Hurricane Damage in Peach Or chards . A recent study of darriaged peach trees 

 reveals an interesting relationship b«tv;een presont appearance of tho top and 

 amount of root breakage. In 4 orchards studied it was found that the poorest 

 looking trees could be shifted in various directions much nore than the better 

 treos. ^evidently a peach tree will not stand as nuch root breakage as an 

 apple tree. The vifood is less durable and prob-.bly less capable of developing 

 new roots when even slightly injur>=d. 



Variable Spruy Covj r a^c . The old story, scanty coverage in th-o top is very 

 evident in sone orchards this sunimor, particularly where hydriitud lime or clay- 

 containing wettablw sulfur is used, ai a distance tne lower naif or tnird of 

 the tree looks fc^irly v.nite while the upper p-.rt of 'ohe tree retains the norual 

 color of unspruyed apple le-.ves. This difficulty is due to several things, 

 spraying entirely frou the ground, spraying on windy days, using too little 

 pressure, and in sone cases not holding, the spray nozzle in che direction of 

 the tree top for a sufficient length of tiae. 



Gurculio Injur y in Sprayed and Unsprayed Orchards. If a fruit tree is proper- 

 ly sprayed, according to W. D. toitcomb, a curculio beetle is likely to make 

 not uar a than 4 or 5 punctures before it gets a lethal dose of poison. In an 

 unsprayed tree it is likely to r;:iake tvifo or three hundred punctures. This helps 

 to explain why a badly infested orchard nas so r.uch blemished fruit in spite of 

 a fairly well timed spray program, while tne fruit m an unsprayed orchard is 

 utterly worthless. This eir.phasizes the need for very thorough and timely spray- 

 ing over a period of ye^rs to reduce the number of beetles in the orchard. 



The Significance of Soil Color - V/e recently observed a newly harrovi/ed field 

 in which potato yields have b^en v.riable. The field is rolling and and the 

 color difference of the different areas of the soil is very noticc.ble. Some 

 areas -.^re brownish in color, the brovm sh;-ding into .. distinct gray or blackish 

 gr..y in the low spots. This change from brown to gray suggests - difference 

 in dr-in-<ge -.nd in aeration. Fruit pl.-.nts on the gr.^y are;.s would be certain 

 to fare v;orse thi'.n those on the brownish are.is. A ne_rby raspberry plantation 

 on . sii..il..r v„ri:ible soil bears out this striking soil difference. 



Incor..p..tibility of ii;;.r ly K.clntosn -.nd G ortl ->nd-. The v^^lue of certain varieties 

 such ^3 Delicieus for peilinizmg iviclntasn, is well known. It h:^s alsu been 

 deuenstr-t-d th^t Mcintosh Cc^n be effectively pollinized by its rel.^tives, Melba, 

 tiilten, Cortland, I'acoun, J-rly Btelntesn, etc. Only recently has it been shown 

 that tw^ ef these relatives, iarly Mclntosn and Cortland, .,re inceLipctible, one 

 witn tne otner. In other Werds, ji-^riy Mcintosh will not s^^tisfactv^rily pollinize 

 Cortland, >jid vice vors.i. Se f.r ..s is known, however, cress-compatibility 

 exists with the otiior Liclnt^sn rel_.tivoS. fnis new f^.ct concerning ii.xly Mcln- 

 tesh and Cortland is reported by V/ooks .jid Lo-timer in the 1938 Proceedings of 

 the Am. SeC. fur Hort. Sci. The f-^ilure ef these tw^ varieties is associated 

 with a very restricted grevjth of the pollen tube. 



Foreign Fruit Prespect s. Acc^-rding to the Foreign Agricultural Service of the 

 Dopc.rtm.ent ^f Agriculture, present indications peint te fruit crops considerably 

 abeVG the average in the United Kingdom and in Continental j^urope. The report 

 further states. "Should favorable clim,.tic conditions continue in European pro- 

 ducing .Teas during June, American exporters m^y expect considerably n^re com- 

 petiti^.n during the 1939-40 season particularly for apples and pears." 



L. Seuthwick 



