-8- 



That cider apples are one of the chief products of Normandy? 

 Samuel Fraser, writing about the invasion country, says, "The French spec- 

 ialize in growing vfild crabapples to make their cider and a type of cham- 

 pagne froiu the cider. As to Korroandy apples - one of the main reasons for 

 apple growing in parts of Franco is to make cider, and for this reason the 

 trees are plantod as they are. Crabs, some yellow- skinnad and some red. 

 The thrifty Frenchman carefully washes out the see* from the apple pulp 

 and uses thera for the production of apple seedlings." 



Hiat airplanes are becoming a major factor in the introduction of 

 plant pests? The U. S. Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, in a 

 recent report covering 13,093 airplanes arriving at 23 ports of entry last 

 year from foreign countries, shows that 3,219 or about 25^ were found to 

 be carrying prohibited plant material, much of it from places v/here it is 

 laiown to be the host of injurious pests. There were 681 actual intercep- 

 tions of insects and plant diseases, including sweet orange scab, citrus 

 blackfly, Mexiciin fruit fly, V/est Iji^dian fruitfly, and Mediterranean fruit- 

 fly. 



That firo blight was first discovered on wild crabapples in 1780 

 in the Hudson Valley? The first published recommendation in 1862 called 

 for such things as placing sulfur around the trees. Refuse gas lime, coal 

 ashes a nd pitch, and vinegar vrere also rocomnendod. A severe outbreak of 

 grape mildew before tho Civil War resulted in the abandonraent of thousands 

 of acres in southern Ohio by 1869. Specific plant diseases have been re- 

 corded over since Bible times. 



That dry weather may affect the availability of mineral elements 

 in iflie soil? gjT.ptOTus of magnesium deficiency are always more severe during 

 a dry season. Sojr.e interesting information along this line is contained in 

 a recent letter written by Dr. Ekblav; to John Rice- Speaking of the effect 

 of the drouth on the apple crop, he says, "This year the crop has been so 

 heavy and the drouth so severe, that the moisture in the upper foot or two 

 of the soil became critical for best production. Vi/henever the moisture 

 is deficient in the soil the rate of disintegration and decomposition of 

 the minerals that yield essential plant foods is drastically diminished, 

 and for several years there is likely to be a lag in the amount of such 

 minerals available in the soil. Another item to be considered is the fact 

 that certain bacteria and fungi are mpst numerous in the upper layers of 

 the soil Vifhioh this yoar have been driest, and their action both on organ- 

 ic and inorganic materials for plant fqod has boon substantially reduced. 



"I love the great out-of-doors; the saell of the 

 the soil; the touch of the rain; the smile of the 

 sun; the kiss of the wind; and the laughter of the 

 summer breezes in the trees." (Host Mcintosh 

 growers failed to note any laughter in the breeze 

 of September 14, and the kiss of that particular 

 wind seemed more like a resounding smack.) 



