October 21, 1943 



Prepared "by the Fruit Program Conimittee 

 of the Extension Service 



I, 



W. H. Thies, Extension Horticulturist 



Contents 



The Mbuse Situation in Massachusetts Orchards 



Strav:berries in the Falnouth Area 



Do ifou Know? 



The Time Factor in Fruit Growing 



The Fruit Situation as Related to 1944 Food Production Goals 



Ceiling Prices on Fresh Apples 



THE MOUSE SITUATION IN IIASSACHUSBTTS ORCHARDS 



Imagine setting 128 mousetraps on an orchard area of one acre, and 

 catching 64 mice the first night and 30 the nextl That was the experience 

 of workers in the Fish and Wildlife Service who conducted a recent survey- 

 in a Brimfield orchard. This orchard has a heavy grass cover, and at the 

 time of the survey in September, mouse signs v/ere very much in evidence. 



Quoting from a letter written by Robert M. Borg, September 29, 

 "The mouse population in Massachusetts is high. There are more nice per 

 acre in the western than in the eastern part of the state. Every tree base 

 examined in all orchards covered, even where there was sparse cover, was in- 

 fested with mice. And in one orchard in Franklin County out of 30 tree bases 

 examined 12 trees were partially girdled. Many other orchards visited had 

 a few trees partially girdled. The mouse population will vary from 80 to 

 100 or more to the acre. In one orchard near Brimfield actually 9imicG per 

 acre vrere trapped. This high population is due in general to a favorable 

 growing season, hence good cover and food conditions. With the present high 

 population of mice, and if weather conditions are favorable, the m.ouse popu- 



Issued by the Extension Service in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 

 1914, Willard A. Munson, director, Massachusetts State College, United States 

 Department of Agriculture, and County Extension Services cooperating. 



