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FRUIT AND NUT CROP PRC6PBCTS (June 1) 



June 1 oonditiona indicate that deciduous fruit production in 1944 

 may be more th6n 1943 by as much as ZZ% and about 1% above average, the U.S. 

 Department of Agriculture report*. The peach crop is indicated to be 17^ 

 above average and about 60$^ more than the short 1943 crop. Pear production 

 is indicated Z% below average. Cherry prospects are ZT/, above average and 

 69^ above the short 1943 crop. Sweet cherry production is estimated about 

 \Qffo above last year and sour cherry production is expected to be more than 

 2^ times the short 1943 crop. Ceramercial apple production is indicated to 

 be somewhat larger than the crop harvested in 1943. Grape production pros- 

 pects are for larger crops in the eastern states but it is not expected that 

 the California crop will be as large as the record 1943 harvest, although 

 conditions are again favorable in that state. The apricot crop is indicated 

 to be more than three times the 1943 record small crop and about one- third 

 above average, California plums show a h% decline from 1943. The California 

 prune crop is short with production indicated about 21^ below last year. 

 Condition of Calif oniia almonds is above average and above June 1, 1943. 

 The California walnut crop is inilicated slightly larger than last year's 

 production. Prospects for filberts in Oregon and V^ashington, and for pecans 

 in the important Southern states, are favorable at this time. 



Citrus production from the bloom of 1943 (marketings from the fall 

 of 1943 to the fall of 1944) is a record crop, exceeding the previous season 

 by aiiout 12 percent. Present prospects for citrus fruits from the bloom of 

 1944 (for marketing from the fall of 1944 to the fall of 1945) are favorable. 

 (tiSDA. BAE Crop Reporting Boarci). 



ORCHARD SITES AS RELATED TO JHE FREEZE OF MAY 19 



' ' I I I I ■ II w^— .^^ I ■ 



V/hether the actual crop reduction in Massachusetts orchards, as a 

 result of the recent freer0, amounts to 20, 25, or even 30 per cent, is 

 something which will not ba definitely settled until harvest time. It may 

 mm as high as 25 per cent* But this one thing is emphasized over and over 

 again as we visit damaged orchards. The amount of damage is quite closely 

 related to the air drainage and that, of course, has to do with the elevation 

 of a particular block of trees with respect to the immediately surrounding 

 country. Orchards in frost pockets fared badly. Orchards with good air 

 drainage show, on the while, very little damage. And so as we look back 

 at the severe freeze of May 19 we ought also to look ahead and give serious 

 consideration to the site of our next orchard. However serious the damage 

 this year may have been in a particular orchard, the frost will not be with- 

 out some benefit if it results in a better location of our future orchards. 



DOES AMYBODY READ FRUIf NOTES? This incident provides a partial answer. 

 On a recent visit to a good fruit grower in Norfolk County we found him seated 

 in his truck about 10 foet from his mailbox reading - of all things - Fruit 

 Notes. 



