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trees! That is the record submitted by 17. S. Pratt of the State Farm in 

 Bridgevvater. Substituting courage, ingenuity and hard v;ork for a spray 

 program, a year ago Mr. Pratt succeeded in bringing through a fine crop 

 of peaches by the method outlined below. The trees in this orchard range 

 from three to nine years of age. 



Two sections of cloth were made by sewing together white flour bags, 

 the two being large enough to cover the ground under the largest tree when 

 both were spread out together. The ends of each section virere attached to 

 poles to make them rigid for easier handling and for rolling up when not in 

 use. Placing one section of cloth on either side of the trunk to form a 

 square beneath the branches, the beetles were jarred from the tree by giving 

 each branch a sharp jolt. The beetles were tlien gathered rapidly and tossed 

 into cans of kerosene. 



The jarring record covering the period from May 23 to June 11 is as 

 follows: After two warm days, Llay 21 and 22, jarring was started. On May 23, 

 40 beetles were collected. May 24 and 25 brought cool v.'eather with strong 

 winds so the next jarring v.'as done on May 26 v;hen 160 beetles were collected. 

 May 27 netted 1000 beetles. During the next three days no jarring v/as done 

 since one day was a holiday, one day was too xvindy, and on the third day time 

 was not available. On May 31, 1150 beetles vrere collected; Jime 2, 575; 

 June 3, 540; and June 4, 400. For various reasons no more jarring v;as done 

 until June 11 when 226 beetles were collected, a total for the season of 4091 

 beetles . 



LIr. Pratt says, "Perhaps I should have jarred a fev/ more times. To be 

 most effective, the jarring should be done every day, and perhaps tv/ice a day 

 at the peak count. V/e did most of our jarring in the early afternoon. The 

 period from Hay 27 to l,lay 31 should not have been skipped, and some of our 

 "stings" most likely came during that period. However, the amount of 'stung' 

 fruit v/as so small that we removed it in the thinning process. I feel that 

 boys could be used to advantage in this vrork, with a man to supervise them. 

 ViTe had some boys join us when we were on our knees picking up beetles and they 

 seemed to delight in seeing how many they could find." 



Vvhile we do not recommend Mr. Pratt's method for the commercial orchard, 

 jarring does provide one very efficient means of eliminating curculio beetles 

 before they have damaged the fruit. VJ". D. Yihitcomb reports curculio emergence 

 in IValtham up to Hay 15 as follows: Hay 11, 2; May 13, 7; May 15, 21; Total 30. 

 At this date in 1941 he had collected from the same trees, 40 beetles, or a 

 third more than in 1942. 



Claude R. V/ickard, Secretary of Agriculture, says, "Americaii fruit 

 growers have the responsibility of producing a vital part of the Nation's food 

 supply. It is certain that they will do their job well. Fruit adds variety, 

 vitamins, minerals, flavor and palatability to our diet. Fruits and vegetables 

 are interchaiigeable. Consequently, fruit produced this year in the United States 

 will enable us to ship more of certain vegetables to Britain. Fruit producers 

 thus will contribute definitely to the success of the United Nations in prosecut- 

 ing the war and preserving our freedom and our way of life." 



There vdll bo no Farm and Home Week at Massachusetts State College this summer. 



