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That the principal subsistence of the United States comes fron about 

 30 crops? All told, our farmers grow about 300 different crops. Tliis is about 

 the average of temperate zone nations. China, on the other hand, produces and 

 harvests about 6^000 different plants of nutritional value, which is one reason 

 v;hy that country has been able to survive the Japanese onslaught. 



That allowing pears to remain on the tree until sufficiently mature 

 reduces the astringent properties, tendency to wilt in storage, and on suscept- 

 ible varieties, scald in storage? Leaving the fruit on the tree too long 

 causes deterioration in quality and may cause trouble in storage or transit 

 such as core breakdown and too rapid softening, f'ruit rots are generally more 

 prevalent in pears that are harvested and packed when too mature. 



That the term "Horticulture" originally referr«d to the grov;ing of 

 crops within walls as distinguished from the growing of crops in open fields? 

 Today the term relates to the cultivation of gardens or orchards, including the 

 growing of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and ornamental shrubs and trees. There 

 is no hard and fast line of distinction between horticulture and agriculture 

 although the wheat or corn farmer is strictly an agriculturist, while tha grow- 

 er of any of the specialty crops, vjhether for food or ornamentation, may be 

 considered as a horticulturist, 



That mid-day seems to be the ideal time for applying hormone sprays? 

 Preharvest sprays containing napthalene acetic acid used on V/illiams, Delicious, 

 and Stayman Vfinesap apples v;ere more effective v/hen applied at certain concen- 

 trations at mid-day than at mid-morning, according to L. P. Batjer of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, Beltsville, Maryland. He found that early morning 

 sprays required nearly an hour to dry compared with a half hour at noon, but 

 that apparently absorption was much more rapid at the higher temperatures. 

 75° F. may represent the critical point above which the temperature may not 

 be an important factor. 



That no less than 7 different brands of materials intended for prevent- 

 ing preharvest drop of apples are advertised in one of the fruit magaisines? All 

 of these materials contain the same essential ingredients and all may be expocted 

 to produce similar results if properly applied. None of them may be relied upon 

 to give good results if haphazardly applied. 



That borax applications on apple trees susceptible to internal cork 

 tend to reduce the preharvest drop of fruit as well as the drop through harvest, 

 aa compared to trees not receiving borax? An application on trees previously 

 free from internal cork, has no apparent effect on the dropping tendency, ac- 

 cording to experiments performed at Ithaca, New York. 



That about Z^ million pounds of applq syrup were m^de in 1942? This 

 year it is hoped that at least 15 million pounds will be produced for the pur- 



