FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 



71s 



Weather conditions at the time the Gold Drops and Chili peaches 

 ripened were very favorable to rot development. We do not think 

 of a Gold Drop being susceptible to Rot but it went down badly this 

 year. With the Chili peaches there was a decided difference in rot de- 

 velopment before picking. No counts were made but on trees not 

 tlusted the fruit dropped badly while on dusted trees fruit remained 

 on the trees for some time. The fruit for the holding tests was picked 

 on September 9th and Mr. Hawley told me on September 21st that 

 there was still considerable fruit on the dusted trees but none on the 

 check trees. 



The experiment with Salway peaches at Fennville ran through the 

 entire season so as to get any information possible with regard to peach 

 scab and this is the first time in several years of peach dusting that 

 any scab has developed on the check plots and of course is the first in- 

 formation available in this state. 



Holding Test 



The figures show that dusting gave very satisfactory control of both 

 scab and rot previous to harvest and that the holding quality of the 

 fruit was much better where dusted. Mr. Broe, who owns the orchard 

 was quite sure that the dusted fruit was of higher color than that from 

 the checks. 



I feel very sure that continued good results will come from the treat- 

 ment used this year but in order to be certain the work will be continued 

 and enlarged next year so as to be tested in as many places and under as 

 many conditions as possible. I have used only sulphur dust this year 

 and dusting has several advantages for this particular use over spraying 

 but I hope to find some old spray or develop a new one which will do 

 the same work. This is specially desirable as there are many growers 

 who do not have dusters now and do not care to add one to their equip- 

 ment. I hope to include cherries, both sweet and sour, in the work next 

 season and can see no reason why the same beneficial results cannot be 

 secured with them. I have seen many sweet cherries rot soon after 



