FRUIT NOTES - March, 1941 



IV. H. Thies 

 Extension Morticulturist 



Costs of Tree Removal 



the Maryland Fruit Grovrer reports removal costs of a 40-year old 

 apple orchard, as follov/s: In 1939, 340 trees were pulled with a 10-ton 

 Caterpillar tractor, rented at ^:1.50 per hour and using an ojj.vrator and four 

 helpers. The cost of pulling, triiraning and sawing t}ie trees, burning brush, 

 dragging out stumps, cording and hauling the wood was 31^ per tree. After 

 the cordvrood v;as credited back at ^;1.C0 per cord, the cost amounted to 49/ 

 per tree. V.Tien the cost of filling stump holes, disking and levelling was 

 added, the total cost was ^1.12 per tree, or after crediting the cordwoodj 

 68.7/ per tree. This cost probably v/ould be much less where trees are 

 ahoppeT or sawed and the stumps left to rot. R. A. Van Meter 



Elastic Demand for Apples 



Recent studies indicate that consumer demand for apples is more 

 elastic than for most other staple food products, even exceeding that for 

 oranges. An increase in consumer incomes such as v.'e are now experiencing 

 will benefit mostly those growers \'/ho produce the better varieties and the 

 higher qualities. Consumers will pay more for good fruit if they have the 

 money, but vrhen incomes are low they buy cheap fruit or none. It has been 

 predicted that v.'e are entering another "silk shirt" period. If that is 

 true there should once mere be a real margin of profit in fancy fruit put 

 up in most attractive form. R. A. Van M'-ter 



A Note on Strawberry Plants 



The following statement is taken froxfi Michigan Technical Bulletin 

 llo. 162, - "There is no indication that the importation of plants from out- 

 side the state is an advantage if locally gror.oi plants free from insects 

 and diseases are available." As a matter of fact, this bulletin shove's a 

 substantial increase in yield of freshly dug, locally grown plants over most 

 lots shipped in from a distance. 



The same bulletin presents figures to shovi' that only plant.'-- with 

 large crovms should be used in setting a new bed. The inceade in yield of 

 such plants over smaller crovnied plants was more than 15^. Thinning matted 

 rov: plants to six inches at the end of t'.ie growing season, t:) reduce over 

 crowding, not only failed to improve the yield but actually decreased it 2byl. 



A. P. French 



Winter Injury in Mid-western Orchards 



The severe cold wave that prevailed over the Midwest last ITovember 

 did great damage to orchards, ;• low zero temperatures followed closely a 

 period of summer-like weather while the trees were still in leaf. Damaged 

 orchards extend from Iowa to central Missouri and Kansas and from western 

 Illinois to eastern Nebraska. Trees up to 15 years of age end the more ten- 

 der varieties suffered most. Estimates of the severity of the injury differ 



