-5- 



answoring this question. Since conditions vary from orchard to orchard, 

 each grower should consider carefully the records of his older blocks. 

 Are they producinj^ enough to pay for their increased cost of upkeep and 

 yield a profit besides? 



Orchards on unfavorable soils or sites should be eliminated to 

 increase the efficiency of the enterprise. Orchards on unfertile soils, 

 on soils too dry or too vret, in frost pockets or on sites subject to win- 

 ter injury must be viewed with a critical eye. Sometimes only part of a 

 block is on poor soil or in a poor location. This often results from the 

 old practice of planting in more or less rectangular blocks. Too often 

 a fence or hedgerow has' determined the size and shape of an orchard. 

 The practice of removing hedgerows and stone fences, v/hich is becoming 

 more common among fruit growers, is to be commended. This allov/s the or- 

 chard to be fitted to the soil and site instead of planting that north 

 five acres and then hoping the trees in the poorer places can be carried 

 along somehow. Those poor spots v;ill probably grow better mulch than trees. 



Remember the New England Seven?' A bulletin illustrating them in 

 color was published in 1928. That v;asn't the first attempt to eliminate 

 poor ■varieties, but it v/as a notev/orthy one. And still there are orchards 

 with varieties no longer profitable to raise. Fuel is scarce. It's an 

 excellent time to use the axe. 



2. "No increase ...," In viev; of the present overall situation, 

 it appears that no increase in the total planting of apples and peaches for 

 the country as a v/hole is justified. However, there are local situations 

 which should justify small increases. Some growers may need to increase 

 the size of their plantings to the point where labor saving equipment can 

 be used economically. Twenty years ago there vias talk of Mcintosh being 

 over planted. Yet the number of Mcintosh trees has increased from 240,000 

 in 1925 to 376,000 in 1940 and Mcintosh still has a ready market in all 

 except the occasional year such as 1942 when a large Mcintosh crop coincided 

 with a large total crop. With better handling and distribution, it should 

 be possible to sell many more Mcintosh than are sold at present. 



The overall outlook for peaches is one of heavy planting and prob- 

 able over-production in the very near future. Peach plantings in Massachu- 

 setts are at the lov/est ebb since peach growing was started. Good home-grovm, 

 tree-ripened peaches always find a ready market even Virhen the shipped-in 

 supply is large. Therefore, some increase in Massachusetts peach planting 

 seems justified. Since very few pears, plums, and cherries are grown in 

 Massachusetts, plantings of the better -varieties of these fruits could be 

 increased. They should be particularly valuable for the roadside stand trade. 



3, "More thought ..,." Notice that this recommendation says 

 "thought and study. ,■». given, .. .to the possibilities." That doesn't mean 

 that every fruit grower should diversify. Perhaps your particular setup, 

 your temperament, your training, your market or any one of numerous other 

 reasons may make it inadvisable for you to diversify, "Thought and study" 

 should reveal this. 



