-2- 



too much regard for bruises or pulled stems. It may be a good idea to pay a 

 liberal hourly wage the first day, and then go on a bushel basis the second 

 day. If at all possible, an experienced picker should supervise the work of 

 not noro than 8 or 10 inexperienced pickers. To send out a group of high 

 school boys without previous instruction or adequate supervision is one of 

 the easiest ways to reduce the value of the crop. No factory superintondent 

 would think of breaking in a nev; worker that way. 



First of all, a new picker should be shovm how to separate an apple 

 from the spur, v/ith the stem intact. The stem will separate easily from the 

 spur if the apple is tilted upward instead of being pulled off. And instead 

 of pressing the fingertips into the cheek of the apple and giving it a pull, 

 it is an easy matter to cup the apple in the pain of the hand and break it 

 off with a lifting motion. Not more than tvvo apples at the most should be held 

 in the hand at one time, and then only if they can be held without touching 

 each other. The apple is then laid into the basket or pail and not dropped 

 into it. Speed in picking does not require pulling apples from the tree nor 

 dropping them into the container. Some of the fastest pickers harvest fruit 

 which shows the least bruises. 



Then, such simple matters as picking apples from the lower part of the 

 tree first should be stressed. All apples v/ithin reach of the ground should be 

 picked before placing the ladder. This prevents bruising from the ladder it- 

 self or through dropping apples from higher branches. In placing a ladder, 

 caution the new picker about setting it evenly on the ground and always against 

 a stout branch, and not at too great a slant. Even though the picker is not 

 too concerned about taking a tumble, explain to him that ladders cost money 

 and are not easily obtained. Also, advise against trying to pick from the 

 ladder, apples which are almost out of reach. Reset the ladder, if for only 

 a dozen apples. 



Patience, tact, diplomacy, and occasionally firmness will be needed 

 with those new pickers. Pay them well and at the some tine help them to help 

 themselves in doing an important job. 



NURSERY INSPECTION - 1943 



For the 23rd consecutive year, men from the Massachusetts State College 

 have completed the examination for trueness-to-name of nursery fruit stock in 

 the Northeastern part of the country. This year 18 nurseries located from New 

 England to Michigan and Virginia v;ere examined and misnamed trees correctly 

 named or cut down. The report on a rather large nursery of an examination for 

 the first time reminds one of the old days when we really found misnaraed trees. 

 Repeated visits al^vays greatly reduce the number of mixtures, and smaller nur- 

 series may be found completely free of misnamed trees. In some nurseries all 

 salable stock was examined and in some only certain fruits were gone over. 

 Peaches are in a class by themselves. Unlike other tree fruits, certain var- 

 ieties are so much alike in the nursery row that they can ba identified only 

 with difficulty or not at all. Nevertheless, many misnamed trees are detected. 

 A list of the nurseries examined may be obtained on request from the Department 

 of Pomology, Massachusetts State College, Amherst, Massachusetts. 



J. K. Shaw 



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