-6- 



Orchard Crov.'ding. Vjliile the snowisas too deep to walk through any 

 of 'the o rcli'a'r'cf s~,~th" "prob 1 e m of crowding appears to be as widespread as it 

 is in Massachusetts, Many of the orchards have just about reached the age 

 where something r.iust be done about it. Maine growers seem as much inclined 

 as \.'e to delay the removal of fillers "one more year." At most of the meet- 

 ings this point was brought out: Yi/hen a grov;er finds the branches brushing 

 the sprayer as he drives through, he should begin a drastic cutting back of 

 the temporary trees, or the trees in every other diagonal row, V/hen this 

 practice no longer allov/s ample space for efficient spraying, the temporary 

 trees should be removed entirely. And if the removal of filler trees is al- 

 ready ovt^rdue, as is so evident in many New England orchards, the sooner we 

 remove every other diagonal rov/, the better. A bulldozer is an ideal tool 

 for this purpose, 



Appl^ Scab Control. In general, Maine growers seem to have an easier 

 time in "coivfcFo 1 1 i n g'Tcab' Ifh an vje have in Massachusetts, An exception to this 

 rule is found in counties near the coast where tr^jos seom to dry off lese 

 readily after a rain. Growers farth'^r inland and at higher elevations find 

 it possiblo to control scab, in some seasons, with only two or three sprays. 

 On*^ groi/er is actually reported to have qualified for th*^ 90^i Clean Apple Club 

 on a crop which receiv«:;d only tvifo sprays. There is considerable intf;rest in 

 dusting both for the control of scab and apple ins^;cts. One insect, known as 

 the mealy bug is causing consid-;rable damage in Maine orchards. Thus far, our 

 Massachusetts grov;ers have not had to v;orry about this particular pest. 



Deep Snow Favors Mice. There is some cause for worry about possible 

 mouse damage unTeTTh" "sirow'^in some of the Maine orchards. T^vo very heavy 

 sno\7stormG have cor.f letdly covered all mouse runs, thus preventing growers 

 from doing effective mid-v/inter baiting. Unfortunately, quite a number of 

 orchards had not been baited when the first heavy snow came in rfovember. As 

 the snow thav/s, grovrers are advised to pack it dovm around the trunks of trees 

 as one means of checking mouse damage. 



"A GOOD PRODUCT IS IT S BEST ADVERTISEIvJENT-" 



In a release from the National Apple Institute under this heading 

 John Chandler, Executive Secretary,, says in part, " . , , Of recent years, 

 the economic factor has worked against good apples doing their own advertis- 

 ing. Back in the tvrenties, v;hen apple prices returned a good living to grow- 

 ers and when there were no ceilings, the better packs of apples resulted in 

 handsome returns to the growers for the extra expense incurred. Consequently 

 apples were their ovm best advertisement. Unfortunately, during the dark 

 decade of the thirties wlien most consiuners were buying the cheapest food avail- 

 able, the premium for fine packs practically disappeared, Du.ring the last 

 twelve years on] y enough grading and packing hae bcjn done to move the apples. 

 Many good Eastern packs disappeared entirely. Although growers far from i.iarket 

 maintained the high standards vriiich paid out during tho twenties; this was 

 done to retain an outlet for their apples rather than \;.-j.tii any hope of com- 

 mensurate returns, since they v;ere often obligt.d to accept prices disastrous 

 to them. 



