FRUIT UOTiiJS - April, 1939 



Vif. H. Thies 

 Extension Horticulturist 



Dates of Mcintosh Bloom in Amherst 



At presont it appears that the spring of 1939 will be late and we may ex- 

 poct that Mcintosh and other varieties vi/ill bloom later than usual. Yet u f^w 

 hot days can changi; the prospect rather quickly. VJe have the blooming dates of 

 Mclntosn for a period of 17 years beginning in 1922. In 13 of thesu yscirs Mcin- 

 tosh lias bloomed during a 7 day period beginning May 11. In 1930 full bloom 

 was M'-y 8 and in 193d it was on Ijlay 3. In 19ki4 it was May 21 and in 1926 it was 

 on May 22. The coverage date of bloom is on M-y 14 or 15. Thus in only four 

 years h-.s tho date of bloom fallen outside of the week of May 11. 



The d^to of bloom depends mostly on th>- air temperature. It is Vifell 

 known th.,t if we bring u branch of any fruit tree into a warm room in late win- 

 ter any fruit buds on it vdll com-- into bloom in a short time. Little develop- 

 ment will take plw.ce .it temperatures below 4-5 and the most rapid development at 

 temperatures around 85°. The presence of a heavy snow cover in northern New 

 Englc^nd will have no direct effect on the bud development in Massachusetts but 

 the continued pres^ince of snow indicates lov^ temperatures there. Tiiis means low 

 temperatures in Massachusetts and consequently retarded bloom. A l-*te bloom is 

 favorable for .. good fruit crop bi^cause ev^ry passing day means a decreased 

 probability of t. frosty period. This is why v;o have less dc^mt.ge from spring 

 frosts in New Englr.nd than they have in localities farther south where the per- 

 iod of frost danger is longer than it is v/ith us. J. K. Shaw 



BEES FOR POLLINATION. LAST GaLL. THE BLOSSOIilNG PERIOD IS ONLY A FEW DAYS OFF. 

 GRO\,ERS WISHING TO OBTAIN BEES THROUGH VHE M.F.G.A. tOJST PLACE ORDERS BY MAY 9. 

 MiANY STRONG COLONIES HAVE BEEN LISTED "WITH SECRETARY W. R. COLE, ONLY A FRACTION 

 OF FrilCH HAVE BEEN T.iKEN THUS FAR. 



Observation s on Red Mite, Aphis, u.nd B ud Moth 



From our own observations the European red mite infestation appears to 

 be very generally light, and only in small, more or less isolated areas, are 

 moderate numbers of eggs to be found. No reports of heavy infestation have been 

 received . 



Tiie eggs of the apple aphids, hovi^ever, are generally present in all parts 

 of the State and are v.ery abundant. Counts made from tvdgs collected in the 

 College Orchc^rd showed ne^^rly 18,000 eg^s per 50 twigs, an average of 10 to 11 

 eggs per linot.r incn of tv/ig. This is tne heaviest and most general infestation 

 of ov=r-.vintering oggs present in tne College Orchard in ma.ny ye;xrs. 



Professor uhitcomb reports that bud moth promises to be very abundant 



in some orchards ±n I.addlat,ox County. Orch-^rd counts indicate the greatest 



number of hibernating bud moth larvae which have been observed or reported in 



eastern Massachusetts in recent years. 



A. I. Bourne 



Issued by the Extension Service, Will^rd >i. Munson, director, in furtherance 

 of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, Massachusetts State College, United States 

 Departm.^nt of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooper^.ting. 



