-2- 



14,130,000 bu, (about 16^,. Two-fifths of the Delicious apples in the U.S. are 

 produced in lYashington) Golden Delicious, 2,353.000 bu. (a little less than 

 5)1). Rone Beauty, 5,597,000 bu. (6.4:%). Stayman, 5,683,000 bu. (4.2^^). 

 ITinesap, 9,869,000 bu, (about ll^o). Yellov^ Nev/town, 3,898,000 bu. (4.4^o). 

 York Iiaperial, 4,250,000 bu. (5%). Jonathan, 6,854,000 bu. (about 8%). 

 Grimes Golden, 1,560,000 bu. (about Z%) . Baldwin, 2,637,000 bu, (about 3%), 

 V/ealthy, 2,336,000 bu. (2.7J^), 



I.IID-Y/I1JTER TA SKS OIJ T HE FRUIT FARLl 



Overhauling the sprayer and other fruit farm equipment should take first 

 place amon^; raid-vj-inter tasks. If the sprayer has not yet been put in the best 

 possible condition it should be overhauled at once and all worn parts replaced. 



Ordering supplies, including fertilizers, spray materials, and boxes, 

 is another job v^hich should not be delayed. Even though boxes are not needed 

 for another six or eight months, there is urgent need for locating new boxes ^ 

 box shooks, or used boxes this winter and spring. Boxes arq certain to be scarcer 

 than in 1943. Araong the ingeraois methods being used by some growers are; 

 getting out the logs and hauling them to the mill to insure a supply of raw 

 material, and in one case furnishing several workers for a short handed box 

 shop. There will undoubtedly be more buying of box shooks and nailing at the 

 farm than in years past. 



A third item of utmost importance at this season has to do with "etream- 

 lining the orchard"for more efficient spraying and harvesting. Crov/ded trees 

 are being removed on a wholesale scale in a number of orchards. In a recent 

 meeting of 40 fruit growers in Yforcester this question was asked, "Hov/ many are 

 either removing fillers or are planning to remove fillars before next spring?" 

 Eleven of the 40 raised their hands. Pruning at the ground level or lifting 

 the trees out, stumps and all, by means of a bulldoasr, is a most effective 

 way to reduce the cost of production \/ithout materially reducing the actual 

 yield. l,7ithin tv/o years a crowded orchard from v.'hich half the trees are re- 

 moved will be back to its former production v;ith a considerably lov;ered pro- 

 duction cost. Vfashin.ton State College specialists say that the costs for 

 grov/ing and harvesting apples in central Washington decline rapidly as yields 

 increase from less than 200 boxes per acre to 350 boxes an acre. Getting rid 

 of the extra trees in an orchard is a big factor in increasing the yield of 

 salable fruit. 



James F. Gallant of the Essex County Agricultural 

 School, Hathorne, Ifess, informs us that a graduate 

 of the School, now employed as a farm manager on an 

 estate, is available this spring for emplo^.onent in 

 orcharding, vegetable gardening, or general farming. 

 He is primarily interested in horticulture and is 

 well qualified to serve as an orchard manager. 



In 1917 there were only about 50,000 tractors on farms, Toda- there 

 are nearly 2,000,000. 



