FRUIT NOTES - Juna, 1939 



W. H. Thies 

 Extension Horticulturist 



The Apple Outlook 



The June 1 condition of the U. S» appla crop was reported as 69/o of 

 normal compared vdth 55/i a year ago and the 10 year average (1928-1937) of 64/o. 

 The condition in Nuw England is reported us 81/6 normal compared with 75/., a year 

 ago and the 10 year average of 77/o. There was a houvy bloom in Ohio with some 

 frost injury. Conditions in Ncw York, New Jersey and Pennsylvc.niu are quite 

 favorable. A r^-tarded blooming period uvoided lv„te spring frosts and the dry 

 v;euther during l-iuy v;as f-vor-ble for spr^^ying. Conditions in Illinois ;ire 

 good. Apples vi^bre injured by ti..rly Hpril frouz«s in sokg purts of IJissouri. 

 In Delawi:.re and Maryland, cold, wet v/e^.tht^r hus reduced thv^ crop of Delicious 

 and StuymL.n. In Virginici t^nd '..est Virgin!::; v/hcre a hu^Lvy crop w^-.s uxpectud 

 this y^i-J, late frost cmd unf-vorublo wo.,ther huve reduced the prospects ma- 

 terially. In the South Central st^.tus, Tennussee, nrfca-nsus and Kentucky, 

 prospects w>jre reduced by spring frosts. In tho Northwest, the prospects are 

 slightly below average. Tho bloom was irrogul-.r and tne wuathur has boun un- 

 usually dry. In Viiashington tho sijt of Delicious and 'jilinusap is v..ric'.blo tjid 

 in Oregon rather light crops of D-licious ^.nd Nevrtown are exp^ctud. In C-.li- 

 fornia prospects -ore ^bove average The prospwcts in Montana are favorable 

 whil« the Idaho crop is well below ?.vi;rc.ge. 



Vn Tiat is Meant by a j' Normal" Crop? 



We are indebted to G. W. Wustcott, Extension EC'-nomist, for this ex- 

 pl^.nation of tho term "normal" as applied to crop ustim..tes. In tho uarly yu-.rs 

 of crop reporting the Department of Agriculture considered "average crop" and 

 "normal crop" as practically synonymous turms. Undoubtedly the early statis- 

 ticians hoped to be able aftor a fev; years of expurionco to calculate an 

 avuragQ crop which could be used '..s a basis for interpreting the condition 

 figures that were collected the first of e^xh month during the growing season. 

 In a report dated September 10, 1884, the follovi/ing statements are mcide. 

 The standard of comparison, luO, in reports of condition of growing crops means 

 that the plants occupy the ground fully, exhibiting >_ complete "stand" , that 

 they appear in full healthfulness, uninjured by disease or insects, ;..nd that 

 they have a medium growth for the date at which the report is made. It meuns 

 a condition of full development th^^t Cc-jn only be exceeded by some luxuriance 

 of growth. 



A normul Cunditiun is not .m -.ver..gc conditien, but a. cunditien abuve 

 the aver.^ge, giving promise of more than an average crop. Furuhern.ore, a nor- 

 mal condition does not indicate a perfect cro^, or a crop that is or promises 

 to be the very largest in quantity and the very best in quality that the region 

 reported upon may be considered capable of producing. The normal indicates 

 sometning less than this, and thus comes between the averago and the possible 



Issued by the Extension Service, Willard A- Munson, director, in furtherance 

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

 Department of Agriculture and County Extension Services cooperating. 



