-2- 



The only known control for this pest is a high temperature treatment. 

 plants vifhich are to be used for setting a new bed should be immersed for 50 

 minutes in v/ater held at 110° F. The water should be constantly agitated 

 while the plants are being treated and its temperature should not vary more 

 than one degree either way if the mites are to be killed without injury to 

 the plants. Plants should be set as soon as possible after the treatment. 



Other precautions which will help to prevent the spread of mites from 

 the fruiting bed to the new bed include: 



1. Isolating nev/ bed 500 yards or more from other strawberries. 



2. Sterilizing tools and containers which have been used in an infested 

 bed, or • allowing them to stand in open air 24 hours before using same 

 in the new bed. 



3. Not permitting anyone to go from an infested bed to the new bed the 

 same day without washing hands, changing clothes and otherwise dis- 

 infecting themselves. 



For the benefit of any who may be interested in selling plants, it 

 is reported from California that plants may safely be shipped after treatment 

 provided that they are cooled, dried to normal condition and packed in moist, 

 sterile moss. 



— A. P. French 



SOLE MISREPRESENTATIONS IN TIIE IIURSERY CATALOGUES 



Human nature being what it is, perhaps one should expect an uninformed 

 public to fall for the ballyhoo of the average nursery catalogue with its 

 beautiful color pictures (frequently of a better looking variety than what 

 the label portrays it to be) and gross misstatements as to the merits of its 

 offerings. Fortunately your State College has long considered the testing 

 of varieties as one of its obligations to all who v;ant reliable information 

 on their behavior in this state. 



The following varieties are selected for comment as a few of the more 

 flagrant misrepresentations found in nursery catalogues today. 



Concord Seedless grape - This variety is usually seedless but instead 

 of having a large compact bunch similar to Concord - as it is usually pic- 

 tured - bears a poor, scraggly bunch with berries no larger than small peas. 



Caco grape - A typical bunch seldom contains more than a dozen ber- 

 ries in spite of the beautiful, large clusters shown in the nursery catalogues. 



The much advertised August Supreme and Sweet September sweet cherries, 

 according to George Howe of Geneva, New York, "appear to be only worthless 

 Mazzards" as they fruit at that Station. 



The high priced York Imperial sv^eet cherry appears to be indistin- 

 guishable in tree and fruit from Napoleon. A plant patent was granted to 

 the York Imperial on the basis of its being self-fertile, which fact has 

 not been scientifically established as yet. 



