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In the next icBue of Fruit Notes there will appear a cum- 

 jiary to date of tne rpple purchase progrfri of the Federal Surplus 

 Cor:i;..oditleij Corporation in New En^'land. Details of this proc^-ram 

 may be obtainec' fr.jp your county y^jricultural a^ent or from the 

 headcuartei's in Concord, Lless. (Tel . -Concord &k-b) . 



A striking example of injury from root strangulation has 

 just been noted in two large maples uprooted by the storm in 

 Fitchburg. 3"^th tr^ees showed a severe constriction of the trunk 

 C' fev inches below the ground level. Immediately above wss a 

 swollen area like aji apple tree graft which has outgrown the stock. 

 Exo.mination showed in each case an encircling root several inches 

 in diameter. Just below the ground level v/hich had a direct in- 

 fluence on retarding grov/th of top and weakening the trunk at that 

 level. Me have here s. good lesson in the need for spreading out 

 roots of nursery trees at time of planting in spring. 



A terrific hurricane is reported to have struck the vicinity 

 of Plymouth in August, I635. The next one of serious consequence 

 occurred in I0I5 vrhen the original Baldwin apple tree is reported 

 to have blown down. And now the hurricane of I93S. Three real 

 storms in about 3OO years. That should leave plenty of time for 

 about three generations of c.pplo orchards In New England before 

 the next rer.l storm. 



Anyone interested in the framework of trees ivill find profi"^ 

 a.ble study among the many shade trees partially broken down by the 

 storm. Here we find thousands of examples of trees which develop- 

 ed with narrow angled crotches, and a resulting inability to form 

 a strong bridge of v/ood to hold the tv/o or more sections together. 

 Instead, there \iiio a plane of weakness where successive layers of 

 bark were crowded together. Moral: In shade trees as well as in 

 fruit trees, there is need for a semblance of "leadership" instead 

 of allowing the top to divide into more or less equal sections 

 v;lth narrov; angled crotches. 



Adequate ajichorage of a loosened tree seems to be of great 

 importance. Certainly, if the tree is to be swayed this way and 

 that by v/inds from different directions, it ca.n never re-establish 

 its dcimaged root system. The anchorage must be so planned that 

 there will be no appreciable siva.ying in any direction. Three well 

 placed strikes or "deadrien" should do the trick in most cases. 

 Props should be considered as only temporary or as supplementing 

 the guy wires. 



Canners of Bartlett pears have sometimes been troubled by 

 the fruit turning to an undesirable orange yellow instead of keep- 

 ing the more desirable cream color. Scientists of the U.S.D-A. 

 find that color as well as quality of Bartlett pears is determined 

 by the action of two enzymes, oxidase and catalase. Fruit picked 

 -too soon is high in oxidase which causes the fruit to discolor. Ac 

 the fruit ripens on the tree the: oxidase decreases - r.nd further 

 decreases in storage. For best quality, pears should not be al- 

 lowed to ripen on the tree. They should be picked v/hen mature and 

 then ripened in a cool, dark storage. (These suggestions are found 

 ■ n the laist issue of Better Fruit.) 



