-3- 



the merits of different varieties for different puri^oses." (o) "The box, 

 v/itli individually UTap;;ed a;^:;^-los, should be standardized in size." 



L. South wick 



SPJi' -Sil^- .s.nd Pr°P,??- ^'^.'' _°?_ Fruit 



Results this pa.st season indicate considerable proi.-dse in the use 

 of dilute concentrations of certain compounds (so-called horuones as ex- 

 plained in the last issue of Jruit llotes) to dele>.y fruit drop at harvest 

 tine. At the '.Vorcester iiieetin^^s. Dr. J. R. tiagness of the U.S.D.A. gave 

 a brief account of the situation, h'aphthalene-acetic acid at 2 - 5 parts 

 per million of water — approxi:.iately l/l5 - l/5 ounce in 250 gallons — 

 is reported to reduce and delay significantly the normal dropping of apples 

 at harvest tine. The spray is applied very thoroughly — up to 25 gallons 

 per tree — because evidently it is necessary to hit each a.pple ster.i. One 

 or possibly two applications will probably be adequate 5 (l) when the apples 

 are just starting to drop in Septer.iber, and (2) about 10 - 14- days later if 

 desired. Effects s.re first r.Tanifest about 24 hours after the spray is ap- 

 plied and persist iron 10 - 15 days. 



Naphthalene acetandde has ooen slightly nore effective than naph- 

 thalene acetic acid, but it does not go into solution as readily. It is 

 possible that a conirnercial product using one of these niaterials will be put 

 on the :-.iarl:et this year. The corapounds are expensive at the present ti:.io 

 but it has been suggested that the cost of the diluted spray nc.y range some- 

 where around a cent per gallon. This would neaxi. a cost for :.a.terials alone 

 of 25 to 50 cents per mature tree. Then there is some evidence that a light 

 surm'iier oil and the addition of citric acid may increase effectiveness. There 

 is evidently no danger of toxic effects on consuj-.iers . 



All of the statements and figures given are, at best, approximations. 

 I.'ore definite inf orir.ation v/ill be forthcoming later and especially after anoth- 

 er year of sxperinental v/ork. In the neantirne, it is worthwhile to speculate 

 on the possibilities that this development presents, particularly to grov/ers 

 of Mcintosh. If application of these horaonos vrorks out as indicated by 

 preliminary experiments, growers v/ill be helped considerably not only in 

 the decreased total ai'nount of dropping but also in the better maturity and 

 in the improved color that the longer autui-;in exposure will bring about. 

 Probably growers should not expect to use these sprays generally over their 

 entire plantings, -iilcononicallyj they may be more justified in cases of emer- 

 gency when serious loss fromi dropping threatens. These are only conjectures 



but certainly worth -Dondc-ring. I.Iore information later. ,, . , 



L. Sou'jnvjick 



ITi:;i:IS FRCI.: KiCRE AilD THJRE 



Ej uJJ;_ F ljuit_ P_atent_s . Of the 350 plant patents granted from August 18, 1931 

 to "December 31, 1939, roses account for almost one-half the total. Fruits 

 patented include 23 peach, 11 apple, 7 strawberry, 5 clierry, 6 plum, 4 grape, 

 3 nectarine, 1 pear, 1 apricot, 1 raspberry, 1 blackberry, 1 dewberry, and 

 1 brainbleberry . 



