226 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



12. All green, over-ripe, mis-shapen and undersize berries must 

 be sorted out. 



13. It is best to grade the berries in the field, for every time a 

 berry is handled it is damaged to a certain extent. 



14. Fill boxes solid, leaving no vacant spaces, especially at cor- 

 ners, or they will be short weight, settle, spoil your pack and bring 

 less money. 



15. Fill box so that top of layer will come one-half of an inch 

 above the top of the box. 



16. Allow no berries to project over side of box, if you do the 

 berries will be crushed, the pack spoiled, and the box stained. 



IT. Place the fruit immediately in crates and put in a shady 

 place protected from air, so it will keep its fresh appearance unLil 

 ready for market. 



18. After crates are nailed place them in a cool part of the 

 packing house. 



19. Each variety should be picked and crated separately, where 

 possible, as uniformity In size and color has much to do with the 

 appearance of the fruit. 



Hauling. 



1. Haul in spring wagon and use wagon cover to keep out dust. 



2. Growers are requested to send in a load as soon as ready. 



Fruit growers in eastern Nebraska are delighted with the crop 

 of bloom that put out on almost all kinds of fruits. It was feared 

 that the bloom w^ould be light this "spring following the unusual 

 severe season of 1913. Trees and shrubs suffered so much from drouth 

 that it was felt that they would not set fruit buds. This was espec- 

 ially true where a crop of fruit was being matured last season. 



We have found the bloom on almost all varieties except Jonathan 

 very heavy in Richardson and Nemaha counties. In Otoe, Cass and 

 Douglas counties Ben Davis, Jonathan, York Imperial and Genets 

 have a light bloom on most orchards. The Winesap, Black Twig and 

 Arkansas Black are blooming full in all parts of the territory ^ 



Tlie well-cared-for orchards show a much heavier bloom even 

 where they bore heavy last year than the neglected trees. E. M. Pol- 

 lard's Cass county orchard, that set a full crop last year but matured 

 only a sixty per cent crop on account of drouth and heat, is blooming 

 heavy again this spring. Mr. Pollard estimates his crop at seventy- 

 five per cent. On the other hand, his neighbors orcliards that bore 

 heavily last year but did not have cultivation and good care have a 

 very light bloom. 



Summing up the prospects for the commercial apple section of 

 Nebraska (Missouri River territory) there is indications at the pres- 

 ent time for at least three-fourths of a crop. This is remarkably 

 good showing following the unfavorable season of 1913. Almost all 



