

once a year to control all insects sind diseases would be ideal. Visionary? 

 Yes, but so was the atomic bomb 20 years ago. Simplification is certainly 

 coming but it will take a great deal of effort on the part of many agencies. 



10. "The grower ,..." The question may legitimately be raised 

 as to just how much responsibility the grower should be expected to take. 

 Fruit may pass through the hands of several individuals or concerns betvifeen 

 the time it leaves the grower and the time it reaches the consumer. If the 

 grower delivers the fruit in good condition v;hen he makes his sale, doesn't 

 his responsibility end? Hasn't he done his part? 



In answer to these questions let us ask some others. Wtio should 

 take the responsibility for all the poor and unattractive apples offered 

 for sale in various stores? If the grocer ruins them, isn't that his hard 

 luck? Or if the v/holesaler ruins them, isn't that his hard luck? The grov;- 

 er has received his money for the apples. Is he concerned? Suppose the 

 public won't buy apples but buys other fruit instead, then who suffers? No 

 matter v;ho ruins the apples they are still the product of the fruit growers' 

 sv;eat and toil on which he is depending for a living. If the fruit grower 

 doesn't take more responsibility for seeing that the consumer is offered good 

 apples, who will? 



— J. S. Bailey 



POST-VJAR RE-AD JU S TK ENTS IN FRUIT FARIvII NG 



Like every other important branch of Massachusetts agriculture, 

 fruit farming will face many readjustments, which, if carried out success- 

 fully, should place the local fruit industry, especially apple growing, in 

 a sound competitive position. The problem of wartime OTerexpajision v^hich 

 may arise in connection with some other lines of agricultural production 

 is not one to trouble the fruit industry. As a matter of fact, within re- 

 cent years in the country as a whole the replacement of old orchards has 

 been on a rather low level. Apple consumption, on the other hand, is at 

 the point where it has already met all its competitive factors and its course 

 promises at least stability, if not some expansion, in line with a generally 

 higher trend in demand for fruit products. 



V/ith this generally favorable background, the Massachusetts pro- 

 ducers will be able to maintain and even improve their position if they 

 continue proper efforts to organize the industry according to the best 

 methods that are now available both in production and in distribution. 



From a long-time point of view it is vitally necessary to secure 

 the location of orchards in areas with the most suitable soil and climate 

 conditions. Considerable progress has been made within recent years in 

 soil classification in this state to determine the land best adapted for 

 the growing of fruit. Likewise the lessons of long experience clearly in- 

 dicate the necessity of proper location of orchards in relation to air 

 drainage and avoidance of frost pockets. 



From the immediate point of view it will be important to keep the 

 orchards in vigorous condition by removal of old trees and sufficient new 

 plantings to provide for both replacements and possible expansion on the 

 more favorable sites. 



