard. Green, lat-; maturing fruit may be an in-
dication that poultry manure should be applied elsev;here.

Facts and Opinio ns About B ees

In a recent letter from John Rice of Marlboro, two questions are asked,
(1) concerning the effect of bee stings on arthritis and (2) concerning the
number of blossoms visited by bees during rainy and sunny weather. On the lat-
ter question, one individual (not a fruit grower) had expressed this opinion;
That a bee will pick up enough pollen to carry a load by visiting 25 blossoms;
that when there has been a shower and the pollen has been vmshed away a bee
will have to go to about 100 blossoms to get the same load they would probably
get on a clear, v/arm, sunny day in visiting 25 blossoms. And as it rained all
day Thursday the bees would have to visit after Thursday about 250 blossoms or
ten times as many as they would during vmrm, sunny weather.

F. R. Shaw of the Dept . of Entomology, offers the following coiTiments
on these points: (1) "As regards the treatment of arthritis by bee venom -
this has been demonstrated of value both in this country and abroad for many
years. As early as 1879, Philip Terc, an Austrian physician, expressed the
opinion that 'almost all true arthritis and rheumatism can be radically and
permanently cured with bee stings except those cases of many years' standing
where ossification has taken placa.' In this country Dr. Beck of New York
City has treated many cases of rheumatism and arthritis with good results.
However, no one should attempt to use bes venom as a treatment except under
the direct supervision of a doctor." (2) "As regards the theory concerning
the value of rain as an agent for improving the set of fruit, I am inclined
to doubt its importance as far as its necessitating bees to visit more flow-
ers to get a load of pollen. Bees work from 25-75 apple blossoms to get a
load of pollen. During the period when it was raining, the bees were confined
to the hive. This would certainly cause a poorer set than if the bees were
working. Following a rain, the blossoms that were open during this period
T;ould not likely be as attractive as blossoms that opened following the rain
since the amount of sugar present in the nectar would be lessened by dilution
with rain water. Then if the statement made concerning the amount of pollen
present v;ere true, which I doubt, the old blossoms v;ould have little to offer
to attract the boes."

Summer Management of Beos in War Time

Follov/ing is a suninary of a statement prepared by B . N. Gates and
F. R. Shaw, authorities in beekeeping in Massachusotts* Due to the unsettled
conditions concerning the possibility of obtaining sugar for feeding bees
this fall or next spring, good management of bees during the summer and
proper preparation of colonies for wintering are essential. The season thus
far has been conducive to svrarming. Most colonies were strong early in the
spring. This, together with the fact that v/e had on early spring, resulted
in exceptionally strong colonies. Following apple bloom vie had a period of
rainy weather which caused crowding in the hives and the bees built swarm
colls in great numbers. Swarming has been prevalent and beekeepers must be on
the alert to prevent both further swarming and after- swarming if they expect

-6-

a maximum crop of honey. For a complete discussion of the problem of swarming
and its controj, see U.S.D.A. Farmers' Bulletin 1198.

During this summer, weak colonies should be united to other weak
colonies or to strong ones. This will eliminate in part the necessity for
fall feeding and will also take full advantage of the available force of bees.
It is the opinion of both of the writers that beekeepers must recognize tha
importance of strong colonies of young bees provided with ample »tores of
honey and pollen in order to accomplish successful wintering. G©od manage-
ment throughout the honey flow is absolutely essential in order to have colo-
nies strong in bees and well provided with stores. Old queens should be re-
placed by August 1. Small colonies should be united or else killed by the
first of October and the hive and etjuipment be placed in safe storage until
the following spring.

The situation is briefly this: (l) The prospects for obtaining sugar
for fall feeding or for spring feeding in 1943 are very unsettled. (2) Good
management throughout the active season is especially important since swarming
is prevalent and since we must obtain as large a crop of honey as possible,
(3) Do not bother with weak colonies. Unite them to other colonies or destroy
them . Do not foed colonies sugar syrup unless it is an absolute necessity .

Timely Tips for Fruit Growers (by H.A. Rollins, U. of Conn., Storrs, Conn.)

F ruit Th inning Impo rtant in 1942 . By thinning fruit on heavily loaded
peach and apple trees, fruit growers will definitely reduce the harvest labor
problem. With inexperienced harvest help last year, too many cull apples went
into storage. Here is an opportunity to remove the culls in early summer and
allow the clean apples to improve in size and color. Although it may be dif-
ficult to obtain labor for thinning, it certainly is worth the trouble and
effort to thin both apples and peaches in view of the reduced labor problem
at harvest. For best results in size of fruit and improvement in color, thin
early. With proper supervision, high school boys, high school girls and
women can be used for fruit thinning. It is too early to make any procJSctions
regarding crop prospects but at present there appears to be a fair-to-good
fruit set. Mcintosh apples appear to be heavy enough and in some orchards
the Baldwin set is much too heavy. If the June drop does not greatly reduce
the load of fruit on some trees, you certainly should plan to thin fruit on
these trees as early as possible.

Ladino Clove r Frunishes Nitrogen . With the prospect that there
will be less nitrogen fertilizer available next year, there is even more
need for Connecticut fruit growers to plant Ladino clover as an orchard
cover crop where it is possible to do so. Mr. Henry Fetors of Hamden, after
seeding Ladino clover four years ago, has omitted nitrogen on mature Mcintosh
apple trees for the past three years with very satisfactory crops of apples
and excellent tree growth. Other growers have found that they can definitely
reduce their nitrogen application if they have a good stand of Ladino clover
as a cover crop. It is not too late to consider seeding for this year. For
more complete information on using Ladino clover as an orchard cover crop,
see your county agricultural agent.

Apple Boxes for the 1 942 Crop. If you have not already obtained apple
boxes, either used or nev;, for" the 1942 apple crop, you should not delay order-

-7-

ing if you expect to have containers for apples this fall. Although there was
considerable hurricane lumber in the New England area, this is being used at
the rate of more tlian a million board feet a week for boxes, mostly for war
purposes. The situation regarding nails for apple boxes appears to be consider-
ably brighter as a result of a recent conference in V/ashington. There would be
considerable wastage if packages were not available for perishable crops such
as apples. Nails for apple boxes now have a priority rating of A-l-C, which
is practically the same as for most military materials and considerably higher
than the A-7 rating previously given. Fruit growers should be able to obtain
box nails from their regular dealers. The dealer in turn, can make use of the
A-l-C priority rating. (These timely suggestions are from the June issue of
Seasonal Fruit Notos.)

Do You Know

That an inch of rainfall over an acre would fill 90 300-gallon spray
tanks and would weigh more than 100 tons?

That Vermont produced more mapl-s products in 1942 than any other state?
Tree s tapped - Vt . , 4,000,000; N^., 3,111,000; U;^,, 9,814,000. Syrup made
(gals.") - Vt. , 1,310,000; N._Y • , 933,000; U_^- , 27302,000.

That an apple has a definite life span? According to D.F. Fisher of
the Bureau of Plant Industry, "The harvested apple is a living organism with
a more or less definite potential span of life. If it 'lives too fast,' either
before or after picking, its vitality is exhausted prematurely and the time
it remains in good eating condition is shortened proportionately."

That drying of apples, prunes and certain other fruits will be increased
greatly as a means of conserving tin? Processors v.ill be advised to use large
cans and not to put whole fruit in the cans.

That not more than 22^ of all farms have tractors? But about 66J? of
all farms of more than 100 acres have them.

That raspberry canes are sometimes rather badly damaged by the tree
cricket? This insect inserts its eggs deeply in the cane, in rows of 30 or
more eggs 'Uich. Numerous damaged canos vrero observed last season in a rasp-
berry planting in Andover,

That the United States now has approximately 3200 community frozen-
food locker plants, with an average capacity of 300 lockers? It is estimated
that about three-fourths of these lockers are used by farm families.

That blackberries were eaten in the Stonu Age? Explorations in re-
mains of Swiss lake villages of the Stone Age period shov/ that Stone Age folks
relished wild blackberries identical to the ones we know today.

Forty Miles a n Hour

Several weeks ago President Roosevelt requested cooperation in estab-
lishing a national automobile speed limit of 40 milej; an hour. The following
table shows why:

Speed Increase

Extra cost

per

Time

Saved

Extra cost

mi. per hr.

1,000 miles

each hour saved

35 to 45

$ 5.53

6.4

hours

^ . 86

35 to 65

24.52

13.2

1.86

45 to 55

7.57

4.0

1,88

45 to 65

18.99

6,8

2.80

These statistics, prepared by a large insurance company, apply to the
"average" car--a composite of thirty-one light, medium, and heavy cars ranging
from new to several years old. They apply to average roads in fairly open
country with comparatively few stops. Drivers were experienced male operators.
Costs--largely represented in gasoline, oil, emd tires — are based on actual
records of a fleet of more than 325 state-owned vehicles, supplied and checked
by automotive experts.

There's only one thing wrong with the table: It doesn't mention that
excess sp eed is the greatest single cause of automotive deaths and injuries.
From now until the war ends — 40 or under i

Seen and Heard in the Field

Peach Borers . Last October 30 peach trees ranging in age from 3 to
9 years v;ere treated with ethylene dichloride in the Willkie orchard in Lake-
ville. These trees, virere badly infested with borers at that time. Care v/as
taken in diluting the material and in pouring it on the soil immediately ad-
jacent to the trunk, because of reports of severe injury from this material
in other states* An inspection of the trees about three weeks ago revealed
a complete kill of borers and so far as we could observe no sign of injury
to the trees.

"Ringing." In two recent twilight meetings (Segreganset and Hathorne)
a grower has reported success in bringing about fruit bud formation by the
practice of "ringing" or girdling. In each case we had demonstrated this
method by cutting completely through the bark of certain apple branches in
May, 1941. The rest of the tree was left as a check. According to the
growers' reports those branches bloomed heavily this spring while the other
branches on the trees showed only an occasional blossom.

Cross Pollination . In the Saari orchard in Ashby there is a striking
illustration of the effect of suitable pollen on the set of Mcintosh. A sin-
gle branch was grafted to Astrachan or other good pollenizer on certain trees
about three years ago. These grafted branches bloomed well this spring.
Mcintosh branches in close proximity to the graft show an exceptionally
heavy set of fruit while similar trees not grafted show only a moderate
set. Trees which are farthest from a pollenizing variety show a relatively
light set.

A Bi g Bl ue berry . A blueberry was found on June 16 which by actual
measurement had a diameter amounting to 5/8 of an inch. This berry was
already shov;ing signs of coloring. Another bit of evidence that the season
is ahead of normal.

-9-

Rosy Aphis. An unusually haavy infestation of rosy aphis observed
at a recent orchard meeting raised the question, what can we do about it?
One grower reported a similar condition three years ago and stated that he
had completely cleaned it up since that time by spraying at the dormant stage
with one of the DN materials. At this season a thorough application of nico-
tine plus two pounds of soap flakes will help to prevent some of the aphids
from migrating to the fruit clusters. At the same time the grower should
resolve to apply DN next spring.

Apple Curculi o. At a recent twilight meeting in Granville we de-
cided to capture a curculio beetle for certain members of the group, not
acquainted with that pest, to examine. Thinking that a heavily loaded plum
tre=; v;ould yield a specimen of plum curculio, we jarred such a tree only to
capture one lone beetle and an apple curculio at that.

Roadside Stands . One enterprising fruit grower is considering the
establishment of a fruit store in a filling station which is not being used
at the present time. Located as it is at the outskirts of a city, such a move
will help to bring products of the farm within reach of pedestrians. If tires
and gasoline are not available for driving to a roadside stand in the country
why not bring the stand within walking distance of the consumer?

Newly Planted Trees . There seems to be a big difference in the
amount of growth made thus far by newly set apple trees. Some have grown
a foot or more; others are barely holding their own. A reminder at this
season that fruit trees should be made to grow vigorously from the start,
may be in order. If certain trees are lagging, it is not too late to give
them an application of nitrate of soda or to mulch heavily. A thorough job
of eliminating competing grass and weeds will help, but a replenishment of
the nitrates washed out of the soil by recent ra.ins may help even more.

A Penny For Your Thoughts

No, you are to furnish both the penny (post card), and the thoughts.
Having invested in a post card you are invited to send along any thought you
may have concerning items to be discussed in Fruit Notes. VIe'll agree to
assemble some timely comments on the first five cards which come in, for pub-
lication in the July issue which will be "in the works" by July 5.

American Indian Not So Dumb

In a recent issue of The Soil Auger, A. B. Beaumont quotes the follow-
ing from The Kansas Stockmanj "An Oklahoma editor published two pictures, one
of a dilapidated house and the other of an eroded field and invited his r^^ad-
ers to take part in a 'You Write the Story' contest. Here is the prize-winning
letter, written by an Indian.-

'Both pictures show white man crazy. Make big tepee. Plow hill.
Water wash; wind blow dirt. Grass gone, land gone, door gone, window gone,
buck gone, squaw too. Papoose gone. No pig, no corn, no cow, no hay, no
pony. Indian no plow land. Keep grass. Buffalo eat. Indian eat buffalo.
Hide make tepee, make moccasin. Indian no make terrace, no build dam, no
give damn. All time eat. No hunt job, no hitchhike, no ask relief. No
shoot pig. Great Spirit make grass. Indian no waste anything. Indian no
work. V/hite man heap loco. '"

-10-

Some Facts About Lead Arsenate

(This article was prepared by L. G. Gennnell of the Agricultural Insecti-
cide and Fungicide Association.) The real values which lie behind many of the
agricultural chemicals we commonly use are often lost sight of, because of the
present day necessity to get the job done quickly in order to take advantage of
particularly fine weather or to make the best possible use of the farm labor
available to us. Vfiiether it be a spraying or dusting operation, little thought
is given to the time spent in research or to the eflort that has been put into
the production of many common corrimercial chemicals to insure the ultimate con-
suTiier the highest value at the lowest cost consistent with high quality. Many
such products used on the farm have thus come to be taken for granted; and
little serious consideration given to their past history or to their value in
terms of better and more abundant crops. The case of Lead Arsenate aptly il-
lustrates this. Up until our recent emergency. Lead Arsenate, of which
59,000,000 to 60,000,000 pounds is used annually in this country, has been
very easy to obtain and has, therefore, been used in our spraying or dusting
programs without much regard for the raw materials -which go to make it up,
or for the amount that was used in our pest control programs. Now that agri-
culture is in the position of competing with the war industries for the Lead
and Arsenic which go into the making of Lead Arsenate, some understanding of
the manufacturing problems which lie behind this common spray chemical may
enable us to properly evaluate it.

Hist.-^ry. F. C, Moulton, of the Massachusetts Gypsy Moth Committee
is creditlTd wxth" the discovery in 1892 of the insecticidal properties of
Lead Arsenate and late in 1893 its use as an insecticide was recommended.
Although the early ro.atsrial resembled in many ways the chemical as we know
it today, it differed in many important respects. The early methods of prep-
aration vrere crude and expensive, the product variable, and as then sold
contained 40-50^ water. Although the same two forms ; acid and basic Lead
Arsenate, were known then as now, the former, the acid or standard type, has
far surpassed the basic type in importance to the fruit grower.

In the early procedure for preparing acid Lead Arsenate (PbHAs04)
solutions of lead acetate or lead nitrate were precipitated by sodium arsenate
(Na2HAs04) and the product aold as a paste with a high water content. However,
with the granting of over 3D patents relating to Lead Arsenate production, the!
methods of manufacture have improved and today the dry powdered product now
offered for sale contains almost pure lead arsenate. That such a product can
be sold at its usual low figure is a monumental tribute to the early research
workers and to the agriculturists who cooperated with them in testing out the
product on various food crops. (To be Continued in July Issue.)

FRUIT IjOTES
Volume 6 Number 7

July, 194a

1!. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Issue:

Fruit Crop Prospects

Grass Roots and Tree Roots

Some Recent Bulletins

Some Facts About Lead Arsenate

Do You Know?

Kotes From New Hampshire Ileeting

Notes on the Harvest Labor Situation

Foliage Injury From Summer Use of D N

Nail Supply to be Adequate

Sugar for Home Canning

Classification of Fruit Growers by Selective Service

FR UIT CROP PROSPECTS

A summary of fruit crop prospects reported by grower and shipper
representatives at a recent meeting in Vfeshington indicate an expected apple
production for 1942 of approximately 125,300,000 bushels for the country as a
v;hole. This is almost exactly the same as in 1941. The prospects in New
England and New Yorl: are about 20'/o better than last year. The Appalachian
region reports prospects very close to that of last year with the crop running
heavier to fall varieties. In the iJiddle lYest there are indications of fewer
summer apples and more of winter varieties. The total crop in that area will
probably be lOJo less than in 1941. In the Far \7est, sonevrhat fewei' Delicious
are expected but the Vi'inesap trees promise a larger crop than in 1941. The
total in that area should be about the sa:Ae as last year. California v;ill

Issued by the Extension Service, V/illard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

harvest fewer Gravensteins this season.

In New England we look forward to the largest Baldwin crop since
1937. There are prospects that the Mcintosh crop vdll be somewhat larger than
in 1941. At a meeting July 2 in the Fred Middleton Orchard in Hudson, 40 com-
mercial growers gave the following estimate of this season's crop in comparison
with 1941; {The total of all varieties in 1941 was 175,180 bushels; 1942,
210,595 bushels, an increase of about 20^ over last year. The figures for
the three most important varieties, Mcintosh, Baldwin and Delicious were, re-
spectively: 1941 - 113,780; 23,490; and 9,285. 1942 - 125,620; 53,490; and
10,460.

At a similar meeting in Connecticut, 35 growers representing l/3
of the commercial apple crop reported a total of 395,000 bushels last year and
524,000 this year, an increase of about 32^. The figures for Mcintosh and
Baldwin were, respectively: 1941 - 186,000 and 104,000. 1942 - 234,000 and
169,000.

The peach crop in New England this season is expected to total
200,000 bushels compared with 209,000 bushels last season. The 10 year average
is 287,000 bushels. The outlook for pears in New England is about the same as
last year - 153,000 bushels. The 10 year average is 165,000 bushels.

GRASS ROOTS A ^ID T REE ROOTS

In a recent Michigan study the rooting habits of 9 species of
grasses were observed. The grasses include Sheep Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass,
Chewings Fescue, Timothy, Redtop, Canada Bluegrass, Reed Canary Grass, Witch
or Quack Grass, and Smooth Brome Grass. The last three named grasses showed
a larger proportion of their root systems .in the lower half of the containers
than the others. Vfitch grass or quack grass actually showed as many fibrous
roots at tl^ 42 to 48-inch level as at the 24 to 30- inch level. The investi-
gator, N. L. Partridge, says, "The larger the development of roots in the lower
portion of the container, the greater the probable amounts of water which the
grass might be expected to remove from the deeper portions of the soil."

These observations throw some light on the behavior of young fruit
trees which must compete with a deep rooted grass. If the soil is already oc-
cupied by . grass roots to a depth of three or four feet, the tree has a diffi-
cult time developing its roots because the soil may already be depleted of
needed moisture as well as nitrogen and other mineral elements. The scanty
growth of young trees under such conditions may reflect that competition. It
takes a good soil to support both grass and tree.

A young tree ^ould be either cultivated or mulched in such way
that competing vegetation is smothered. The failure of many young orchards
may be traced to the fact that the trees were compelled to fight it out with
a stand of grass already established. Mid- summer is a good time to ch'3ck up
on the growth made by young trees and to remedy the situation by cultivation,
additional mulch or a few handful s of nitrate of soda. This latter item is
important if heavy rains have leached out the nitrates so essential in getting
the tree off to a good start.

-3-

Somo Rront Eulletina

Establishing and Managing Young Apple Orchards, U.S.D.A. Farmers' Bui.

IIo. 1897.
Control of Grape Diseases ajid Insects in Eastern United States. U.S.D.A.

Farmers ' Bui. No. 1393.
Diseases of Strawberries. U.S.D.A. Farmers' Bui. Ko. 1891.
Harvesting and Handling Cultivated Cranberries. Fanners' Bui. No. 1882.
The Home Fruit Garden, U.S.D.A. Leaflet No. 218.
Victory Gardens. U.S.D.A. Misc. Pub. No. 483. of

Investigations on the Cause & Control of Biennial Bearing/^pple Trees.

U.S.D.A. Tech. Bui. No. 792. ""

Storage of Vegetable Seeds, U.S.D.A. Leaflet No. 220.

Factors V/l-iich Affect the Vitamin C Content of Apples. Va. Tech. Bui. 69.
Baits and Bait Traps in Codling Moth Control. Va. Bui. 320.
Substitutes for Nitrogen Fertilizers in Orcharding. Mo. Circ. 236.
Factors Affectiiig Size 5: Color of Fruit. Mo. Bui. 428.
Studies of Bitter Pit of the Apple. Cornell llemoir 234.
Control of ViThito Grubs in Strawberries, Cornell Bui. 770.
Questions and Answers on Fruit Culture. S. Dak. Circ. 35.
Influence of Spacing on Yield and Grade of Strawberries. R.I. Bui. 283.
Locker Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables, ViTash. Popular Bui. No. 161.
(Certain state bulletins may involve a small charge.)

SOlV i E FACTS ABOUT LE AD ARSENATE

(This article was prepared by L. G. Gemiaell of the Agricultural
Insecticide and Fungicide Association. -- Continued from the June issue.)

Meth od of Productio n. Today, almost v.dthout exception, commercial
Lead Arsenate is ms^de by adding arsenic acid to litharge (PbO), a reddish
yellow lead compound made by roasting metallic lead. In order to insure
complete reaction, the mixture is kept constantly stirred and the resultant
slurry of Lead Arsenate and water is carefully checked by control chemists
who analyze it in this stage so that by careful acid addition and close con-
trol of the temperature of the reaction, a product results v^hich v;hen filtered,
dried and ground will be about 98/^ pure, and contain in excess of 32^;^ arsenic
pentoxide. In recent years by industry agreement a red dye has been added
to the Lead Arsenate while in the wet state so that aftor processing the prod-
uct will in no way resemble an edible powder such as flour or pov/dered sugar.

The Lead Arsenate slurry, checked by the laboratory, is fed by
gravity or pumps to the drying apparatus which may be in any one of several
forms. One common type is the rotary or drum drier where a coat of the
thickaned Lead Arsenate paste is picked up on the outside of a steair heated
slov.ly revolving cylinder. At the completion of one turn of the cylinder
the Lead Arsenate from virhich the water has now been evaporated is scraped
from the drum and in dry povirdered form is passed to a grinding mill or pul-
verizer before packaging. In other t;^Tpss of driers part of the wat:r con-
tained in the Lead Arscr.ate slurry is removed by f^uoh .i.nenhr-nical meojis as
filter presses or centrifuges. In this method Goluble saibf; racy be washed
out before transfer of the partly dried material to the stsani heated drying
ovens. As in the previous case, the dried material is further ground before

-4-

packaging. During the entire process, from rav; material to the final package
form, each stage in the manufacture of Lead Arsenate is carefully watched by
sMlled chemists.

Current Outlook for Materia l. Since both Lead and Arsenic have
uses in industry in addition to the' manufacture of insecticides, much effort
has been spent by rav; material producers to insure a steady, even supply of
these tvro materials. In normal times thousands of tons of both Lead and
Arsenic are imported into this country to bolster our own production, as
well as to provide rav; material for insecticides vj-hich are to be exported
to other countries. The present war has cut off much of our imports of raw
material and f le tremendous production effort being put forth by this country
has added to the strain on our raw material reserve. In addition. Lead and
Arsenic have a number of important military uses which must be filled. At
present both materials are allocated by the V'far Production Board to the sev-
eral industries using these raw materials in their manufacturing processes.
Because the protection of food is an important part of our war effort, the
use of Lead and Arsenic for insecticides has been given careful consideration,
and sufficient raw material has been provided to take care of the essential
needs in respect to food crops. It is expected that this will continue sjid
that our insecticide supply will be sufficient to meet the needs of our in-
creasing agricultural program. The insecticide industry is making a concerted
effort to maintain the flow of stocks to the fruit grov;ers and at the same
time pointing out the necessity for conservation and careful use of the sup-
plies available. Each of us has a part in this all-out effort and clo^e
cooperation between the manufacturer and fruit grower will assure adequate
and timely supplies to moot all essential needs.

DO_YOU_KmM

That the annual consumption of fruits and vegetables in 1920 was
384 pounds per person? In 1941 this had risen to 445 pounds per person, an
increase of approximately 16^^. This increase v/as largely on citrus fruits,
on which the increase vias Bifo.

That motorists in the United States wasted 14.7^ of the 22 billion
gallons of gasoline they purchased in 1940 through failure to have their car
engines adjusted for maximum fuel economy? Tests made by the Bureau of
Standards and tlie American Automobile Association verify this fact.

That the wood from 20,000,000 trees will have been used by the end
of this year to equip our new army? It vdll provide for everything from high
explosives to pontoon bridges.

That the number of active farm 770rkers on New England farms on
June 1 totaled 259,000? This total is 6% more than the 245,000 farm v/orkers
of a month earlier. Of the total number of farm workers, 169,000 wore family
members ivho worked without receiving cash wages and 90,000 were hired workers.

That weather conditions were highly favorable for scab infection
in apple orchards this season betvreen May 6 and 17? The following data pre-
pared by 0. C. Boyd helps to explain why mur.y orchards bocame infected during
this period. Some of these rainy periods were state wide.

-5-

Date of Length in Appearance of

Rain (Ma y) Hours Tree Stage Scab (May)

6-7 36 Mid-bloom 21-23

12-13 14 Calyx 25-26

16-17 16 pre-lst Cover 27-30

That large quantities of vitamin Bl which exercises a beneficial
effect on the hixnian nervous system have been found by Yale botanists in the
buds and leaves of many common American trees. The buds of oak, red maple,
horse chestnut, elm, sycamore and white pine trees are said to contain heavy
concentrations.

That there is a close relationship between the wetting power of a
spray mixture and its retention on the sprayed surface? The wetting power
of the spray solution is an important factor in its efficiency either as a
contact or a stomach poison. A technical paper on the above relationship
has recently been released by the Bureau of Entomology and Plant i^uarantine.

That three-fourths of the world's 2,000,000,000 people depend so
heavily on potatoes and the cereal crops for food that their bodies are likely
to suffer froia a poorly balanced diet? The United States viith 130,000,000
people is the largest national group in the v/orld to enjoy a diet composed
of as low as 30-40;;i' cereals and potatoes. Ail of Asia excepting Japan lives
on 80-90^0 cereal and potato fare. Southern Europe and most of South and Cen-
tral America eat 60-70^ cereal and potatoes, and the rest of Europe from
40-60^.

That fruits may be successfully canned without sugar? Sugar does
help to preserve color, flavor and texture although according to \7. R. Cole
fruits may be successfully canned v:ithout sugar as far as spoilage is con-
cerned. If canned v/ithout sugar the fruit should be packed in jars, using
the usual amount of water and processing for the length of time ordinarily
prescribed.

That a Hew Jersey concern has as its slogan, "The Juice of Every-
thing That Grows?" This concern squeezes juice from grass, nuts, and some
250 other things, for shipment to many disteint points.

That we have been using about half the world's total output of
rubber every year? Almost 98/^ has come to us from the Far East, 54°o from
Maiaya, 36Jo from Netherlands East Indies, GF/l from Ceylon, and 2fb from other
places.

That about 20,000,000 non-bearing or only slightly bearing apple
trees under 10 years of age should be growing in this country to maintain
the bearing acreage? Apple trees have passed their period of greatest use-
fulness as commercial producers in most sections of the United States by the
time theyaro 40 years old. Approximately 70,000,000 bearing apple trees are
required to produce an apple crop of desirable size.

That the "red stele" disease has greatly reduced strawberr;/ pro-
duction in southeastern Michigan? A recent report in a Michigan nev/spaper
indicates a reduction of at least 50^o. In some plantings it Virill run as
high as 75-'.

-6-

That one ton of fertilizer produces on the average 85 bushels of
wheat, 217 bushels of tomatoes, 46 sacks of peanuts, 2 bales of cotton, 125
bushels of corn, 130 bushels of snapbeans, 185 bushels of potatoes, 53 bushels
of soybeans, 1370 lbs. of tobacco, 8,000 lbs. of milk or 1,000 lbs. of beef?
These figures were obtained in two surveys conducted in 1928 and 1938 among
80,000 farmers. Each one was asked to estimate the yields with and without
fertilizer for one or tvro important crops.

That low quality waste hay or grasses unsuitable for feeding pur-
poses are almost ideal for mulching purposes and provide an excellent sub-
stitute for fertilizer materials iwhich are now either scarce or una-^^ilable?
In some cases such mulching material may be had for the hauling. A recent
report tells of one town hauling many tons of hay from roadsides to the town
dump. Any nearby fruit grovrer might have had this material for the hauling.

That strawberry yields are being greatly increased in Indiana by
irrigation? One grower harvested over 900 crates of U. S. No. 1 berries
from four acres under irrigation in the 1941 dry season. (ind. ave. 50 per A.)

That thinning of Yiealthies even as late as mid-July will greatly
increase average size of fruit? A few years ago a heavily loaded YiTealthy
tree in the iJ.S.C. orchard was divided into three sections, one of which was
thinned July 5, one July 25, and one August 20. By harvest time, the apples
from each section had sized as follows:

3" and up 2 3/4" - 3" 2|" - 2 5/4"

July 5 20^ 34?? Z^%

July 25 % \&f. 56%

August 20 1% 5% ZA%

That a lime distributor had been in use on a Sudbury farm for the
past 40 years. V/hen we visited this farm recently, we found the owner giving
it a thorough cleaning. He reported that it is still in perfect working
order. Apparently it pays to take care of farm machinery.

That the life of spraying equipment may be considerably extended
by using plenty of oil and grease, keeping chains and V-belt in proper ad-
justment, flushing outfit v;ith clean water after each spraying, protecting
sprayer and hose from weather xvhen not in use, throwing tractor in and out
of gear with care, preventing hose from rubbing on wheels, and from kinking,
and by conserving accessories made of brass or aluminum? The reader can add
other "Dos" and "Donts."

NOTES FROM NEV7 :IAI.'IPSIIIRE MEETING

Following are threo items gleaned from the Journal of the N. H.
Horticultural Society covering the annual meeting of November 19, 1941.
^^^ YiqI'^ , ^s_ /■^A^'^^^ '^, A", spr ay progr am. A. F. Yeager and C. R. Cross reported
on the yiefd of appl'e trees in the Univ. of N, II. orchard, some of which had
been sprayed continuously with Lime Sulfur and others v/ith Flotation Sulfur
during the past 7 years. The trees which received Flotation Sulfur had
yielded one to three bushels more per year than those which received Liine
Sulfur. (2) Coloring of frui t. M. B. Hoffman, in discussing the subject

-7-

"Balancing Production and Color," offered this explanation of the coloring
of apples during cool weather: The temperature preceeding and during harvest
has a pronounced effect on color development. Regardless of the size of the
crop, relatively cool temperatures increase color. The effect of temperature
may be explained by the fact that during cool nights the loss of sugar by
respiration, one of the life processes within the plant, is loss than at
higher temperatures. Hence the sugar reserve from which the pigment (antho-
cyanin) is formed, is increased at the lavier temperature. Cool temperatures
result in about the same conditions as those cultural practices vdiich promote
early maturity, namely, a hardening of the tissues, accumulation of sugars
and high color. (3) Mulc h ing . J. H. Gourley in discussing the subject, "Some
Recent Discoveries witli Orchard Soils," stated that the conservation of mois-
ture is generally considered to bs the chief benefit of a mulch. Vifithout
minimizing this effect he pointed out the accumulation of plant nutrients
under a mulch. Available potassium is quite high from 24 to 32 inches beneath
the heavy mulch in two of the Ohio Station orchards. An adjacent cultivated
area and an unfertilized field plot are notably low in available potassium.
In addition to potassium, otlier elements are also accumulating beneath the
mulch. Calcium is higher in the surface three inches; phosphorus is about
8 times as high in the surface soil beneath a mulch as in the cultivated
area, and boron is definitely high<3r in the surface soil but not so below
a depth of 3 inches. Other elements and even grovrth promoting substances
may be present in larger amounts to explain in part the superior behavior
of trees which are grown under the mulch system.

NOTES ON THE HARVEST LA BOR SITUATION

meeting
At a recent/of Middlesex County fruit growers all angles of the

labor situation wer~carefully considered. Thirteen of the larger growers
reported a total of 177 workers needed during the harvest season. The num-
bers ranged from to 28. Quoting from the report of this meeting by County
Agent Agnew, "Most growers eported paying by the day. Last year boys were
usually paid by piece (mostly ten cents) and per day, ^4.00 to |5.00. For
good men 60/ an hour should be paid. There are 500 to 700 state highvmy
employees in the state who may be released for picking, provided they are
paid at the same rate - $6 per day. The local highway men are not so numer-
ous in some sections. In local towns the selectmen should be contacted by
the growers themselves. Conscientious objectors in army will not be avail-
able for many roasons. F.S.A. nigrsttory labor camps will not be available.
No funds for moving thorn and they never go above southern Connecticut or
New Jersey; our season is tno short for them. The general feeling is that
the boys in the army camps have a job to do, that of winning the war, and
the fruit groivers should not ask for tlieir release.

"The greatest source of labor was thought to be part-time workers
from mills, quarries, etc. The Emplojauent Service men are to contact some
mills around Lowell and Fitchburg to find their working hours and the possi-
bility of their help during harvest season. The Employment Service is also
listing all available fruit pickers at their offices. Labor will be scarce
and sometimes hard to got at the right time. However, many people vdll work
in orchards if they are paid a decent v/age. The rates of 7,8, or 9 cents
per bushel should be forgotten. A price of 10 to 12 cents will bring pickers.
If we stop to consider, two cents a bushel more will give us a much better

-8-

grade of pickers and we ^vill have much better looking fruit going into
storage."

The following timely suggestion concerning harvest labor is offered
by Lawrence Southwick in the June issue of the American Fruit Grovrer:
"Undoubtedly, successful use of harvest sprays should aid northeastern
orchardists materially in their harvesting operations. This is especially-
true with the larger growers of Mcintosh. The period between fruit maturity
(good color, size, quality) and normal fruit drop is limited, and this fac-
tor will assume added significance in the face of a harvest ir,boi- snortage.
Here then is where harvest sprays should fit into the pfcturo by prolonging
the picking period, thus enabling growers to bettor handle their crops with
the limited and in many cases inexperienced labor v;hich will be available."

SOJffi FOLIAGE INJURY REPORTED FROM SUMffiR USE OP D N

In a numb'-.r ?f Massachusetts orchardf. i^.here a heavy infestation of
European red mito ha-s ar^peared, growers are using or are considering the use
of D N -■ ].ll which is av.pLied as a spray, or •':i-i-. U - 4, a dust ma-oerial.
The results from the standpoint of red mito c-.;in.rol are -^jcicij gratifying al-
though some injury ho foj.iage has been reporof.i. One grower who applied the
dust when the tem^jjvature v;as up to 80'^ and th? relative humidity around 80^
found the foliage' somev.'hat dpjaaged in those parts of the tree vjhich received
a direct blast from the duster. The sa::ie i^ ciuo where growers have applied
a spray and ha\-e operated a spray gun too close to -uhe tree.

From Hew York State the following vra? rep-Ji'ted by R. VJ". Dean of the
Experiment Station, Jun-^ 27: "This material (D I! - 11-- ) has been recommended
for sur^imer ccnt.vi'^l cf the European red mite. The mtinvfac-:urer cautions
against its use undor high temperature conditior.e '<iO d^gr?ei, F.) when com-
bined v.'ith lead -xrsjna'^e and sulfur. One instanL'-.e of f ol La,f;a burning has
been noted where the :,:aterial was used in a combination spray and maximum
temperatures of ovor SC degrees occurred for the next fev; days. D l\f - 111
has been used ej-.peraincntally at high temperatures for two years without giv-
ing injury^ but v/as not combined with other materials. It would be well to
call attention to this danger when suggesting the use of D N - 111 in regular
spray applications.'' County Agricultural Agent A. T. Vi^illiams of Dutchess
County says, "One grov>rer used D N - 111 on Mcintosh and Cortland with an
apparent good cleanup, but noted some leaf scorch; spray applied under hot
conditions and close gun v;ork."

NAI L S UPPLY TO BE ADEQUAT E

Fruit grov/ers should have little difficulty in getting nails for
apple boxes in viev; of a recent ruling by the ViTar Production Board. Quoting
from Hoosier Horticulture, "The Y/ar Production Board has ordered the produc-
tion of necessary supplies of nails, including fruit box nails. Earlier it
appeared that purchasers of nails might be required to obtain priority ordorsj
ivhich would have resulted in a groat deal of confusion. This priority plan
has been discarded following presentation of evidence, and dealers nov/ will
be able to accept orders from fruit growers vjithout the necessity of the grower
filing an application, "

SUGAR FOR EOy\E CANNING

Home canners may now obtain one pound of sugar for every four quarts
of finished canned fruit. An additional pound per year for each person in
the family may be obtained for making jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit
butters. One purpose is to encourage canning instead of preserving because
a less amount of sugar is used. Rationing for fruit canning will be on the
basis of the amount of home canning a family unit has nonnally processed,
availability of fruits, and related factors. This information is presented
by Secretary Howard Russell in a recent issue of The Farm Bureau in Massa-
chusetts.

Applicants may obtain certificates by filing OPA application form
R-315 v;ith the local board. They must supply the following information:
1. Naiiies of consumers for whom application is filed and serial numbers of
their Y>ar Ration Books. 2. Number of quarts of fruit canned last year.
3. Number of quarts of fruit in their possession. 4. Number of quarts of
fruit thej'- intend to can. 5. Vfhether sugar is to be used for preserving.
6. Excess sugar supply on hand when Yifar Ration Books v/ere issued. No sugar
allotted for fresh fruit caiining may be used for jams, jellies, preserves
and fruit butters. Sugar obtained on stamps in Tmr Ration Books may be so
used. If sugar alloted for home canning is not used in accordance with regu-
lations, stamps vrill be removed from V.'ar Ration Books to cover sugar improper-
ly used. (Source - V/ar Letter for Agriculture, 5/25/42).

THOUGHTS AND AFTERTHOUGHTS

In response to our "A penny for your thoughts" item last month,
several have appeared. Some are too difficult for a spur of the moment
discussion and others are too late to classify. So we have decided to post-
pone all of them until next month. The items include cause of strawberry
'hubbins,"uses of agricultural materials in the defense program, and a number
of peculiar symptoms appearing in apple trees this season.

NICE-A RED OPPULI

A few weeks ago we saw some very high colored apples of familiar
appearance in an eastern Massachusetts fruit stand. Pretending not to recog-
nize the Ben Davis character of the apples, we inquired, "V^hat variety?"
The proprietor ansv;ered, "Gano. Dey eat like-a da Mcintosh." He probably
meant that both varieties grow on apple trees.

THERE'S A BO m IN YOUR BARNYARD

This striking suggestion appears in an advertisement of a prominent
farm machinery firm with this explanation. "It's a dud, now. Just a pile of
junk. It's your scrap metal. Rusting away and no earthly good to you or to
the courageous man fighting this war. They need it. Their lives depend on
it. Your lives depend on it. Let Uncle Sam load this bomb for you J Scrap
metal makes munitions. A one-ton bomb requires 500 pounds of it. A 75 mm.

.10-

howitzor takes half a ton. And the nills are not getting enough scrap metal
to maintain the steel production df^manded by war industry. By far the biggest
pile of scrap metal left in America is on farms. Three million tons of it or
more. And it's going to take every pound of this scrap to win this vmr.
That's vihy it's up to you to collect all your scrap and get it moving before
you do anything else. It may take a day or two of your time, but until it's
done, there is nothing you can possibly do that's more important." Let's get
in the scrap.

CLASSIFICATION OF FRUIT G ROYJERS BY SELECTIVE SERVICE

Major Alan 3. Shepard requests the State USDA VJar Board to assist
him in making reco::imendations for the deferment of men in the fruit industry.
Each member of the Vfar Board had been requested to sond m his reply to the
State Office on this subject, and an attached -letter ^/as prepared and fur-
nished to him in answer to this request. The reply inHi^ates that fruit
growers should be classified as of distinct importan'?3 from two standpoints:
(1) The importance of the fruit growing industry in Massachusetts, and (2)
The contribution of fruit to health. It was recommend-id that only those
persons who were engaged in the fruit industry in a managerial or technical
capacity be considered as essential.

In a recent letter to a fruit grower, Roy E. Moser, Extension
Economist, outlines the situation as follows? At a meeting in Viorcester
in January, Colonel Charron, head of the Selective Service in Massachusetts,
was present. The deferment of farm v/orkers vms discussed with him and he
explained that there was no blajiket occupational defe^-.-aent, that each in-
dividual oaee was considered solely upon the circu'.istanGOs and conditions
around that case. lie further explained that certain agricultural products
such as milk, eggs, certain vegetables, etc., had been designated by our
Gov'irnment as essential food products and a substantial increase in their
production had been requested. Consequently, if a ft^rji.rjr is engaged in the
production of one or the other of these crops he should get particular con-
sideration by the- Selective Service Board when some of his help is concerned.
It was pointed out to Colonel Charron that fruit, tobacco and onion farms and
some (5thers were apparently not included. He said that was true but further
pointed out that he thought that all agricultural proauction should be care-
fully considered. Each individual board largely makes up its own policies.
It is difficult to lay dovm blaioket rules to these boards since each case
;vhich comes before the board is an individual case and circumstances and
conditions vary for each case. The local board has a great deal of respon-
sibility and authority and if their judgment is wrong the selectee may appeal
to the Appeal Board."

"BRI1\[G A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS, A C/ Jl FULL OF IJEIGH30RS"

One county agricultural agent ended his notice of a meeting with
this pointed advice. It seems to represent the spirit of the times. And
as we think of thren twilight meetings during tho past fevr days farmers are
doing just that. In spite of tire and gasoline shortage fruit growers find
a way to get together and talk things over. They lield forth at a hill tovm
meeting until after 10 o'clock last Tuesday evening with soft wood boxes for
seats and hard problems to chew on. You can't beat a crowd like that.

FRUIT NOTES
Volume 6 Numb^jr 8

August, 1342

YI. H. Thios
Extension Horticulturist

[n This Issue:

Look at Your Treos

Relation of VJeatlier to Red Mite Infestation

Fertilizer Rationing

Strav/berry "Nubbins"

Chokecherries and X-Disease

Priorities

Truck Transportation

Advice to Apple Pickers

Tvifo Hew Apple Varieties

Sericulture in Brazil

Do You Know?

Going Up

Essentials and Non-essentials

LOOK AT YOUR TREES

Nov; is an o;)portune time to look at your trees and observe the condi-
tion of tlie foliage. Leaves should be a healthy j^reen (unless red mite has
bronzed them), with no evidence of dead leaf tissue. But perhaps some leaves
on some trees v;ill show dead brown areas, or edge burn, or yellowing, or other
evidence of malnutrition. In such cases, prompt diagnosis is essential to the
continued v/nll-being of the orchard.

In ons of our, young orchards at the Experiment Station in Amhorst,
evidence of a mineral deficiency is nov/ becoming inoreasingly preval-,nt. In

Issued by the Extension Service, V.'illard A. Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of Way 8 and Jun,. 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United States
Department of Agriculture and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

late July, leaves on certain trees began to show yellowing and browning in
central spots as well as near the edges. These areas pro;.iptly died and be-
came brittle to the touch. C^uite soon, affected leaves began to fall off,
especially from the lower portions of growing shoots.

At the pres' at time, the orchard is rather generally affected by this j,
malady which looks to us like a case of maj^nesium deficiency. This orchard soil
was foi^a-irly low in potassium, so potasii hus been applied liberally. The high
potassium condition f.t the present time evidently helps to bring out the mag-
nesium shortage, which actuall-r may be more serious than the original potash
shortage. This is further evidence that we have a deficiency of mf'.gnesium here
in Amh'^irst, as roportrjd in •" he May issue of Fruit Notes.

There are similf ri jies bttvieen the foliage deficiency symptoms of
potassium and magnesium, rvriev^.r, the following differences should be noted.
In magnesium deficiency, t- ere Is usually nore or less yellow mottling of leaves ^
although not alv/ays aviden- , and premature falling of l eaves is typical. These
t<:io features are not .'ound in .jotassium d~"ficiency. There are certain other
differences which need not be discussed at this time.

If any grow^;r thi'iks .hat symptoms of magnesium shortage are showing
up in his orchard, l-;t us i.t the Colloge knoi. about it. This holds for symp-
toms of other def icioncios also. In short, look at your trees. They will tell

you in their own w»y if th ir diet is O.K. , r. xu • i

■' "' — -Lawrence Southwick

RELATIQI^ OF YffiATIigR TO R BJ MITE INFESTATION

In many orchards the number of over-wint^-ring eggs of the European
Red Mite in the epring of 1942 was very small, and the sevf^re infestation of
this pest which developed uarly this summer was f- itirelyu.predicted.

Our only explanat on relates to the occurrence of ideal weather con-
ditions for egg laying at tae time when the few mites that hatched from the
winter eggs were ovipositing. It is well known t? at insects have a certain
definite peripd in their development for lajing most of their eggs and any un-
favorable condition during that period vrill cause them to lay fewer eggs. This
year favorable conditions at just the right time induced the mites to lay the
maximum number of eggs and to produce a soconu generation \vhich was larger and
more destructive than is usually produced by u larger first generation which
reaches the optimum period for egg laying during less favorable v;eather condi-
tions.

In August in many orchards the red mite infestation was only normal,
or perhaps below normal, in coruparison v/itli the li.rge population which was
present earlier in the sumr ^r.

This apparent reduction in the abiindance of the red mite in August can
be explained by the same reasoning; namely, that the conditions for oviposition
by the second or third generation were unfavorable and only a small number of
eggs were laid. At this time also the beneficial predators of the red mite
have increased and they are killing a large number of mites and mite eggs.

The lady beetle, Stetiiorus punotun, is the most abundant predator, but the
black hunter thrips and th'i Seius spider are also active. After the leaves
have been badly bronzed, many mites migrate to greener leaves, and the leaves
which shoT/i the most severe injury frequently become almost free from mites.

This natural reduction in the mite population in late summer is cer-
tainly v;elcorae, but it does not eliminate the need for spraying and dusting
when the pest is abundant, because the foliage is usually so badly damaged
before the natural reduction occurs that the fruit is likely to be small and
vail not mature properly, and the buds may be weakened.

^W. D. Vniitcomb

FERTILIZER RATIONING

Fertilizer rationing is expected to go into effect soon, with control
resting with the manufacturers but depending on supplies.

Indications are strong that there will be a serious shortage of nitro-
gen which is an important element in the manufacture of ammunition. There will
bs some sulphate of ammonia available and probably a small quantity of nitrate
of soda but the amount is very uncertain. Most of the available fertilizer
supply will be in the form of mixed goods v;ith relatively low nitrogen content.

This hits the fruit grower directly and especially the grower using
sod culture in some I'orm. It is good business to look forward now to handling
the orchard next year on a greatly reduced fertilizer supply. It is impossible
to continue a sod orchard in a high state of efficiency v/ithout added nitrogen
from some source. ViCith the best market outlook in a decade, any reduction in
yield would be most unfortunate.

There are a number of things that may help. If there is a supply of
poultry manure within reach, get it if you can. Use it in light applications
any time after the ground freezes in the fall. Many orchards are being seeded
to Ladino clover. Orice well established, Ladino may add the equivalent of 200
to 300 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre per year, and under ideal conditions
will do considerably better than that. Hauled-in mulching material may be used
to replace nitrogenous fertilizers entirely if there is enough of it, but it
takes a little time to make its full effects felt. Discing the sod thoroughly
in early spring will help materially, and when it is equivalent to cultivation
should eliminate -the need for fertilization for several years or until the sod
and the accompanying reserve of organic matter are decomposed.

R. A. Van Meter

STRAVJBERRY "NUBBINS"

Small, distorted strawberries made up a large part of the crop this
year in many beds. The trouble was so nearly universal as to suggest strongly
that some climatic factor was responsible.

One or more light frosts occurred during the blooming season. Since
the tips of the developing strawberries emerge from the buds first and are
therefore exposed when the basal portions have a measure of protection from
calyx lobes, low temperatures might possibly have been a factor. Cold, wet
vie&ther has long been known to cause a failure of strawberries to develop at

-4-

the tips. YIe had plonty of such weather this year.

A report fron the Arkansas Experiment Station indicates that large

amounts of plant food are essential to the proper development of pistils in

the strawberry. The development of the berry is entirely dependent upon the

performance caf these pistils v/hich form the hairy covering of the little mound

in the center of each strawberry flower. This may explain why strawberries

on poor land produce so many "nubbins" and possibly one reason for wet weather

causing them, since heavy rains leach available plant foods from the soil and

may cause a temporary shortage at a critical time. Wet weather also limits

the activities of be^js and interferes with pollination. ^ , ,r „, j.

^ - — R. A- Van Meter

CHOKECIiEIlRlLS ?c X-DISEASE

If you haven't already killed tiie chokecherries around your peach or-
chard, this should bo done right avray, to protect it from X-disease. If all
chokecherries are killed for a distance of 200 feet from a peach orcbard, the
protection is good; but 300 f'^'ot is bett«^r.

The best way to kill chokecherrios is by spraying with a chemical weed
killer. There are "'wo t;/pes on the market (see Fruit Notes for June, 1942).
Remember these weed killers are not selective. They kill all green vegetation
sprayed, so keep the spray off anything you want to save. The leaves of
sprayed cherries will die in a few days, but don't mow or cut them until late
fall or early spring. Givu the chemical plenty of time to penetrate to the
roots and kill the whole plant.

The following brief outline will help in distinguishing ohokecherries
from the two other closely related and similar species:

Common name

Black Cherry
Rum Cherry

Chokecherry

Pin Cherry
Bird Cherry

Scientific
name

Prunus
serotina

Prunus

virginiana

PrunuB

pennsylvanica

Leaf serrations

dull "^

sharp %

sharp

Dots on stem

numerous,
small

few, lar^e

numerous, small

Pubescence (fuzz)
along midrib of
older leaves

present

ab sent

Leaf shape

long, narrow

shorter & broader
than serotina

long, pointed,
narrow

Fruiting habit

raceme

raceme OjT

umbel V'

°4

Ripening season

late summer

mid- summer

-5-

If there is doubt as to which cherry it is, spray it anyway.

The aramonium sulfanate weed killer is very apt to damage spray machinery
if the machinery isn't washed thoroughly ii.imediately after use. A little baking
soda or sal soda (one table spoonful to the gal.) added to the wash water gives
added protection. Never Isave any of this material over night in the sprayer.

The plant which makes ammonium sulfamate is now used for governraent
work most of the tiva. Therefore, civilian orders have to wait their turn and
it mav be difficult to get this material, . „ ri„^i„,,

PRIORITIES or HAILS, BARBED YflRE AHD FENCIIIG

Nails. Nails are still being manufactured and can be purchased without
a priority". It is essential, however, that a farmer anticipate his needs and
order nails several weeks in advance. If he fails to take this precaution there
is no relief for him. Nails are being furnished on quotas, and jobbers report
that they are often out of certain sizes.

Barbed Yfire and Fencing. We are informed that barbed wire and fencing
can now be procured only on an "AI-A rating. The supplier must have a priority
on this kind of merchandise if he expects to replenish his stock. It is our
understanding that s ime suppliers in the states of Vermont, New Hampshire and
Maine are willing to sell without such a priority. As far as we are able to
determine, most of the barbed wire netting and fencing in the state of Massachu-
setts is t-.xhaustod and there is little likelihood that it will be replenished
for the duration of the war. If, however, a farr:er needs fencing and finds a
supplier who has the material on hand, we suggest that he make out form PDl-A
and submit his request to the War Production Board at V/ashington, D. C. It is
probable that these requests will be filled as long as the supply lasts.

V'!. C. Harrington

TRUCK TRAI^'SPORTATION

Regulations for conserving trucks and tires issued July 23 by the ODT
concerning return-hauj-i-requirements have been modified in a way that benefits
the fruit grower. A permit of temporary exemption to expire October 31 has
been issued to trucks "engaged exclusively in the transportation of farm prod-
ucts from a fam or farms to a concentration or storage point, processing or
packing plant, dehydrating, brining, i'reezing, or grading place, cannery, mill
warehouse, stockyard, wholesale or retail market, or to a rail or u water carrier,
or v?hen operating a motor truck engaged exclusively in the transportation of
farm supplies to a farm or farms." The National Apple Institute contested the
earlier truck order because of an unworkable 'V5/o clause."

ADVICE TO APPLE PICKERS

The following suggestions are offered to apple pickers by H. A. Rollins
and W. P. Judkins of the University of Connecticut:

-6-

1. Please be Careful of Yoursel f -- of the Tree — of the Fruit .

2. 'To'Tic': a^rTXipTe" -~ G~usp' tTie apple in the hand, placing the thumb or
forefinger" at the union of the fruit stem and spur. Remove the fruit
with an upv;ard motion and a twist of the wrist. Avoid breaking branches
and fruit spurs.

3. To Pick the jrop — First, pick the apples you can reach from the ground.
lfse"'a~"]!a7j'ier to pick the remainder of the fruit. Pick carefully! Fruit
with broken skin decays rapidly. Avoid skin breaks resulting from finger-
nail cats or apple stem punctures.

4. Setting the L adder -- Set the ladder so that both legs rest firmly on
the Yi^'^'^nd and the top leans securely against a largo branch or crotch.
Place the ladder so that if it slips or turns, it will fall toward the
center of the tree. Most accidents come from failure to observe this
precaution. Don't take chances!

5. Handling Picke d Fruit — Transfer apples from the picking container to
the ^ppl'e box with extreme care. Every bump makes a bruise! Apples
cannot be dropped i'^to the picking container or into the box without
bruising. Place bn::es of picked fruit in the shade of the tree,

6. Care of Equipment — At the end of each day's picking, lean the ladder
"securely agiTinst" a high crotch of the tree. Do not leave ladders lying
flat on the ^^round. Bring all nicking pails or buckets to the packing
house or place designated by tho foreman.

7. Assistance from the Foreman -- The Foreman will demonstrate and explain
the' poii't s" 11 s'te'd above . The apple grower is anxious to prevent acci-
dents and to assist you in any problems i.iat may arise. Please leave
vour name and tele' 'lone number v;ith the F'oreman.

Tvro Mir;; apple varieti es

The Idared, a Vlagener-Jonathan cross, is being introduced in the
Northwest this year. It is tlie best of nearly 12,000 seedlings developed
and tested by the Idaho Station. Idared is somewhat larger than either parent,
bright r^jd in color, tender and juicy, has an unusually small core and is said
to be resistant to fire blight and Jonathan spot. Another variety, the Minjon,
a VYealthy-Jonathan cross, developed by the Llinnesota Station, looks promising
for both home and commercial orchards. Fully matured fruit carries the red
staining so characteristic of lYoalthy. Some grov;ers say it is the best apple
thus far introduc--jd by the Minnesota Station. (V/e have the Minjon in the Col-
lege orchard.)

SERICULTURE IN BRAZIL

Sericulture, or the production of silk by silk worms, sounds serious.
And it is taken seriously in Brazil. The Foreign Commerce Vfeekly ^ays, "Brazil
is said to have especially favorable climatic conditions for cultivation of the
mulberry tree and breedinr^ of silk worms. In Japan, 2 or 3 crops of cocoons
are grown yearly, whereas in Sao Paulo as many as 8 successive crops can be
raised, and even 12 crops have been grown in some sections of Brazil." Present
v;orld conditions have lent so much encouragement to the silk business that the
annual production in Brazil is now about 700 metric tons annually. An agency

-7-

has been cr<;atod to supply interested parties with mulberry slips and silk
worm eggs,, v/ithout Ciiargc. (The only justification for including this item
in Fruit Notes is the fact that the mulberry is a fruit bearing tree as well
as a source of food for silk wonns.)

DO YOU KNOW

That certain insects are attracted to some colors more than others?
Federal entomologists report that Japanese beetle traps painted yellow are
definitely superior to those painted green and white, aluminum, white, light
yollow, light blue, dark blue, pink, red, orange, reddish orange, and various
shades of green.

That it takes as much as 500 lbs. of water to develop 1 lb. of dry
\matter in a plant? A more or less continuous stream of water is taken in by
the roots and transpired by the leaves throughout the season. The actual
araount of v;ater per pound of dry matter varies with different plants. It
also varies with nutritional conditions. A plant well supplied with nitrogen,
for example, may use water somewhat more efficiently.

Thai various fungus diseases of raspberries' are likely to be more
troublesome in a dense, drov.'ded planting? There is some evidence to show that
a single rov; of canes instead of a wide i.atted rov; will make control of diseases
such as spur blight considerably easier. At any rate, the rov; of canes ought
not to be wider than a foot or 15 inches at the bottom.

That the least expensive mulch material which an apple grower may ob-
tain is that vjhich groves between the trees. This material involves a minimum
of transportation which emphasizes the importance of treating the orchard soil
in such way that a hoav;,' -rowth of grasses, clovers, or other vegetation is en-
couraged.

That a simple priroiple of physics may be applied in measuring the
influence on cedar runt infection, of red cedar trees at different distances
from an apple tree? It is a v/ell known fact that the intensity of light
varies inversely as the square of the distance from its source. The spores
from the cedar apples might be considered as being disseminated in all direc-
tions from the red codar tree in the same way that light spreads in all di-
rections from a candle. An area 100 feet away would tend to receive four
times as nany spores as a similar area 200 feet away. This emphasizes the
importance of eliminating red cedar trees near an orchard of susceptible
apple varieties. (A IVealthy tree immediately adjacent to a red cedar tree
was recently observed. As might be expected, the Vifealthy leaves were almost
entirely covered with rust spots.)

That the harvest season is an ideal time to evaluate one's pruning
methods? The nu:aber and location of small, poorly colorec. apples should remind
us which branches or parts of branches need attei..;ion during the pruning season.
In older trees, the dovmwar . grov;ing parts of branches are almost always older
and are also poorly located from the standpoint of exposure to light. Removal
of drooping limbs should receive attention whener-Tir such a tree is pruned.

GOING UP J t

A recant release to Maryland fruit growers contains this advice;
"CLEAII UP sprayers, packing houses, and CHECK UP grading machinery. SIAASH UP
the scrap pilo and GATHER UP the junk. SLCH'7 UP on use of money and labor for
non-osssntials. CRACK UP idle talk and rumors. BACK UP Uncle Sam in the war
effort. BRING UP the grade and pack of fruit, PUT UP a good pack. BLOViT UP
the merits of fruits. DIG-UP for War Bonds.- PUIvIP UP those tires so they'll
last longer, LOOK UP - things are not as bad as they could be. Vie will MOP
UP on the axis if v;e VfAKE UP, BUCK UP, and get our DANDER UP."

ESSENTIAL S AND N ON-ESSENTIALS

M. L. V/ilson, National Director of the Extension S-;rvice says, "Never
before in our lifetime has it been possible for our Nation's families, through
th^ir choices of v/ays and resources, to play so important a role in determining
the fate of all nations. We luust give without stint what the nation needs of
these resources; but in giving vie must maintain health and wholesome family
life. Success in this undertaking calls for great vdsdom and skill in house-
hold management, for ability- to distinguish between essentials and non-essentials."

Doing our part in v/artime means putting first things first every day.
We must make our moves count. Frills must be laid aside for the duration.
The v/riter once sav/ a farmer using a straw hat to sfv/at butterflies in his cab-
bage patch. He wore out his straw hat v.dthout getting many butterflies. How
much we all need the ability "to distinguish between essentials and non-
essentials."

"APPLES GO TO IIA RKEI"

Many readers of Fruit Notes have already seen the color film "Apples
Go to Market" which was prepared about a year ago. This film is of interest
to handlers of apples, consumers, and producers. It should be shovm to groups
of fruit and vegetable dealers during the coming fall and winter. Anyone in-
terested in obtaining the use of this film should drop a line to E. S. Carpenter,|
Extension Service, U.S.C., Amherst, Mass,

imi FRUIT BUL LETIN

"Growing Fruits for Home Use" is the name of a new bulletin which will
be available to non- commercial fruit grovrf,rs within a few weeks. Copy for this
publication has just been submitted to the printer.

AS Vffi BEGIN THE HARVESTING OF APPLES — Let's bear in mind that there is an ex-
treme shortage of storage space, especially in eastern Massachusetts. This
means that many of the applos which would normally go into storage must be mar-
keted during tho harvest season. It will bo a calamity if retail stores are
stocked with green, scabby, unattractive apples instead of the kind the con-
sumer wants to buy. We must have voliune novemont during September and October.
Good apples in all retail stores v/ill help tremendously.

FRUIT NOTES
Volune 6 Number 9

September, 1942

VI. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

In This Issue;

Farm Machinery to be Rationed

Changes in 1943 Agricultural Conservation Program

IJevif Red Raspberry Variety

Beach Pluins

Control of Peach Tree Borers

Fall Stora^^e of Apples

'doneydevf

Do You Know?

Yfartime Uses of Certain Chemical Elements

Hers' s an Irlea

Does Liquid Lime Sulfur Deteriorate?

FARii IvIACHIIIERY TQ BE R^iTI ONED

The rationing of farm machinery has been delegated to Secretary of
Agriculture Wickard. The details will be handled locally by covinty ration-
ing committees. Various types of farm machinery and equipment have been
placed in three groups. In Group A which includes tractors, disc harrows,
lime spreaders, manure spreaders, etc., rationing certificates will be needed.
Group B v/hich includes spraying equipment, does not require a rationing cer-
tificate at present, but a statement of nued must be filed with the distribu-
tor. Group C includes most hand tools. Further information may be obtained
from the chairman of the County U.S.D.A. ViTar Board,

Issued by the Extension Service, VJillard A, Munson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. United States
Department of Agriculture and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

CHAIIGES ni 1943 AGRICULTUFulL C OIISERVATIOII P ROGRAM

In order to participate in the 1943 Agricultural Conservation Program
a fruit grower must have at least three acres of orchard, small fruits, vegetables,
potatoes or tobacco. The "Materials Allov/ance" will amount to $1.20 per acre.
This allowance may be applied on lime, superphosphate, 0-14-14, or purchased
potash. The application of lime should be based on actual needs as evidenced
by a soil test. It may be applied on a commercial orchard, pasture land, or on
crop land which the farmer indicates will be tilled in 1942-43. It may also
be used where a good stand of perennial legumes is growing. Superphosphate
may be used in connection with the planting of annual, biennial, or perennial
legumes for forage or cover crops, or permanent pastures, or as a top dressing
on penaanent pasture, or on good stands of perermial legumes. 0-14-14 may be
used in the same xvay as superphosphate. The same is true of potash.

The rate of payment for mulching commercial orchards is $4,00 per ton.
No limit is placed on the amount to be applied per acre. Rate of payment on
winter legume green-manure crops is $3.00 per acre, and on winter non-legume
and summer legume green-manure crops $2.00 per acre. If a crop of hay attains
a good stand and a good growth evenly distributed on the land, a payment will
be allowed for cutting and leaving it on the land instead of plowing or disking
it under.

Other practices forvhich payment will be made under the 1943 program
include the grovj-ing of summer non-legume green-manure crops, constructing di-
version ditches, terracing, establishing contour strip cropping, maintaining
contour strip cropping, establishing sod v;atenf/ays, and for planting forest
trees.

MEIY PJ:D P uASPBERRY VARIETY

Geneva No. 13618 is being named Milton ajid introduced by the Hew York
Fruit Testing Association this fall. Massachusetts grov/ers should find this
new variety v/orthy of trial as & late berry. In the College plantation it is
a little later than Latham, finn, good size, good quality, attractive, produc-
tive, free from mosaic, and more hardy than any other of the New York introduc-
tions. A. P. French

BEACH PLUMS

The beach plum crop on the Cape was practically a total failure this
year. In spite of this, considerable progress has been made in the beach plum
improvement project.

A small plot at East Sandwich, fertilized with 400 pounds per acre of
a 4-6-5 fertilizer, had a moderate crop; an adjoining unfertilized plot had no
crop. This suggests that even a plant like the beach plum, which grows on the
poorest of sandy soils, will be benefited by a little fertilizer.

-3-

A spraying experiment was conducted using the spray schedule recom-
mended in Special Circular 46 of the Llassachusetts Agricultural Extension
Service. T'his schedule controlled Brovm Rot very well, freed the loaves from
a 'gall maker, and probably helped in controlling Plum Pocket. However, some
modifications will be necessary to improve the control of other insects and
diseases*

As a result of a series of propagation experiments, it was found that
the beach plum can be rooted from green wood cuttings taken in early June and
treated with a groivth promoting chemical. 67% rooting was obtained in about
4 weeks and plants with well established root systems were produced in 2 months.

Plants of several selections were obtained from the Soil Conservation
Service and planted at the Cranberry Station at East Vifareham. These will be
used as foundation stock for future improvement work.

The Department of Horticultural Manufactures showed that both the pec-
tin and the acid content of the bea&h plum are very near the lower limit for
jelly making. For. this reason, difficulty is sometimes experienced in producing
a firm jelly. ' V^ays of overcoming these difficulties vrere worked out and the re-
sults published. ___j^ g^ Bailey

CONTROL OF PEACH TREE BOREl^

It is now time to do something;; about those borers in your peach trees.
Undoubtedly the safest procedure is to stick to the old and tried methods,
worming v;ith a knife and wire for trees under three years of age, and paradi-
chlorobenzene for trees throe years old and older.

The ethylene dichloride emulsion treatment cannot be recommended with-
out reservations. Additional information and experience gained in using this
treatment indicate that it is reasonably safe under Massachusetts conditions,
if properly applied. Experiments carried on in the College orchards during the
past two years indicate the following} (1) A broken emulsion can cause trouble.
Be sure the emulsion hasn't broken. If it has, re-emulsify it thoroughly.
(2) Slight variations in strength or quantity of diluted emulsion will probably
do no harm. Vflien double the quantity was applied, injury resulted. (3) Prac-
tically 100^ kill of borers was obtained where the material was applied October
15 or earlier; kill v; as not so good after that date. (4) If the emulsion comes
in contact with the trunks, injury will probably result. Several yoiong trees
wero killed and several others severely injured by pouring the emulsion on the
trunks.

To play safe, be sure the ehylene dichloride is thoroughly emulsified

before use. Follow the directions on the container as to strength and quantity

of emulsion, and keep the material off the trunks. For best results, apply on "

or before October 15. j. s. Bailey

FALL STORAGE OF APPLES

The September 1 Crop Report indicates a crop of apples this year in

-4-

Uassaohusetts of 3,320,000 bushels as compared vrith 2,488,000 bushels in 1941,
This is a n increase in Llassaohusetts of 33 percent over last year. In New
England the 1942 crop is expected to be 8, 007, 000 bushels as compared with
6,060,000 bushels last year or an increase of 32 percent. The largest inorefeBej
in the 1942 crop arc in the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut,

From this we caji expect more apples to go into storage this year than
last. Many storages that are normally available for ■ apples at this time of
the year are requisitioned for government war purposes and the storing of extra
amounts of food for transshipment to support our war efforts. Generally •peak-
ing, there were about 1,900,000 bushels of apples in storage in New England at
the peak of the season. If the same percentage of the crop is stored this
year, the increase in production will noed space to take care of about 700,000
more bushels than v/ere stored last year. Thus the peak storage requirements
for the 1942 New England apple crop v/ill be space for about 2,600,000 bueheis
if the sanie proportion of the crop is stored in 1942,

There is some indication that country storage facilities in New Eng-
land with a capacity of about 2,000,000 bushels, handled 1,400,000 last year,
and had space left over for about 600,000 bushels. Because public cold etpraget
are carrying a much heavier load this year and by late fall it is expected that
this load will be even greater, it would be well for apple growers to utiliee
all the space possible in the country areas near producing centers. The ilt-
uation in the terminal market storages is particularly tight and v/ill probably
continue so through the winter. It is estimated that last year the pubjlcj
storages held 500,000 bushels of the New England crop. It is doubtful that
these places will have space to accommodate this amount this year, and at ■ast
the public storages could only handle such an amount as would be necessaryfto
meet the current market demand. I

Recognizing that the storage of apples this fall is a limiting condi-
tion, a survey of facilities is now being made in cooperation with the State
Department of Agriculture, and these results will bo available in the next tissue
of "Fruit Notes," —Ellsworth W, Bell

"HONEYDE^V" HOlffiY

This year there has been a large amount of honeydew collected by bees.
This material is a sweet substance eeoreted by aphidsi leafhoppers and some
scale insects. It is collected by honeybees and stored in the combs, as id
true nectar. The material is high in dextrins and is therefore unsuitable for
the vdnter feeding of bees. Beekeepers who have much of this material in their
hives would do well to feed 10 pounds of sugar as sugar syrup per colony jutt
before the bees are packed for winter,

The presence of honeydew in the combs can be distinguished in two wayii]
(l) If the combs are held up to the light and appear especially dark, honeydew
is to be suspected, (2) If the honey is uncapped and shows a greenish tinge,
there is little douVt but that honeydew is present, Honeydew can be used by
man with no ill effects. It is usually used as cooking honey since its dark-
color and inferior flavor make it unsuitable for use as table honey,

—-Frank R. Shaw

-5-

BO YOU KNOVf

That sulfate of ammonia has been given a price ceiling which will
govern the sales by producers, importers, and jobbers? The base price is

,20, or ^29,20, depending upon point of shipment plus transportation charges.

That pectin, normally used for making jams and jellies, is proving
valuable to the Allied Nations for extending the supply of blood plasma for
transfusion? It is reported that the British Purchasing Commission is prepared
to buy large quantities of this material. A so-called "artificial blood" made
from fruit pectin which may supplant blood transfusions in the treatment of
shock, is being tested in the Henry Ford Hospital Laboratories.

That the Agricultural Marketing Administration has opened an office
in Boston to handle Nev/ England apple purchases? The address is Room 609,
600 V/ashington St. (telephone Hubbard 5-675). J. Stanford Larson is the Pur-
chase Representative, Purchases are nov; being made of U.S. No. 1 V/ealthy and
Mcintosh apples, 2^ inch minimum, at $.1.25 per bushel.

That the food habits of 4,860 farm families in Essex, Franklin and
Hampshire Counties have recently been studied? Of the families with children,
from 70 to 75^ in eacli of the three counties were found to have an inadequate
supply of canned vegetables. In the consumption of milk, from 2 6 to 42^o fell
below the standard set for good nutrition, while in egg consumption^ 31 to 54^
fell belov/ the recognized standard. 95,3 of the children were reported as eat-
ing raw fruit or other Vitamin C-rich food every day.

That apples shov/ much more bruising on the average when delivered to
chain stores from central warehouses than when delivered directly by the grower?
Recent studios in Connecticut reveal the follov/ing differences: 48 samples of
apples from central warehouses showed 31.6% bruises and stem punctures, v^ile
24 samples delivered by growers showed only 8,6%.

That the indicated production of apples in Nev/ England this season is
over 8,000,000, the largest crop since apple orchards were seriously injured by
the freeze in 1934? A largo crop of Baldwins accounts for part of this increase.
For the United States, production in coiTunercial areas is now placed at
126,131,000 bushels compared vdth 122,059,000 bushels in 1941,

That the estimated cranberry crop in the United States this year
(756,400 barrels) is 4% larger than in 1941 and 25% above the 10-year average?
All cranberry producing states except Massachusetts anticipate a larger yield
than in 1941. The yields (in barrels) by states are as follows:

State 1941 1942.

Massachusetts 500,000 490,000

Now Jersey 80,000 100,000

V/isconsin 99,000 115,000

V/ashington 36,000 40,000

Oregon 10 , 200 11 , 4p0 _ _

Totals - 'T25,200 756,400

-6-

That Martha's Vineyard has a viild cranberry bog which has been produc-
ing cronberrios for about 300 years? This bog is in Gay Head and is given by
the Commonv/ealth in perpetuity as the common possession of the descendants of
the Gay Head Indian tribe. Following ancient tradition, the day of picking is
decreed by the heads of the Gay Head group. The first day of the harvest is
exclusively for the Indian descendants. These vdld cranberries are rather
light in color, of medium size and good flavor.

That this is an ideal time of year to destroy, or at least mark for
destruction, peach trees suspected of having X-disease or other virus troubles?
J. R. Magness of the U.S.D.A. points out that the spread of X-disease is in
geometric proportion to theanount of infected material. Where but one peach
tree is affected in on orchard, the spread is slow. But if 10/j of the trees
are infected, the spread is rapid. It is much easier to detect virus troubles
in a peach tree in late summer or fall than it is in spring.

That a liberal application of nitrogen on a soil deficient in certain
other necessary elements, will tend to accentuate those deficiencies, as re-
vealed by leaf symptoms? More and larger leaves and more terminal- growth, re-
sulting from the nitrogen application, will call for more potash, magnesium
and other elements. If such elements are lacking in the soil, the leaves will
therefore show more pronounced deficiency symptoms.

That publications on the fruit industry in each of three South Amer-
ican coiontries, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, are now available? These reports
have been prepared by Prod A. Motz of the Office of Foreign Agricultural Rela-
tions, (The v;ritor has a couple of extra copies in case any reader of Fruit
Notes is interested.)

That there seems to be a definite relationship between the acidity of
the cell sap of plant leaves and the sensitivity of the plant to injury by
sulfur or by copper? The acids resulting from the oxidation of sulfur on a
leaf might be expected to cause less leaf injury if the fluid within the leaf
is already rather acid, than if it is relatively alkaline. Thus if sulfur were
applied to a plant having cell sap near the neutral point, a small amount of
acid from the oxidized sulfur might precipitate the plant protein and cause
severe injury. Copper, on the other hand, would tend to remain in insoluble
form on such a leaf. The following data reported by 0. C. Boyd in Crop Disease
Notes several years ago helps to illustrate this relationship.

Kind of
Plant_

Cell

Sap

Sensitive
to^Sulfur

Yes
Yes

Medium

Sensitive
to Coppor

Potato
Bean
Apple
Peach

6.4
6,0
5,2
4.0

No
Fairly
Highly

That the angry thunder of Russian artillery is to some extent dependent
upon the. read'justment of soil, management practices in America? By growing a
single acre of red clover, and plowing it under, a farmer is replacing enough
nitrate of soda or other commercial nitrogen to make the gunpov^der needed for
hurling 150 105-mra. shells 9 miles into enemy territory. The roots and stubble
of a red clover crop may add about 50 pounds of nitrogen to the soil, or the

-7-

equivalent of over 300 pounds of nitrate of soda, the old reliable crop stimu-
lator now used in powder making.

V/.\RTIME USES OF CERTAIN CIIE I;IICAL ELEIvEMTS MEEDED IN A,GRICULTURE

Three chemical symbols, N, P, and K, signify for the farmer, three of
the fertilizer elements necessary for plant grovrth. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and
Potassium. Four others, S, Cu, Pb, As, signify elements essential in the con-
trol of diseases and insects. Sulfur, copper, lead and arsenic play a vital
role in the fight against plant pests. Fortunately, all of these r.even ele-
ments are still available in one form or another for agricultural uses, in
spitf; of the fact that all of them are tremendously important in our war pro-
gram. The manufacture of thousands of items needed in fighting a war are ab-
solutely dependent upon unfailing supplies of theso elements.

To meet the demands of both industry and agriculture will require care-
ful planning. If deli/eries to fanners are not as prompt as they might be or
if certain materials are entirely off the market in 1943, the enormous demands
of the v;ar program must be taken into consideration. D. H. Sieling and R. W.
Fessenden of the Department of Chemistry have prepared the following partial
list of wartime necessities in which the above mentioned chemical elements are
roquiredj

Nitrogen - Explosives, plastics, lacquers, vmr gases, signal flares.
Phosphorus - "Calling card incendiaries," oil well drilling, baking

pov/der, smoke scroens, making gasoline from natural gases,
tracer bullets.
Potas sium - Potassiuni cyanide for case hardening steel, optical glass,
metal used as a core in motor valve stems, signal flares
and shells.
Sulfur - Sulphuric acid for use in explosives, pickling steel, refining
"^ oils, manufacturing dyestuffs, mustard gas, plastics, copper
refining.
Copper - Signal flares, alloys, conducting v/ires, plating of certain

metals for resistance to erosion.
Lead - "^Inti- knock" compounds, storage batteries (most important),

bearings, solder, pigments, dieathing cables.
A.rsenic - Signal flares, manufacture of shot, bearing metals, war gases,
special alloys.

HERE 'S .^.IDEA

Tifith apple leaves showing magnesium deficiency symptoms in a nuraber
of Massachusetts orchards this season, it is interesting to note the soil con-
ditions under v.-vriiich these symptoms sometimes occur. In one Connecticut Valley
orchard v/here Mcintosh and Astrachan trees show definite signs of magnesium
deficiency, ruts 8 or 10 inches deep made by the sprayer wheels last spring
are apparent. This part of the orchard is poorly drained and the trees are
shalloiv rooted. Under these conditions trees are unable to take in enough
of certain mineral elements, including magnesixmi, to maintain normal foliage.
A water logged soil vrith resulting lack of aeration sots the stage for faulty

-8-

nutrition. Even thoui^h thero are liberal supplies of mineral elements in the
soil the tree is unabl& to get them either because the roots have been des-
troyed or they are failing to function. Instead of being able to exploit
the soil to a depth of 6 or 8 feet the tree must get v/hat it can from a depth
of 2 or 3 feet or less.

This situation suggests a need for doing something more than applying
this or that mineral element. It is easy enough to apply magnesium sulfate
around a magnesium deficient tree. It might bo more profitable to drain the
soil before attempting to make up the deficiency. And in case the soil is
already over drained a heavy mulch may go a long way toward improving growing
conditions. In a season of heavy rainfall magnesium deficiency symptoms are
likely to appear on a porous soil because of excessive leaching. Thus we may
find similar leaf sj^mptoniG in a soil Vvrhich appears to be too vret and one which
appears to be too dry. In both cases the tree is unable to obtain its require-
ments of one or more min'-;;ral elements.

DOBS LIQUI D LIIE SULFUR DETERIORATE ?

A report just received from Robert B. Smith of Eastern States Farmers'
Exchange helps to ansvvor this question. Laboratory studies have be'^n made by
this concern to determine the effect of freezing on lime sulfur solution.
Quoting from Mr. Smith's letter, "Our laboratory reports that the temperature
of Lime Sulfur Solution can go well below the freezing point of water (32 de-
grees Fahrenheit) before ajriything happens. They found that somev/here in the
range between 10 and 15 degrees crystals began to appear on the surface. As
soon as these first crystals were formed more and more crystals developed
dovm -through the solution as the temperature was gradually lowered. They also
found that if the container v/as jarred that the crystals v/ere formed more quick-
ly. At about 5 degrees FeJirenJrieit the entire sample became a mass of two types
of crystals. One v;as ice and the other a sulfur compound. At this point con-
siderable pressure was developed in the sample and this pressure affected the
thermometers to the point v;here they became unreliable.

I believe that this development of pressure due to the freezing of the
solution is probably the most important point in connection with damage which
might be caused to the solution. This pressure would, without a doubt, burst
or opon the seans in the drum and thus allov; the solution to leak out. Upon
thawing the sample, the solution appeared to go back to its original state v/ith
the exception of a fev; crystals of Sulfur which remained around the top edge of
the solution. As far as the laboratory could determine this solution was per-
fectly usable and seemod to be normal except for the presence of these few
crystals of Sulfur."

SA LE OF FRUIT GROTffiRS' EQUIP! lENT

A complete line of fruit farm tools and accessories v;ill b e sold by
the ovmer of a large Hrunpden County orchard. Included are refrigeration equip-
ment, conveyer, grader, duster, disc harrow, and many other items. Any in-
terested grower may obtain further details from County Agricultural Agent W. T.
Locke, Hampden County Improvement League, VJest Springfield, Mass.

FRUIT IJ T E S
Volume 6 Number 10

October, 1942

V,'. H. Thies
Extension liorticulturist

In This Issue;

lleiir Regulations Concerning Fertilizers

Kevr England Apple Storage Situation

Golden Delicious and Duchess on Hailing Stocks

Ilagnesiuai Deficiency

Possible Remedy for liagnesium Deficiency

Some Strav/berry Observations

Fermate, a Substitute for Sulfur

Do you ICnow?

Testing Orchard Soils for Acidity

IfflV; REGULATIONS COII CERIJII IG FEPvTILIZERS_

The fruit grower v/ill be able to obtain only about tv;o-thirds the
amount of chemical nitrogen for 1943 that v;as bought last year. He will share
alike v.dth other types of fanners the- present curtailed supply of nitrogen now
available for strictly agricultural use. He may expect to obtain this curtailed
amount of nitrogen, hov/^jvor, either in a mixod grade or in the fonii of straight
mat'^rials likf; nitrate of soda or sulphato of ammonia, according to his practice.

In order that farmers may receive a fair allotment, fertilizer dealers
have accepted the difficult responsibility of distributing supplies this coming
season chiefly on the basis of past usage by the customer. In other words,
records of past sul';s and acres fertilized will likely determine the amounts
you may obtain for the acreage of crop grown and fertilized this coming year.
Moreover, for the fruit grower wlio may have used mixed fertilizer in the past,
the most popular types such as 10-10-10, 7-7-7, or similar grades will not be
available tliis coming year. For his purpose, a 4-9-7 grade has been authorized
as the nearest substitute, r. -[w Donaldson

Issued by the Extension Service, V/'illard A. Llunson, Director, in furtherance of
Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, Unit'>d States De-
partment of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating.

-2-

liEW ENGLAIID APPL E STORAGE SITUATION

The Mcintosh crop turned out to be larger than September expectations
and, to a large extent, the increased crop of this variety filled up storage
space vrhich had been contracted for the Baldv/in variety.

A recent survey, made cooperatively with the Massachusetts Department
of Agriculture, indicated that apple storage facilities would be at a premium
for storing the Baldwin crop. Facilities in the country are generally more able
to offer space than warehouses in terminal markets or cities where the demand
of the Federal Government for the storage of perishables is very great. Also,
t'-.mporury facilitios are often found in the country areas in the foni: of ice
companies w ho can remodel some space and laake it available for the storage of
apples. The storage situation in the eastern part of the State seems to be
somewhat tighter than it is in the apple areas in the Wfistern part of Massachu-
setts. This nay be because growers normally depend more heavily upon city
storage for their crop than country storage.

Another factor which tends to aggravate the situation is the small
market movement of Mcintosh out of storage at the present time* If this move-
ment could be stepped up, storage space could be relieved for the holding of
the Baldwin crop. Vfithout a doubt, a larger proportion of the Baldwin crop
will, by necessity, have to be stored in common storage this year. The greater
use of common storage v/ill result in a larger volume of the Baldwin crop being
marketed during the months of December and early January.

In order to make the best of the situation and adjust to the changed
conditions, it is expected that marketings of Baldwins vdll be heavier during
the fore part of the season and Mcintosh, v;hich are in suitable storages, will
be heavier in the latter part of the marketing year. This will make it im-
perative that most of the attention be given to the marketing program which
will first dispose of the Baldwin crop in the most orderly manner and in suf-
ficient time to relieve the pressure on the Mcintosh crop which occupies the
better type of storage conditions. From this it would seom that the Purchase
Program of the Agricultural Marketing Administration should be directed largely
to the marketing of that part of the crop v/hich is by circumstances due to suffer
for want of sufficient facilities. Ellsworth W. Bell

GOLDEN DELICIOUS AI J D DU CH SSS ON MLLIKG ST OCKS

The Golden Delicious apple is evidently' one that shows interesting
rootstock responses, especially in its early production. The average crop on
our four-year-old trees this fall is as followst

Mailing Stocks I III IV V VIII IX XVI

Av. Wo. Apples - Golden Delicious 6 8 7 2 12 23 1
" " " Duchess 11 18 3 22

The apples on the dwarfing rootstocka are big and Ibeautiful and an
average of a peck from four-year-old trees is not so bad. It would mean about

-3-

75 bushels per acre. Of course, in ten years when the more vigorous trees
have begun to bear, the story will be different. But Golden Delicious on
Mailing IX will delight the back yard fruit grower if he can control the
curculio and naggot. With Duchoss the story is quite different. Mailing XVI,
which is a standard stock for most varieties, brought Duchess into bearing
earlier than the very dwarfing stock DC. These are indications of some of
the coraplexities in the clonal stock problem. j. k. Shav/

IJAGilESIUI-I DBFICIEilC Y

llsntion has been made of the raagnesi'om deficiency in our Experiment
Station orchards. There is little doubt that many of our trees suffer from a
lack" of magnesium. They look fine until some time in July or early August
when, rather suddenly, the leaves may shov/ some yellow chlorosis, dead areas
appear and the older scorched leaves may fall while those near the tip of the
shoots often remain green and healthy. 'vTe have been v;orking with quick tests
to determine what trees are dangerously low in magnesium as v;ell as in other
mineral elements. This work has been alternately encouraging and discouraging.
Just now we feel that we have a procedure that will show if a tree is deficient
in magnesium. Tests from orchards out in the state shov/ some that seem to be
suffering from this deficiency. If your orchard showed burned and falling
leaves in August and September, it should be looked into. Magnesium ff.rtilizer
experiments in a Three Rivers orchard and at the Station have been started and
further experiments are planned. j. ].;. shaw

POSSIBLE REMEDIES FOR LIAGIJES lUIi DSFICIENCY

Several inquiries have come in regarding the procedure to follow in
correcting magnesium shortage in apple orchards. There is increasing evidence
that quite a number of orchards in this state nay be suffering from this
trouble. Unfortunately, an easy and certain solution of the problem cannot
be given at the present tLme.

In Canada serious magnesium deficiencies in apple orchards have been
recognized and studied for about four years. Several treatments have been
tried and most of these have been found inadequate to effect quick and complete
recovery of affected trees. This seems peculiar since annual crops respond
very readily. In a letter from Dr. H. Hill who has carried on most of this
magnesiura work, there is some very interesting information. In areas where
the deficiency is most severe, the soil is very acid - below pH 5.0. This
SQsms to be the case in Massachusetts also. Dr. Hill recommends applying
dolomitic limestone on such soils, although he says that several years may
elapse before there is any benefit from the magnesium. Surface applications
made in 1939 have given no signs of control. For quicker and perhaps only
temporary results, magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salt) has been recoiiUiended, Ap-
plications of 12 pounds per tree in the spring of 1939 controlled the trouble
only after about two years. In 1941, the trees v/ere back to normal. It would
seem that probably this is one of the best methods of alleviating magnosiiun
deficiency fairly quickly in apples. However, when soils are acid, magnesium
limestone should be given to correct th'; pH and thus help to affect a more
permanent cure.

-4-

Dr. Hill reports further that both dolomite and magnesium sulfate
were applied in 1941 at the rate of 9 pounds per tree to a depth of 18 inches
in numerous crowbar holes without controlling the disorder during the season.
Also, a 2^5 solution of magnesium sulfate was injected into the soil by a pov;er
sprayer, but again no control was evident in the season of application. In
England 400 pounds per acre of magnesium sulfate in 3 successive seasons failed
to give control. In New Zealand, soil applications of 2 pounds of magnesium
carbonate per tree have given best results, although partial control was ob-
tained with 7 pounds of magnesium sulfate per tree. There is also some evidence
that spraying the foliage with a 1 or 2 percent magnesium sulfate spray early
in the season gives temporary benefit.

V/e hope to have more inforjTiation on this problem following our ov/n
experiments. In the meantime, growers might well find out if their own orchards
nay be affected by a shortage of magnesium. The symptoms, were outlined in a
previous issue of "Fruit Notes," aad mentioned briefly i_n/article above. A
further chock can be had by sending loaves to us at the College for "quick
tests." See your county agent about it. -l-Lawrence Southwick

SOIvE STRAY/BERRY OBSERVATIONS

A recent bulletin from Iowa stresses the relation betv,feen time of
runner formation and production capacity of the runner. As compared with
runners rooted in July and August, those rooted in September produced only
about 2/3 as much, while October rooted runners produced less than l/S as much.
To insure plenty of July and August runners, plants must be set early and given
good care, September and October runners should usually be treated as v;eed
plants.

The sai.ie bulletin presents one more piece of evidence to show that
manure is by far the best fertilizer for strav/berries and that oomiiercial fer-
tilizers usually are not worth v/hat they cost on soils of average fertility in

the northern states. 4 u r. v,

"•"■•A* * • r roll Oil

FERIvIATE, A SUBSTITUTE FOR SULFUR

Back in 1909 apple growers were looking for a substitute for Bordeauj
Mixture, The results of many experiments at that time indicated that lime-
sulfur solution properly used had advantages over Bordeaux. Lime-sulfur, con-
sequently, replaced Bordeaux although injury associated with its use in orchard
spraying has alv/ays been recognized in the years which followed. Condemnatior
of the lime- sulfur program has been most severe and general in the past 15 yeart
and wettable sulfurs have appeared as substitutes.

Now substitutes for wettable sulfurs are being considered in view of
the limitations of sulfur, particularly (1) the incompatibility of sulfur and
summer oil on apples, (2) the unsatisfactory control with sulfur of cedar apple
rusts, and (3) the russetting of the apples in certain seasons, which in a
large measure is due to sulfur.

After much study, Fermate, an organic fungicide, is now being offered
as a substitute for sulfur. It is a fluffy, black powder. The directions for
use call for l/2 to 1 l/2 pounds of Fermate to 100 gallons of water arid at
this rate of use the price is equal to sulfur. It is reported to be twice as
toxic to fungus spores and in this season's use on Starking at Gleasondale it
did not cause any fruit russeting. The Hew York (Geneva) Station has reported
that Fermate controlled scab on Mcintosh as viell as the dry v/ettables and that
no injury resulted from its use with oil and fixed nicotine on Baldv;in. Also,
Fermate gave perfect control of cedar apple rust against only 50^;,^ control v/ith
wettable sulfur,

Fermate is reported to leave no objectionable residue on the fruit
and this feature should make its use valuable in some seasons prior to harvest
as a protection against lat>'; infections of brown rot, scab, etc.

On the basis of this year's work in Massachusetts, the substitution
of Fei-mate appears to be the answer to most of the russet problem on Delicious
and other russet susceptible vt^rioti';s^^here a spraying program is follov/od.
There v/as not enough scab or codar apple rust in tho trees not sprayed with
fungicide in our test to pass uny judg-.ient on its fungicidal valuu,

E. F. Guba

DO YOU Ki.'gv

That a single weed plant may produce more than half a million sneds?
One plant of hedge mustard is capable of producing enough seed to sow, if
evenly scattered, 11 soods on fivory squar:; foot in an aero of land, or enough
to sow 3,200 seeds on every acre of a 160 acre farm. In a study of the fol-
lowing weed plants - v.'ild Inttuce, tumble weed, purslane,fl6abane, and hedge
mustard - seed numbers of individual plants v;ore found to range from 52,700 to
511,208.

That the element Magnesium enters into the composition of chlorophyll,
the i^reen coloring matter in plants? The molecule of chlorophyll component A,
a blue-black compound, has this complicated makeup: Carbon55lIydro2en72Cx2/'Gen5
Nitrogen4Magnesiumi. Component B, a green-black compound, varies slightly in
its content of Hydrogen and Oxygen,

That an apple ripens 10 times as fast at 85° F. as at 32°? As carbo-
hydrates are consumed in the ripening process, carbon dioxide is given off and
heat is generated. In terms of British Thermal . Units, a ton of apples at 32°
generates at least 660 B.T,U. per day while at 85° it generates at least 6,600
B.T,U. per day.

apple
That a 2;^ in. /may shrink as much as 50Jo in the process of peeling and
coring, while a 3-| in, apple shrinks only 10 or 12^o7

That the optimum soil acidity for blueberries is very near pH 4,57
R. C. Collison of the Geneva, N. Y, Agr. Exp. Sta. offers the following sug-
gestions for acidifying a sandy soil which is not sufficiently acid for the
grovj-ing of blueberries. He says, "Every ,1 pH over pH 4.5 will require ,075

-6-

pounds of sulfur spread over an aroa of 100 square foet. For oxaxaplo, if
the pH is 6.5, it is 2 pH units ovor the 4,5 optimum and so would require
20 X .075 or 1.5 pounds of sulfur per 100 square feot." He cautions against
the use of sulfur • vrithout knowing the soil thoroughly. Carc^ful tests of
acidity should be made before any sulfur is applied.

That the meadow mouse population in most llassachusotts orchards is
unusually high? Robert 11. Borg of the Fish and VJildlife Service, says, "Many
Massachusetts orchards are providing ideal habitats for an abundance of mice.
If climatic conditions are normal this fall v/e may expect damaging populations
of Microtus. Mice v;ere present under nearly every tree examined in 25 mulched
orchards in 4 counties (Vforcester, Essex, Middlesex, and Franklin). Food and
cover conditions v;ere ideal everyv";here. In one better than average 1 acre
habitat (orchard) in Middlesex County 28 meadow iiiice were taken in one day."

That highly favorable weather conditions during September in the
important apple producing areas of the Northeast have brought about a further
increase in the apple crop? The October estimate for New England is ZT/a
above the 1942 crop. The United States crop is :iow placed at 128,386,000
bushels which is nearly 2 per cejit above last month's estimate.

That apple storage conditions in an underground stravir lined pit are
almost ideal? Vuth relative humidity around lOOJo and v;inter temperatures a
little above the freezing point, v;e have very favorable conditions for apples
which would otherwise shrivel in an ordinary cellar. The writer remembers
Russot apples stored that way on the homo farm in Hichigan. On removal from
the pit in April thoy wero unbelievably crisp. V/ith a shortage of storage
this fall somo growers are considering a return to this old method.

TESTING ORCHARD SOII^ FOR. A CIDITY

Ev-iry fruit grovifor in Massachusetts sliould be interested in maintain-
ing tr°e vigor through the use of . materials other than nitrogen. Present re-
strictions on nitrogenous fertilizers make this problem increasingly pressing.
We must devise substitutes for the annual spring tonic which we have learned
to administer through the use of nitrate of soda and other high nitrogen forti-
zers. ViThile we have dosed our orchards \vith nitrogen we ha-^e paid little or
no attention to the increasing acidity of the soil, a condition brought about
by^ liberal applications of sulfur in the form of sprays or dusts. Many orchard
soils are now so acid that only the more acid tolerant plants vrill grovf.
Grasses of all kinds have in many cases disappeared from the area beneath the
branches. Under these conditions an application of potas)i or phosphorus may
be partially wasted since these elements may not remain in available form.
Furthermore, the scanty cover crop results in a very slight addition to the
supply of organic matter. In a few words, the problem may be summed up as fol-
lows: Orchard soil improvement may be brought about by (1) a test for soil
acidity, (2) an application of high magnesiuin or dolomitic lime as needed,
preferably harrov;ed in, and (3) the establishment of a leguminous cover crop.
We need a state wide carapaign on the testing of Massachusetts orchard soils
for acidity. A liberal application of lino, long delayed, offers a partial j
solution of tho tree vigor problem. This practice should supplement or precede
the bringing in of additional mulch material.

Volume 6

In This Issuo:

FRUIT NOTES

number 11

November, 1942

Vf. H. Thies
Extension Horticulturist

Novembor Tasks on a Fruit Farm

Do You Know?

Cold Storage Holdings of Apples in Massachusetts

Motion picture Films Available from M. S. C.

Maintaining Tree Vigor in Spite of Nitrogen Shortage

Variation in Toxicity of Lead Arsenate Sprays

Save Tires and Trucks

Copper in Agriculture

Apples and the Viar Food Program

Somo Nov; Rulings Pertaining to Fruits

The Food Outlook for 1943

The Vf'orc ester Lleeting

N OVEI.IBER TilSK S ON A FRUIT F/iRM

A v/ork calendar is an important item on any well managed farm.
Certain tasks must be done this month instead of next. Here are some timely
tasks for November: (1) Check on storage conditions. (2) Distribute mouse
bait; re-bait if necesisary. (3) Take care of the sprayer. (4) Mulch straw-
berries. Let's make sure, first of all, that the apple crop is protected against
low temperatures we are certain to get during the next month. Ldt ' s also
check on the storage humidity, v/etting the floor and walls if necessary to
prevent shrivelling. Having spent several months grov;ing a fine crop of ap-
ples, we ought not to neglect such important storage factors as temperature

Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A. Llunson, Director, in furtherance
of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College. Unitod States
Department of Agriculture and County Extension Services cooperating.

• 2-

and humidity.

Tho stage is sat for heavy mouse damage bet^/een now and spring un-
less vie do something about it. A heavy grov/th of grass in the orchard pro-
vides ideal quarters for mice v;ith some protection against natural enemies.
House runs are very numerous in many Massachusetts orchards. We cannot stress
too strongly the necessity of baiting v^ith either zinc phosphide treated apple
cubes or crushed oats wherever signs of mice are in evidence. If there are
many drop apples in the orchard the grain bait is likely to be more offectivo
than the apple bait.

Spraying season worries v;ill be lessened in 1943 if v/e take good care
of the sprayer this fall. The sprayer should be drained at least, to make sure
that nothing is damaged when the fii*st real freezeup arrives. And if time
hangs heavy on any fruit grovrer's hands a start should be made on overhauling
the sprayer and on making a careful checkup of needed repairs. Me may have to
make the present sprayer last several years.

The time has also arrived for mulching the strawberry planting, A
layer of strav/ before the ground freezes hard may be one of the best vmys of
insuring a good crop of strav^berries next spring. Mulching protects strav/-
berry plants from heaving, prevents croi/m injury, offers some protection
against spring frosts, conserves moisture, and keeps the berries clean.

On a singl-'i entarpriso farm, ivhore anything like a normal supply of
labor is available, there is less excuse for delay in doing essential tasks.
And although fruit growing is a highly specialized enterprise to which un-
divided attention must be given at certain critical seasons, most fruit
growers have one or more other enterprises to supplement the farm income,
Ilavin;^ tv;o "irons in the firo" is an ideal arrangement, so long as one is
not allov;ed to get cold v/hilo v'e liainr.ior at the other. The v^hity collar boss
of former years is donning overalls for the duration. On many farms two men
will do the T;ork \/hich throe or four did prejviously. Longer hours, better
planning, and noro shortcuts will t'jnd to keep tho fruit ontjrpriso going at
top speed.

DO YOU Kiiav

That many of our corai.ion varieties of fruits are, in reality, hybrids
developed by crossing two distinct species? The Kieffer pear, for example,
is a cross betv/een the ordinary pear (Pyrus communis) and the Oriental pear
(P.serotina). The purple raspberries, including Sodus, are the result of cross-
ing the red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and the black raspberry (R. occidentalis).
Certain varieties of grapes, including Brighton, are crosses between the
European Grape (Vitis vinifera) and the Fox Grape (V. labrusca).

That the roots of an apple tree often extend outv/ard at least tvdce as
far as the branches? After the flood of 193G, measurements were riiade of a
9-year-old apple tree, the root system of v/hich v;as partially exposed by ero-
sion, Vihile the branches reached outward a distance of only about 8 feet, one
root actually measured 25 feet in length.

■3-

That the totS.1 leaf area of a larj^e forest tree i.my anount to an
acre or more? Yeai*s aj^o, a Harvard professor estiraated that the u-ashington
Elm in Cambridge had approxinately 7,000,000 leaves with a total area ai.-iount-
ing to 200,000 square feet, or almost 5 acres.

That a strawberry plant should be mulched before the temperature drops
much below 20''^ F? If left unprotected until the ground freezes hard, injury
to the crown and a reduction in yield may occur.

That apple concentrate is novi bein;^ used as a substitute for glycerin
in the manufacture of cigarettes? One manufacturer is reported to be inter-
ested in obtaining a large quantity of this product, a six to one concentra-
tion of apple juice.

That dehydrated appleg v;eigh only one-seventh as much as raw apples
and can be reconstituted readily to make apple sauce, pie filling or fruit
for eating with cereal? In the case of carrots, 6 orates, v:eighing 19G pounds,
yields 17 pounds of dehydrate, enough to fill t\;o S-gallon cans. (Fr^m "Country
Life in /sritish Columbia").

That there were, according to a July count, 4,323 frozen-food locker
plants in the United States? This is an increase of 700 over last year.

That the fruit tree leaf roller has replaced the codling moth as
En3my IIo. 1 aiioni^ Kickapoo Valley (w'isconsin) apple growers? Injury ranged
around 30;^ in sprayed orchards in 1941. --L. Southv.-ick

That a new high point was reached in 1941 in the amount n" co;;Tmercial
fertilizer used by American farmers? The total figure \/as 8,400,000 tons, an
increase of 7;;^ over 1940. The previous pe&k v/as in 1930 \;hen sales totalled
8,222,000 tons. (From "The Fertilizer i^eview").

That every time a 16-inch „un is fired, 120 pounds of nitrogen goes
back into the air from v/hich it cai:ie. The nitrogen needed annually by our
farmers would, if converted to explosives, be sufficient for v;ell over 7 mil-
lion 16-inch shells. (From Dupont Agricultural Ilev.-s Ijetter), ■

That the ITeTir England honey crop this year amounted to about 1,706,000
pounds or 27)"j more than in 1941? The nu:;iber of colonies of bees is about 18^o
larger than the 45,000 reported last year. The honey c rop in the United States
was 13^j smaller than last year, or 179,653,000 pounds compared with 206,551,000
pounds in 1941. (l^rom N. E. Crop Reporting Service).

That 10,934 cars of apples were purchased last year by the Surplus
liarketing Administration? Virginia led with 2,269 cars, followed by New York
v;ith 1,605; Y/'ashington^ 1,513; and Ohio, 1401. Massachusetts marketed 96 cars
throuji this agency.

That approxinately 1200 cooperatives handling perishable comi.iodities
vrere in operation in the United States during the year ending July, 1940?
Products valued at O289,.000,000 v;ere marketed for IGCjOOG producer-members,
(From Eul. 49, Fan.i Credit Adiiiinistration),

-4-

That the russet for/.-iation in th*? skin of an apple is nade up of
cork cells, the same basic material found in bottle stoppers? In the case
of a Roxbury Russet apple or a Dose pear, the russeting develops normally.
But abnormal russeting as a result of injury to the youn^ fruits often occurs
on apples and pears v/hich normally have a smooth skin.

COLD STOR^^GE HOLDINGS OP APPLES ^IIJ MSSAGHUSETTS

In the Special Apple Market Report of November G, W. E. Piper pre-
sents a d'itailed suix.iary of the apple storage situation \vith this coraiaent,
"In considering these holdin^^s it is well to bear in mind that the excess
supplies for storage this year have been greater in Lias sac hu setts and in sorae
other ITev; England states than in most parts of the country," Following are
the totals for the different storage areas:

Total Bushels in Storage
Boston Area 'n'orcester M. Mass, Springfield

Nov. 1, 1942 1,061,104 53,464 229,000 94,731

" 1, 1941 747,321 38,028 179,000 80,081

" 1, 1940 820,612 47,100 177,000 92,067

" 1, 1939 882,853 85,993 207,000 132,828

" 1, 1938 493,764 47,984 116,000 89,473

MOTION PICTURE FILilS AVAILABLE FRDH I.I. S. C.

notion picture filras covering a vdde range of subjects are available
from the State College for shov/ing to groups throughout the State, These
films are loaned with the understanding that the borrower will pay trans-
portation charges both v/ays. They will be sent express collect and should
be received at least a day ahead of the first shov/ing. They should be re-
turned promptly follo\/ing the last scheduled showing. All requests should
be made through the county extension office at least two weeks in advance,
givin^^ the name of the material desired, the date when the film is to be
shovm, and the complete name and address. For full information, ask your
county agricultural agent or drop a line to Earle S, Carpenter, Secretary
of the Extension Service, i.I,S.C,, iimherst, ilass,

Follovdn^ is a partial list of the films available; Apples Go to
Llarket, Cranberry Craft from Old Cape Cod, Grass Silage, Applied Poultry
Breeding, Poultry Housing and Equipment, This Business of Fanaing, Student
Activities at ;i.S.C., The Family Spruces Up, To College Me Go, Tip Top Toma-
toes, Turning Trees into Dollars, Tom Turkey Tells His Story, Farmers in a
Changing V^orld, Harvests for Tomorrow, Pork on the Farm, Save the Soil, Stop
Forest Fires, The Home Place, The Land, The Rivjr, V/'inter 'i/onderland.

LIAIIITA IIIING TREE VI GOR IN SP ITE O F MTROGEN ^"IORTAG_E

Tree vigor must be maintained if our orchards are to produce large

-5-

annual yields. If a starvation pro^ran is follov/ed, apple trees t^radually
assume a biennial bearing habit and the yields/so scattered that spraying
becomes a dubious investment. In order to justify a thorough spray program
and insure a steady flow of a needed food trop, v.-e must encourage a set of
fruit every year.

Fruit trees can be kept in good vigor even tliough the co;nmercial
nitrogen supply is greatly reduced. R. M. Donaldson, Extension Agronoinist,
'i.iakes these su^j,_;estions: "In viev/ of the nitrogen shortage, orchardists
should supplement the commercial supply by doing one or more of these things:
(1) Using more poultry manure, (2) activating latent nitrogen reserves in the
s.">il by plov.'ing or disking alternate strips, and (o) subsequent seeding of
strips to legume mixtures, including Ladino clover, thus addin^j nitrogen by
fixation, and (4) by mulching. Lime and 0-14-14 or 0-20-20, obtainable
throuj^h the Agricultural Conservation Pro^rai.i, fit into t?ie le^^ume seeding
project.

Fertilizer combinations such as 7-7-7, coi.r.ionly used by orchardists
in years past, will not be available. A 4-9-7 grade has been authorized as
the nearest substitute. This material, applied at the same rate as the 7-7-7,
will supply the equivalent of phosphorus and potash, but not of nitro^,en.
The only other grades offered for sale this year and possibly less desirable
for most orchard purposes are these: (1) 4-10-10, or a higher analysis,
6-15-15, (2) 3-12-6 or 5-20-10, (3) 4-12-4, and (4) 3-12-15 or 4-16-20.
There v;ill be available for tobacco, only, a 5-3-5 or e-S-e. llo-nitrogen
grades will include 0-14-14, 0-20-20, 0-9-27 and such offerings of super-
phosphate and muriate of potash as are usually sold."

yAJlJ_AT^ION IN TOXICITY OF LEAD .liRSSnATE SPILIYS

Quoting from "Food for Victory v;ith Pling Apple," an Extension pub-
lication prepared by V. T.". Kelley of the University of Illinois, "During the
dry season of 1941, codling moth was very hard to control. Several reasons
can be given for this difficulty, but tvra factors were especially important.
(1) Dry seasons are very favorable for codling moth development, and (2) lead
arsenate sprays are less toxic in dry seasons. During the wet season of 1942,
these tv;o factors v;ere reversed. Rainy periods made it more difficult for
the codling moth to survive, and the toxicity of the lead arsenate sprays in-
creased because of the formation of a greater amount of free arsenic (arsenic
acid). Tills increase in free arsenic not only makes the lead sprays more
effective, but als^ causes more spray injury to fruit and foliage," These
statements offer a partial explanation of codling moth behavior in Massachu-
setts and of variations in the amount of spray injury.

SAVE TIRES AIID TR UCIIS

A leaflet issued by the Hass. State College Extension Service under
this title puts the problem Squarely up to the farmer in these words: "Every
Mass. farmer hag the vital responsibility to save his tires, truck and car
and make them last for the duration. To win this vmr we must pool our autos.
This v/ill save tires, save gasoline, and save trucks and autos. These are

-6-

necessary to van and i^ain a r/orld peace."

Here are 10 su^^^estions, soiue of wldch vill apply to every farm:
(1) I'eep tires and trucks in rood condition, (2) Organize transportation
pools, {Z) Drive carefully and less often, (4) Reduce driving in bad weatlier,
(5) Keep larger supplies on hand. (6) Have plenty of storage space, (7) Elim-
inate pleasure trips, (3) Pick up nails, pieces of board, broken t_,lass or
jagr;ed rock wherever trucks and c ars are used, (9) Keep an eye on your tires
and raake sure your spare tire is properly inflated, (10) Plan a conservation
prograa v;hioh v;ill prolong the life and usefulness of your transportation
facilities.

G OPPER JN_ ^^GRIC ULTUHE

A step toward conservation of copper in agriculture has recently
been taken by the 1j"ar Production Board, according to R, j, Haskell, Extension
Plant PatnolOt^ist of the U.S.xJ.wi. The order provides that on and after Oct-
ober 1 producers and distributors iiust be authorized to naVce deliveries and
that those accepting delivery shall use copper coinpounds only for specific
purposes. An individual fanier buy^-r at the tine of purchase or placing his
order will certify in T;ritin(j to his supplier that the ainounts he obtains
will bi used solely for agricultural purposes--that is, fungicides, bacteri-
cides, pres-;rvatives, etc.

The United States has been the largest producer and consumer of
copper. Our estimated supply this year, 2,571,000 short tons, is greater
than the supply of the v;hole v/orld in 1938. Every pound of this copper is
needed for essential v/ar purposes, a mediui.i tank takes almost half a ton;
a Flyin^j Fortress, a ton and a lialf. Ariiiiunition is one of the lari^est us-jrs.

ilost of the copper used in agriculture is in the form of fungicidal
sprays and dusts. Specialists and county agents v/ho advise farmers and
^roi/ers i/ill \iish to emphasize the need for conservation and wise use of
copper fungicides. Sprays and dusts are sometimes wasted by applying when
not really necessary. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of the disease and cor-
rect timing of tlie application are important. Research workers have pointed
out that in many cases the strength of the copper in the sprays and dusts
can sometimes be reduced. Attention siiould be given to this possibility and
also to the use of alternative fungicides, especially those containing sulfur.

APPLES i-U ID TliE WAR FOO D PROGiUI I

In a recent issue of "Country Life in British Columbia," Roy F. Hen-
drickson. Agricultural Marketing Administrator, makes these pointed statements '
about apples: "Apples like many other foods, serve on two fronts, at home and
abroad. Apples no\i are being used to help feed our armed forces and fighting
allies. Id'hen it comes to shipping across the oceans, hov;ever, we are limited
to the dried and canned pu-oducts which require a minimuia of space and handling.
For these reasons, fresh apples are no longer on our foreign shipping list.
In our war food program, fresh apples vd 11 play their most important role here
on the home front. Our civilization must eat more fresh fruit and vfc|;etables

•7-

to rel->ase the dried and ^annod and cur^.d products that can bo sent to our
eoldiors and sailors and our alli.s. Because of their keepmgqualiti.s.
th.-^ir palatability and thbir nutritional valuo, fresh appl-^s will fit _
signiffcantly into the homo front prograa and bo of ^^nuine help xn winning
the war."

gOkEJCSVJ_RULINGS P:]RTAIIII1IG Tq_FRUITS
"Var Production Board Orders

Preference Rating Order P-115, as amend^^d July 29.— Assigns
pr^3f^.r^ince ratings A-l-a, A-l-j, and A-l-c for maintenance and expanaion
of plants canning fruits and vegetables.

Supplenentary Order .I-36-a, as aiaonded June 27.-riequir';S .aimers
to set asido" quota of fruit and vegetables packed by him for disposal to
the Governr^ient. Tables of products specified, can sizes, etc., included.

Conser^/ation Order a-205. -Freezes entire 1942 production and 1941
carrv-over in hands of packers, of dried apples, apricots, peaches, pears,
prunes, and graphs (raisins) to make theia available to an.v-d f ore. s and
Lnd-Leaso. Supply not purchased by Governr.ient will be made available for
civilian use. Govern.-ient requirements for some dried fruits will be total,

for othirs heavy.

conservation Order i,l-205-a.— 1942 crop of Thompson Seedless,
•luscat, and Sultana grapes ordered diverted into raisins.

to-ndment 1 to ConserTOtion Order .1-119,— Restricts purchase,
acceptance of delivery, and use of rubber-sealed closures for glass con-
tainers.

Office of Price Admin i st r a tion Re gu 1 at i on_s_

Maximum Price Regulation 135.— Establishes formula for Jetenaining
maximum prices of canned fruits and berries.

General Ilaximum Price Regulation AmendLient 20 to supplement i.egu-
lation 1.— Apples sliced and peeled excepted from certain sale and delivery
requirements of regulation.

Price ceilings for dried prunes, pears, peaches, apricots, Iigs,
and grapes to be lifted at packer level some 15 percent to speed output to

armed forces. , . ■, a.

Frozen-food packers penaitted to add to prices the increased costs
of raw materials and other costs of 1942 pack of frozen fruits, berries,
and vegetables.

POOR PEARS PROVOKE PUIIGEIIT POiiOLOGICAL PlilLiSES

If you ha-e.^ver tri-;d to eat a Kieffer pear, as it tones from the
tree, you v;ill appreciate this literary gem from the pen of U. P. Hedrick in
"Pears of New York": "Pears are grovm to eat, but tliose of Kieffer are fit
to eat only in culinary preparations, dire necessity alone tonpolling thei»
consvimption uncooked." Of the LeConte, a pear of similar parentage, he says,
"The fruits are rather poorer in quality than those of Kieffer, if that be
possible for an edible fruit." (Scant praise, to say the least.)

u8-

TilE FOOD OUTLOOK FOR 1943

At a recent Outlook Conference in Yfeshington the food situation was
summarized as follows:

1. Demands upon the nation's food from our armies and our allies are nov; tre-
mendous. Still greater d^-jmands will develop when a second front is opened and
starved civilian populations must be fed. There is no possibility of building
a stock-pile for post-war needs. '"tTe will do vfell to keep something in the
bottom of the barrel,"

2. It is not expected that the 1943 commercial production can 'jqual the level
of 1942. Every bit of food production possible must be secured in 1943. Tiiis
p=;nding food shortage giv.3s tremendously added weight and meaning to home food
production.

3. Possibilities for increased production lie largely with the small farrier,
the part-time farmer, and the production of liome food supplies, both on farms
and by other rural residents. In addition, food so raised will give families
the opportunity to secure better nutrition than they are likely to get through
rationing.

4. It is expected that fo^d supplies made available for domestic use during
the comin„ year v/ill be reduced tr) a level not higher than that of 1935-39 in
order to release adlitionai. food for strategic purposes.

The above facts were presented at a conference in Arnlierst on November 2.
The iblloiving policy concerning home food production was drawn up and approved
at this conference.

1. Far-time needs call for an extensive increase in v.'ell-planned hone food
production to assure an adequate food supply for the family. V/herever
practical, such a program should include vegetables, poultry ajid eggs,
small fruits, meat, and milk.

2, Maximum family food production should be encouraged on all farms.

3. Adequate and accura-';e information should be secured before starting any
nev. food production program.

4, Patriotism demands che efficient use or preservation of all foods v;hethei
home growm or commercially produced,

6, War-time conditions demand the greatest possible use of v/ood for fuel,

6, Maintain health and morale by v/ell-planned home and neighborhood recrea-
tion,

THE YJOR CESTE R I /IEETING - JAIIUARY 6-7 .

The Union Meetings viill be held this year in the Horticultural Hall,
VIorcester on Jan. 6 and ''. The first day will bo given over to general session!
on such subjects as the labor, machinery, and fertilizer situations. On the
second day tlie fruit ^ro\iGrs will hold their annual meeting. A fine program
is being arranged. Romonbor - one day, Thursday, January 7, Horticultural Hall,
Worcester. — R. A. Van Meter

FRUIT NOT E^?®"^^ "^^l
Decenber 7, 1942

Prepared by the Fruit Progran Conmittee
of the Extension Service

Vr. H. Thies, Extension Horticulturist

Contents

Some Suggestions on Pruning

Do You Know?

Notes for Liinutemen

Farm Machinery Repair Program

Overhauling the Sprayer

A Y/artime Program for Farmers

Controlled Atmosphere Storage

Some Vnays of Magnesiuiii Deficiency

List of Topics in Fruit Notes During 1942

sc:e suggj:gtic:js ok prunIiig

The old idea that a tree should be thin enough to permit the owner to
"throw a cat through it" has long since been discarded. Vfhat we need in the
present emergency is a pruning program\'\hich will help to eliminate lov; grade
apples at the source. Vfe can do much to bolster up the 1943 spray prograjn
by (1) cutting out every other diagonal row where trees are beginning to crowd,
and (2) by a light tliirjaing of branches on the permanent trees. Labor for
spraying next summer nay be more scarce than we nov; find it for pruning. Vie
cannot afford to omit pruning entirely even under v/artime conditions. The
kind of pruning very much needed in most bearing apple orchards may be started
in December and continued through the winter, whenever v/eather permits. Let's
use e'/ery suitable day between now and spring in thinning out those vreak,
drooping branches and in pruning "at the ground level" the crowding fillers
and other trees of unwanted varieties. The cold v/inter of 1933-34 caused
severe damage to apple trees pruned heavily in December, 1933. This experience
prompts the recommendation that we delay until late winter or early spring any
heavy pruning which certain trees may require. But such trees are less common
than the trees v/hich need only a light pruning. Dead and broken branches as
well as shaded and submerged branches, may be removed any time during the viin-
ter. By spreading the pruning job over a 4-month period instead of trying to
do it all in March, v/e vdll help to increase the percentage of U. S. No. 1
apples. Anything below that grade is of doubtful value.

Issued by the Extension S'-irvice, Vrillard A. Munson, Director, in furtherano
of Acts of Hay 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States
Department of Agriculture, and County Ext.msion Services cooperating.

-2-

DO YO U KIJCT7

That Franklin County farmers sold 20,226 bushels of apples (33 car-
loads) through the Agricultural Marketing Administration this season? Thirty-
five apple growers from 7 towns took part in the program. Offerings ranged
from 50 to 2000 bushels.

That 4-H boys and girls in Massachusetts produced over 3,000,000 pounds
of vegetables, and canned 150,000 jars of fruits and vegetables in 1942? Five
thousandvrorked on farms of parents or neighbors, 20QD aided in getting the v/in-
ter fuel supply and 2,200 helped keep farm machinery in good condition.

That chopped apples provide a partial substitute for silage in feeding
dairy cov;s? Yilien corn silage is worth ^6 per ton, apples have a feeding value
amounting to about 03.18 per ton.

That apple pomace, fresh from the cider press, averages about 21^ dry
matter compared to 20^o dry matter in silage from v/ell matured corn? It con-
tains about 1/3 as much digestible protein as corn silage and is slightly
lov;er in digestible nutrients.

That there are about 252,000 spray rigs on commercial fruit farms in
the United States? Many are high pressure outfits suitable for fighting fires.
These sprayers, widely scattered in rural areas, offer an opportunity for the
fruit grovrerto serve himself, his neighbors and his country on the home front.

That a dozen Indiana apple grov;ers earned gold medals this season by
producing apple crops grading from 90 to 99^^ U.S. No. 1? Three others re-
ceived silver medals for crops scoring slightly under 90Jo U.S. No. 1.

That there has been a gradual increase in the deer population in Massa-
chusetts during the past 30 years. Records of deer killed during the hunting
season are available since 1910. The largest number reported in any one year
was 3,067 in 1940. In 1941 unfavorable weather during the hunting season re-
duced the number to 1773.

That, of the above ground parts of a fruit tree, the lower part of the
trunk is latest in maturing its tissues for \vinter? A tree tends to mature
from the top dovm. And if grovrth is prolonged too late, as for example v/hen
poultry manure is applied in September, frost cracks in the bark of the trunk
are likely to appear as soon as the temperature begins to hover around zero.

That military and Lend-Lease needs for food v;ill be half again as
great in 1943 as they were in 1942, and that they v/ill take about one-fifth
of nur total food production? This v/ill mean one-fourth of our meat, one-
third of our lard, one-third of our eggs, and one-half of our canned vegetables.
The demand vrill be greater than our ability to produce. Certain crops v/ill
need to be curtailed in order that others of a more vital nature may be ex-
panded.

FOOD PRODUCTION IN MSSACHUSETTS I.IUST BE INCREASED. A CARLOAD OF
FOOD PRODUCED IN LIAS SAC HUSETTS RELEASES FOR IIILITARY PURPOSES A CARLOAD PRO-
DUCED ELSEVrilEPi;.

-3-

NOTES FOR_ LIINUTELEN

Farmers and homemakors IvIUST COL'SERVE their farm naciiinery and home
or other equipment or GO V/ITHOUT. Tv/o years ago our stock piles v;ere heaped
hi^h and our warehouses were filled -vdth raw materials and consumers' goods.
Noiv both sources aj-e depleted. A substantial amount of both rav/ and manufac-
tured goods is frozen with the result that dealers' supplies are seriously
Curtailed. This curtailment applies not only to manufactured products but
to supplies and repair parts with a fev^ exceptions, such as farm machinery.
Warnings relative to scarcities of consumers' goods were sounded over a year
ago and many heeded, laying in essential supplies, and putting their machinery
and equipment in good order. Others for reasons perhaps beyond their control
v/ere unable to do this or failed to appreciate vih&t an "all out" war was to

^'^^^' -J\ii. c. Harrington

FAWl IvIACHiri ERY REP A IR PROGRAIvI

Ever;^ farmer knows that care is necessary to prolong the life of farm
machinery. In past years there was a tendency on the part of some to buy a
nev; piece of equipment, turning in the old one while still in good condition
as part payment. Farm machinery v.'as cheap and the supply plentiful. This
practice was therefore considered both sound and economical as the farmer
always had a modern and dependable machine with a minimum of cash outlay for
repairs and maintenance. This practice, current on many farms, is no longer
possible, since vory fev/ new machines will be manufactured during vmr years.

Other groups of farmers kept their machinery longer periods of time
and depended upon local blacksmiths., machine shops or garages to make the
necessary repairs and replacements. These practices were common and the
results achieved were i:iost satisfactory as more skilled and other services
as virelding v;ere available.

Unfortunately, many of these services are now lacking or may be lack-
ing in the future. In many cases it will behoove a farmer to look after his
ovm servicing in his own shop. Last v/inter farmers were urged to "order parts
early." The purpose of this was to enable manufacturers to plan their year's
work in such a vmy that parts could be manufactured and supplied to dealers
without delay. The results were most satisfactory. One large manufacturer
of farm machinery said this program had resulted in an even demand throughout
the year. This for the first time in the firm's history. V/ith the heavy
repair orders for 1942 such a condition v.'ould not have been attained had not
the farmers done their part. For the most part, farmers suffered little delay
in receiving repair parts during 1942. It is again recommended that farmers
order parts as early as possible. Many dealers in farm machinery having re-
pair shops are in excellent position to service farm machines regardless of
make. They usually do this best during the v/inter as this is often their
slack season.

The following program for the year 1942-1943 is suggested: (1) Make
«. season-end checkup. (2) Order necessary parts. (3) Store machinery properly,
(4) Hake necessary repairs this v/inter, (5) Prepare for 1943 season, (6) Op-

-4-

erate machinery carefully. (7) Make adjustments fes needed.

Note: The 1943 Farm Equipment Limitation Order fixing the amount of
farm machinery that can be manufactured betv;een November 11, 1942 and October _
31, 1943, drastically affects the ability of the farm machinery companies to
supply their customers. The Y/ar Production Board issued the above order on
October 20, 1942. It limits production to not more than 20 per cent of the
1940 output. A large part of these goods will be produced by the smaller
manufacturers. The larger companies undoubtedly viill stop production com-
pletely on the majority of farm machines heretofore manufactured. They will,
however, be permitted to continue making a few machines but only on a severe-
ly curtailed basis. __Vj-. c. Harrington

OVEKIAULING TliE SP RAYER

One of the large manufacturers of spraying equipment urges growers to
do an extra thorough job of overhauling the sprayer this winter. The follow-
ing Vifartime advice is based on years of experiencei

General. (1) Thoroughly clean entire machine. (2) Use oil and grease
to protect' exposed parts subject to rusting. (3) Repaint if needed. The well
cared for machine usually looks well cared for.

Pump. (1) Inspect plunger packing and porcelain cylinder v/alls. Re-
place if necessary. (2) Inspect all valves, clean thoroughly and replace parts
only if absolutely necessary. Inspect valve gaskets. (5) Check condition of
gears and gear alignment. Loose bearings v;ill cause rapid \/ear on gears.
(4) Check wrist pins and other points for general wear and looseness. (5) En-
closed puraps may require nevj oil seals and packing around plunger rods.
(6) Put nev/ oil in enclosed pumps and run pump aften-^ard a few minutes to
get coating of oil over all inside parts.

Pressure Regulator. (1) Inspect condition of diaphragm rubber or hy-
draulic leathe'r"cup. (2) Inspect valve ball and seat directly above stem.
This is the most important valve in the pump. (3) Be sure and have good pack-
ing around top of stem. Keep this packing tight. (4) Carefully adjust stem
in accordance with instruction book.

Drive Parts. (1) Gear drive - Adjust gears to mesh properly.

(2) ChaTrr~driv© - Remove chain and clean in kerosene, re-oil thoroughly
before replacing. Check aligniaent of sprockets. Adjust chain tension.

(3) V-belt drive - Keep belts clean and tight. They must not slip. (4)
Power take off universal s - Extreme vear may indicate poor hook-up or care-
less operation when turning. Grease the sliding square shaft.

Engine . (l) Check compression and determine if necessary to grin.d
valves and overhaul pistons. (2) Check bearings for looseness. (3) Clean
and adjust spark plugs. (4) Clean outside of radiator. A clogged radiator
cannot cool the engine. (5) Magneto - Take to nearest official service sta-
tion if necessary.

-5-

Suction to Pump. (1) Clean strainer screen. (2) Inspect suction
hose, iTniust not leak air. (5) Check pipe connections.

Tank. (1) Steel tank - If inside is in ^^ood condition, do not disturb.
If shov:s*Tust pits, clean and coat Vfith heavj'' oil or light grease. (2) Vfood
tank - Hoops uay require tightening but be careful and loosen as may be neces-
sary when tank sv/ells in usage next spring. (3) Agitator - Llay require over-
hauling - Use v/aterpump grease in agitator bearings.

Truck and Frame. (1) Tighten bolts which may have loosened. (2) Have
any brealcs"or~c'raclcs' in frame repaired by welding, (3) Inspect v/heel bearings
and pack v;ith grease. (4) See that hitch is in good condition.

Discharge Equipment. (1) Hose should be removed and stored away from
heat and"ri"gKt". (2 j Spray *C-un s - Probably need repairing, (3) Potato Nozzles -
Remove, clean and keep stored in oil.

FARI.'I P RICING PREVENTS H. C. L. (From the Nov. 14 issue of The Tovm Crier)

"Ceiling prices, inflation control, - these are things v/hich are appear-
ing in the nev/spapers today. The Town Crier brings you a boiled down explana-
tion of the purposes back of the v/hole program to control high cost of living,
Mijiutemen and Rural War Action committee members might find this information
useful when talking to their neighbors.

"Present v;ar commitments now amount to between tv;o and three hundred
billion dollars. If present prices were allowed to double you would double
the cost of the war and all of us would pay that cost. That must be avoided,

"Fresh fruits and vegetables, (other than potatoes, onions and citrus
fruits) and fresh fish are the only important food products not nov/ controlled.
These are very seasonal and hence it is difficult to set price ceilings which
would be satisfactory. The Office of Price Administration and the United States
Department of Agriculture recognize the program must be flexible to adjust for
various factors such as geographic location, tj^e of farming, etc. In the fu-
ture the ad:ninistration will think more and more in terms of farm parity in-
come rather than farm parity prices. Future adjustments will be made accord-
ingly. Some of these will no doubt take longer than we in the states think
they should,

"One advantage to this program is that prices frozen in advance will
mean tliat farmers can plan ahead on farm production. Dairy and poultry farmers
can be assured that the OPA and the USDA will fight to the last ditch to keep
feed prices at present levels. To do otherwise would threaten a breakdown of
the anti-inflation program.

"Last but not least, if a group of farmers representing a certain type
of farming believe they are entitled to price adjustments, they should contact
the USDA through the county and state v/ar boards. The Department of Agricul-
ture will consider revision."

-6-

A ^i"ARTIi.IE PR OGRAM FOR FARI-ffiRS

The first and most important job of farmers is to produce as much
food as possible. The production of food is as important as the production
of planes, guns and other war equipment.

In order to produce the greatest amount of food it is necessary for
every farmer to develop and maintain an efficient farm business. Costs of
production have increased substantially partly because of higher prices and
partly because larger inventories of feed and supplies must be maintained in
order to avoid delay at critical periods. Conditions are favorable now for
enlarging a small farm business to an efficient size if labor is available
and the increase can be financed safely. It is unv;ise to borrow money to
enlarge farms beyond a size necessary for reasonable efficiency.

The second job of farmers is to get their debts in shape by reducing
them to a safe basis. This is good for both the farmer and the Nation. In-
come paid for debts does not compete for goods and equipment and therefore
does not contribute to inflation.

The third job of farmers is to invest in VJ'ar Bonds to help the Nation
and to build financial reserves. Many farmers even if they are heavily in
debt v;ill want to buy some V^'ar Bonds because they feel that they v;ould be
giving direct financial aid to their country. However, in order that they
may continue to produce food, farmers who are heavily in debt should use the
greater part of any increased income to reduce their debts to a conservative
basis so that they can stand lower prices and any adversity which nay come.
Farmers viho are out of debt can invest at once all of their available income
above operating and living expenses in V/ar Bonds.

Farmers v;ho have xaoderate debts or v/ho have reduced their financial
obligations to a safe basis should invest in Y/ar Bonds to the limit of their
available net incomes. Unnecessary expenses should be postponed until after
the war has been v/on.

During this war period the production of farm machinery, household
equipment and many other supplies v/ill be greatly reduced because of the
increased need of steel and other material for war purposes. A part of the
money v;hich farmers receive for their products pays for the wearing out of
all types of farm equipment. This money v;ould automatically be used to re-
place automobiles and farm equipment or to repair buildings and fences in
peacetime. Such money should now be Invested in Vv'ar Bonds as a depreciation
reserve v/hich will be available for replacement after the v/ar. By investing
the cost of the desired equipment or improvements in 1/ar Bonds, it v;ill be
possible to purchase them later when they are again available.

After debts have been reduced to a safe basis, it is safer and better
for most farmers to build an adequate financial reserve through investment inj
\Tar Bonds than to apply all available income on debts. If all income is ap-
plied on debts it will probably be necessary to borrow again in order to buy
farm machinery or other equipment v/hen it again becomes available.

V/ar bonds are the best form of finajicial reserve ever offered to
Massachusetts fanners. They are promises to pay, of the strongest Government
in the World. Bonds are available in three different series and in different
denominations. Most farmers will prefer to invest in the series "E" bonds
which are available at ^IS^^S, $37.50, 4i75.00, $375.00, and ^750. These bonds
are not transferable but v/ill be repaid to the owner or his heirs if needed
at any time after sixty days from date of issue. If left for one year or more,
interest v;ill be received in addition and if they are left to maturity, in 10
;rears the ovmer will j^et back v4 for every ^5 invested. War bonds can be
bought at most post offices and banks. --Rov E. Moser

gOIITROLLED ATI.IOSPIIE RE STORA GE

On September 25 the special controlled atmosphere storage at II.S.C.
v;as filled and sealed up. This practically air-tight room with 300 bushels
of apples, mostly Mcintosh, v^ill be kept closed during the storage season.
Ti'e plan to open this room next Llay or June.

This method of storage operation is not nev/. It was first v;orked
out in some detail by English investigators and, more recently, considerable
grower attention has been focused on it as a result of the experiments carried
out at Cornell University. These experiments shov/ed that controlled stmos-
phere storage may be especially suited to extended storage of Liclntosh.

Previous to this year, we have experienced some difficulties in testing
this system of storage. Our trouble has been due largely'' to a failure to get
the room "gas-tight," because of small leaks in the sheet metal lining around
the special door or in the "washer."

Through normal respiration, the apples reduce the oxygen level in a
tight room and raise the level of carbon dioxide - much the same as people.
But apples caji remain alive with remarkably little available oxygen in the
atmosphere - as little as 1 to 2 per cent (air contains 21 per cent). The
carbon dioxide builds up as the oxygen in the air is utilized. Too much car-
bon dioxide is harmful to apples, so the concentration of this gas is con-
trolled. The atmosphere of the room is forced through a "washer," containing
a solution of sodium hydroxide which chemically removes the carbon dioxide
(an apparatus for testing the amounts of this gas and oxygen in the room is,
of course, necessary). Hence, the original oxygen is gradually used up, the
accumulating carbon dioxide is periodij.ally removed, and finally the desired
gas content of the room is attained - around Z% oxygen, b% carbon dioxide and
9o^j nitrogen. The low oxygen level as well as the presence of considerable
carbon dioxide slov; do\^m the respiration and hence the ripening rate of the
apples even though a 40° F. temperature is maintained. The apple s"'""" live slowly"
and hence their storage life is lengthened. At 40° F., furthennore, quality
should be improved.

Our storage is operating successfully at the present time and results
this season should throw considerable light on the practicability of this
method of storage for Massachusetts I.lclntosh. However, for several reasons
including the present shortage of some essential items, any building program
for controlled atmosphere storages is out for the duration of the Virar. Several
of these storages have been operated in New York State with considerable success,

— Lav/rence Southv^ick

SQI.IE V/IIYS OF I.IAGITESIUI'J DEFICIEITCY

There are at least five reasons for the widespread magnesium deficiency
shovdng up in Massachusetts orchards. (1) Llany orchards have been planted on aoils
naturally low in magnesium, asfbr example, soils of the I.Ierrimac series. R. VJ.
Donaldson reports magnesium to be Lov: to Very Lovr in 50.3^o of the 2033 soil sam-
ples tested in the past three years; 21% showed a Medium content of magnesium
while only 22.T,'^ were Medium High to Very High. (2) Erosion and leaching have
further removed magnesium from the soil. (3) Many bearing orchards have nov;
reached such a stage of development that the roots have exploited the soil more
or less completely. (4) Little agricultural lime has been applied in orchards
and much of what has been applied has been high calcium and not high magnesium
lime. (5) Our spray and dust programs involving heavy applications of sulfur hare
made our orchard soils more acid. There is some evidence that magnesium is more
likely to be deficient in a very acid soil.

LIST OF TOPICS IIJCLUDBD IH FRUIT MOTES DURING 1942 (Page numbers in parentheses)

Agricultural Conservation Program -
Sept. (2)

Feb. (10)

Feb. (8), Dec. (5)

- Feb. (6), Apr. (3),

Apple Maggot -
Apple Prices -
Apple Products

June (2)
Apple Scab - May (4)
Apple Tree Census - Feb. (9)
Apple Varieties - Jan. (7), Aug. (6)
Backyard Orchards - Jan. (3)
Beach Plums - Jan. (4), Sept. (2)
Bees - Feb. (9), Mar. (1), Apr. (8),

June (5), Sept. (4)
Boysenberries - Jan. (9)
Chokecherries - Aug. (4)
Codling Moth - May (2)
Copper - liov. (G)

Cost of Living - June (3), Dec. (6)
Curculio - May (7)
Do You Know? - Jan. (5), Feb. (3),

Mar. (3), Apr. (6), June (7),

July (4), Aug. (7), Sept. (5),

Oct. (5), Nov. (2), Dec. (2) ^
Food Program - Hov. (6), (8)
Forest Taxation - Jan. (8)
Fruit Prospects - July (1)
Grapes - Mar. (7)
Harvesting - Aug. (5)
Labor - Mar. (8), May (4), July (7)
Lead Arsenate - June (10), July (3),

Nov. (5)
Lime Sulfur - Sept. (8)
Magnesium Deficiency - May (6), Aug. (1),

Sept. (7), Oct. (3), Dec. (8)
Mailing Stocks - Jan. (9), Apr. (4),

Oct. (2)

Manure - Feb. (8), June (4)
Marketing - Jan. (7), Mar. (9),

Apr. (2), (6), June (1)
Mulching - Feb. 7), Apr. (4)
Nicotine - Apr. (5)
Orchard Supplies - Feb. (1), Mar.

(7), (8), Apr. (7), June (6),

Aug. (5), Sept. (1), Oct. (1)
Peaches - Jan. (6), Feb. (6),

Sept. (3)
Pruning - Dec. (l)
Rabbit Injury - Jan. (8)
Raspberries - Sept. (2)
Rats - Mar. (9)
Red Mite - May (l), Aug. (2)
Rotenone - Apr. (3)
Spraying Equipment - Jan. (3),

Mar. (7), Dec. (3), (4)
Spray Residues - Mar. (6), Apr. fS)
Soil Acidity - Feb. (3), Oct. (6)
Soil Management - Jan. (1), Mar. (10),

Apr. (4), (6), June (6), July (2),

Aug. (3), Nov, (4)
Storage - Feb. (7), Mar. (5),

Apr. (4), Sept. (3), Oct. (2),

Nov. (4), Dec. (7)
Strawberries - Mar. (5), (7.)', May (4),

Aug. (3), Oct. (4)
Sulfur - Jan. (2)
Thinning - June (6)
Transportation - Apr.

Aug. (5), Nov. (5)
Twilight Meetings - Apr.
Vfar Bonds - Dec. (6)
Weather - Jan. (7), May (7)
Weed Killers - June (2)

(2), June (7),
(1)

iS^^^^i ' -^yJ. ' -'

>^.

— _:i..:Xit-—

Item #s

This bound volume

one item.

.^0^5^J^a

contains more than

Divide here tor

See \oa^^^ °^

manager w/ any q"«*n-

FExRTILIZERS^ 1

Thi

nounced for ll

Old'

TTj

(2)

(5) G

In ad(J
ing 2tj)o ori;^anic ^
Two other grades)

has been an-

Grades
9-27
.4-14
0-20 _
■2-"d
D-10
!-15

■7

-10

-4

zer oontain-
_- "Ory Gardens,
ior tobacco growers.

Issued by the Extensio:! Service in furtherance of Acts of I'ay S and June 30, I91U,
¥illard A. Wanson, director, Massachusetts State College, United States Depart-
ment of Acrici:.lture. and Counts Extension Servir.Hs f.nn-ofi ratine.