46 



porting damage, although the majority claimed no injury 

 on high land; 11 included the plum in the list; 5 spoke of 

 currants ; 4 cherries ; 3 pears ; and 2 each quinces and small 

 fruits as a whole. 



NOTES OF FRUIT CROP CORRESPONDENTS. 



[Returned to us May 24.] 



Berkshire County. 



Richmond (R. E. Annin, Jr.). — Apples and pears do best in 

 this locality; raspberries among the small fruits. There is plenty 

 of land available for fruit culture. In 1912 two orchards of 800 

 trees each and two of 100 each were set out. This spring about 

 200 trees; apples almost exclusively. About 80 per cent of the 

 plum buds wintered. Cherries and peaches not grown to speak 

 of. Apples showed 110 per cent of an average bloom; pears, 

 75. Tent caterpillars this spring really alarming in their num- 

 ber and Avide distribution throughout the town. Spraying for 

 San Jose scale is practiced by four farmers only; for codling moth 

 and other fruit insects spraying is done by about five. Prospect for 

 the small-fruit crop is about 80 per cent of average; frost did some 

 damage and the principal strawbeiTy grower has a smaller and 

 poorer field than usual. Markets are fair, except for apples which 

 are poor. The most common method of marketing is direct to the 

 consumer. Plums, crab apples and some pears and apples on low 

 lands sutfei'ed from frost. Pittsfield seems to use very high-grade 

 stuff in every food but apples; real good ones, locally grown, do not 

 bring any more than ungi'aded culls. When the present young 

 orchards come into bearing the growers will have to undertake a cam- 

 paign of education to make a profit. 



New Marlborough (A. Lincoln Terry). — Apples and pears do 

 best in this locality. There is plenty of land available for fruit cul- 

 ture. Very few new orchards are being planted; mostly apple. 

 Fruit buds wintered about as follows: peach, 90; plum, 95; cherry, 

 90, Apples showed a 90 to 95 per cent bloom ; pears, 95, The cod- 

 ling moth, tent caterpillar and curculio are doing the most damage. 

 Ten per cent of the orchards are sprayed for San Jose scale; 15 

 per cent for codling moth and other pests. The prospect for the 

 small-fruit crop is about 80 per cent. Markets are fair, most selling 

 being done through buyers and commission houses. Peaches and 

 strawberries suffered from frost. In a few places frost appears to 

 have damaged all fruits. Tent caterpillars are more numerous than 

 ever before. Most orchards in this locality receive no care at all. 



