-2- 



make little difference. Not knovlng ^-^hrt the \7inter vlll be like, 

 v,'e mii,-ht compromise by doing the necessr.ry rrork on the younger, 

 more vigorous trees, pr.rtlculnrly Mcintosh. In many orchards the 

 pruning most urgently needed is that of removing 'veak, shaded, 

 do\7nv;ard groving branches, most of \7hich are less than an inch in 

 diameter. Pruning of this kind v:ill not tend to ueaken the tree 

 materially. But if there is need for removing many large limbs, 

 it seems advisable to delay that part of the Job until zero temper- 

 atures are past. 



Mrs. Ivlouse Moves In 



Among the 60 or more replies to a questionnaire on mouse 

 injury recently conducted by E. U, Mills, we find this striking 

 statement from John Hall, a fruitgroner in Lockport, N. Y. "7OOO 

 trees. Orchard in clean cultivation \7ith stra^v mulch. Bait put 

 under strav in tin cans. Refilled 7 times. Found 7 dead mice under 

 one tree. Mice moved in from adjoining fields. Police dog got ^k 

 mice in one day, 56 the next. Had 6 trees completely girdled, I5 

 partly. " 



Another interesting reply comes from John Keller, Ne\7 Paltz, 

 N. Y. "26,000 trees. Used home mixed bait before prepared bait 

 came out. No injury for 12 years. Trees dug around for 3 feet. 

 Plain board (12xlS) placed on ground for tvro vreeks to drar mice. 

 Bait then put under pJid filled again in t\7o reeks. This is done 

 during summer and again in fall. Find mtxriY dead mice." 



A study of Mr. Mills' summary reveals these fr'cts. The de- 

 gree of mouse control seems to depend on the mouse populp.tlon in 

 the orchard and on the gro'"'er's persistence in carrying out a con- 

 trol program. Mounding of trees or the replacement of sod with 

 cinders or gravel is a \7orthvrhile supplem.entary practice. More 

 mouse Injury occurs during the fall months than ras previously 

 assumed... Poison placed in envelopes ho.s given rather unsatisfac- 

 tory results. And lastly, mice con be controlled and girdled trees 

 may be prevented if the grOwcr is willing to take the necessa.ry 

 steps. 



The Peo.r Psylla Situation 



Several orchard insects have apparently found the past 

 season very much to their liking, among them the pear psylla. Al- 

 ways a troublemaker, this insect was even more troublesome than 

 usual during the summer of 193^' Perhaps the hot, dry summer was 

 partly to blajne. Whatever the reason, this pest v^pg able to thrive 

 and Increase in numbers at an alarming rt'te in spite of the ordi- 

 nary control measures. So numerous v;ere these insects at harvest 

 time in certain orchards that some groT'ers felt their efforts in 

 spraying had been ^-^I'gely vrasted. In the College Orchards, for 

 exa.mple, the characteristic bla.ckening of the twigs and foliage 

 was much more in evidence than usual. And two other gro^^'ers have 

 only recently raised the question as to the cause for so much 

 damage . 



