-5- 



That elm leav-js roay be used for mulching a strav,-berry planting? 

 0. C. Boyd calls to our attention the fact that elm leaves do not mat dovm 

 as much as other leaves, such as maple. Elm leaves tend to curl up, thus 

 nrovidinc a fluff^' ti^e of mulch material which does not smother the plants. 



That the moldy condition often found in the core of an apple is 

 caused by spores v/hich enter through the caly^: end? Delicious and horthern 

 Spy are quite subject to this sort of thing. 0. C Boyd informs us that 

 one of the common molds causing moldy core is a species of Alternaria. 

 Mold spores which enter through the open calyx and pass through the calpc 

 tube to the core find ideal conditions for germination and grov«rth inside 

 the apple . 



That the effective control of apple scab in lassachusetts dates 

 back a little more than 20 years? In an old file wc find this statement 

 under date of August 23, 1921: "Fruit grov/ers ' meetings v;ere held in Groton 

 and Littleton where elaborate experiments arc being conducted by Professor 

 !<Irout on the control of apple scab on I'clntosh apples. Bot\7ocn 300 and 400 

 people from all parts of f.Sassachusetts and nearby states attended, shoiving an 

 interest in this subject among fruit growers." 



That there are in the United States about 2000 research labora- 

 tories using 5000 chemicals and 2500 different kinds of instruments? The 

 Office of Production Management has given these laboratories an A-2 priority 

 rating which means that they should bo able to obtain all the me.tcrials they 

 need to carry on scientific research. 



That a large number of organic corapounds are being tested in the 

 U.S.D.A. laboratory at Eeltsville, liaryland as possible substitutes for the 

 coiTKon fungicides, sulfur and copper? Of the tens of thousands of organic 

 compounds, there maybe one or two which will prove valuable, A systematic 

 study is now being made by suspending spores of a fungus, such as brovm rot, 

 in nutrient agar and then allcaving a solution of the material to drip over 

 these spores for some time. The agar plates ?.rc then washed and observa- 

 tions made as to the killing povrer of the material. As a further test bean 

 plants are used as "guinea pigs" to determine whether or not the material is 

 caustic on the leaves. If it shows some promise it is next tried on apple 

 leaves . 



That over 86% of the farms in Hew England are owner-oporated, as 

 compared vrith 50^i for the U.S.? Hew England's Z% of the U. S. farms ac- 

 count for 5% of the farm cash income, and they receive about l/2 of If, of 

 the Federal payments . 



Tliat oranges account for about 50^ of the fresh fruits and vegeta- 

 bles exported to Canada? Lemons accoimt for 10%' and grapefruit 9f^. Fresh 

 grapes constitute the largest non-citrus fruit item, folloxTOd by pears and 

 strawberries . 



That less than half as many Canadian apples as last year jnay seek 

 an outlet in the U.S. this season? According to the U.S.D.A., this is due 

 in part to increased buying of fresh apples by Great Britian. The British 

 I'inistry of Food recently decided to purchase about 2, 000, 000 bushels of 

 Canadian fresh apples. 



