-4- 



LOOKING AHEAD (continued from September issue) 



As indicated in September Fruit Notes, a meeting of 15 eastern 

 pomologists representing 9 states and the U.S.D.A., was held at the State 

 University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, on August 27 and 28 for the purpose 

 of discussing "Reconversion Problems in Fruit Production." On the second 

 day, a series of recommendations and suggestions was drawn up and approTed 

 vj-ith regard to the future welfare of the fruit industry, as follows: 



1. Remove orchards which are unprofitable either because of age, un- 

 favorable soil or climatic conditions, or undesirable varieties, 



2. No increase in the present total commercial production of tree fruits 

 seems desirable under the apparent marketing conditions. Nev^ plant- 

 ings should be made only to maintain present production and to secure 

 a proper succession of plantings. 



3. More thought and study should be given by many fruit growers to the 

 possibilities of some diversification in their source of revenue 

 aside from one kind of fruit, 



4. Growers are advised to give more attention than previously to the 

 selection of the site and soil for any new tree fruit planting and 

 to the best land use on their ovm farm, 



5. No varieties should be commercially planted without a searching in- 

 vestigation by the grower of their merits from the standpoint of 

 both tree and fruit qualities and particularly v/ith respect to their 

 adaptability to the locality vifhere they are to be planted, 



6. Better varieties are needed in most districts, 



7. Plant well-grown, vigorous, healthy, virus-free trees with uniformly 

 strong, congenial rootstocks. 



8. An increase in the yield per acre of a good grade of fruit is 

 imperative, 



9. Every effort should be made in cooperation with public and private 

 agencies to reduce the complexity and cost of production and marketing, 



10. The growers need to assume more responsibility for the condition of 

 fruits as delivered to the consumer, 



1. "Remove orchards ..,." The Extension Service has been ad- 

 vocating this for years. In \7PA days many unprofitable trees were cut 

 down. However, there are still many orchards which need to be pruned with, 

 an axe. Orchards where the trees are too thick, orchards on poor soils, 

 orchards of poor varieties, need to be given special consideration in order 

 to reduce the cost of production. 



It may legitimately be asked, when does an orchard become too old 

 to be profitable? Unfortunately, no rule of thumb method can be given for 



