-3- 



Praise for Ben. In an old file we find a clipping from the March 30, 

 1895 issue of a New York nev/spaper which lauds the lov;ly Ben Davis apple to the 

 skies. "Having no trace of flavor of its ov/n, it readily takes any other flavor 

 and becomes a novelty to the housev/ife and the canner. Chicago and the South 

 and Vest are dead stuck on this apple and buy it at any price. It will keep 

 sound from one picking season to the next. And the Ben Davis never rots. Bruise 

 it if you want to, but that bruise v/ill simply dry up. It is big and red and 

 solid, and pretty as a picture. But there's no more taste to it than a door 

 knob, and no more smell than a piece of ice. And yet they raise more Ben Davis 

 than any other kind and they've got as high as *9 a barrel for ■'"em." 



Outbreak of Bitter Rot. A severe case of Bitter Rot (not Bitter Pit) 

 has appeared in a commercial orchard in the town of Dartmouth. The crop of 

 Rhode Island Greenings on certain trees is practically v/orthless. This disease 

 is fairly common in Pennsylvania, but fortunately is not very prevalent here. 

 This particular outbreak might have been prevented by more thorough spraying. 

 A sufficiant number of sprays v.'as applied, but only about one third as much 

 spray material as was needed to cover the trees thoroughly, due in part to an 

 antiquated, low pressure sprayer. 



How to Save Gas. A writer in the Rural New Yorker gives 15 simple ways 

 of saving gasoTTne^ Here are some samples: How to accelerate . Don't jam your 

 foot down on the accelerator. It doesn't get you away any faster and it pumps 

 more gas than you need into your engine. A heavy foot uses excess gas. Hov; to 

 stop. Coast to a stop if you can. Every time you put your brakes on while the 

 motor is running fast, you throw away power and gas. 



1941 Rainfall as Related to Fruit Size and Color 



While the season of 1941 v/ill not be remembered for its large apple 

 crop nor for the profits of 20 years ago, certain unusual characteristics in 

 the behavior of orchard trees are quite outstanding. The season started out 

 with remarkably low rainfall and bids fair to end in the same v:ay but during 

 mid-summer rainfall was about normal. The record of rainfall at Amherst is 

 as follows: 



March April May 



Normal 3.70 3.35 3.60 



1941 1.63 .55 2.87 



Our trees have made a remarkably good vegetative growth, and even 

 though the apple crop is not large, the individual apples are of normal size 

 and well colored. The large average size of apples at first thought seems 

 queer, but perhaps the following explanation v;ill throw some light on the sit- 

 uation. The deficiency of rainfall up to the month of May may not be signifi- 

 cant because there vias enough reserve m.oisture from the winter season. Further- 

 more, the early drying out of the soil and the accompanying warm weather were 

 favorable for early root and leaf development. Then the adequate rainfall in 

 June and July kept the trees going and enabled them to make efficient use of 

 the early developed roots and leaves. Abundant sunshine in August and September 

 favored starch formation in the leaves which seems to be a prerequisite to good 

 color development. The rainfall for 1341 seems to have been very favorable for 

 both tree and fruit. J- K. Shaw 



ALIT. INI SEMINAR - M assachusetts State College, November 14 and 15, 1941 . 



This program is intended pr_imarily for alumni although other interested 

 individuals are welcome to attend. A copy of the complete program may be obtained 

 by v,'riting Roy E. Moser, Stockbridge Kail, M.S.C., Amherst, Mass. Two sessions of 

 special interest to men engaged in horticultural vrark have been arranged. 



