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With the general trend toward mechanization in the whole field of 

 agriculture, fruit fanners should also take advantage of possibilities pro- 

 vided by nev; types of machinery, such as light tractors, trucks and electric 

 motors. This should provide for greater efficiency in the use of labor and 

 the possibility of taking care of larger producing units with the same amount 

 of labor. The latest developments in spraying materials and methods should 

 be properly studied and adopted. 



Much as can be accomplished on the production side of the business, 

 the opportunities for improvement in the handling and marketing of the product 

 are equally great. The advantageous location of the Massachusetta industry 

 in the midst of the greatest consuming area has not been heretofore explored 

 to the fullest possible extent. There is no reason why more Massachusetts 

 apples should not be sold both within the State and in outside areas if more 

 forceful action is taken in marketing the product and if proper methods are 

 adopted by more growers for the grading, inspecting and packaging of the 

 product. In the matter of the adoption of nev; methods of handling and market- 

 ing their product the Massachusetts fruit producers on the v^hole have been 

 more conservative than those in other sections of the country. The natural 

 advantages of the quality of the local product and of location in the prin- 

 cipal consuming region should enable the fruit growers in this State to im- 

 prove their competitive position considerably, if the modern methods of 

 production and distribution are fully adopted and developed. 



— David Rozman 



A NOTE OH ORCHARD MANAGEMENT 



The campaign to eliminate the plow from our list of farm implements 

 is apparently passing into obscurity and our Massachusetts onion and tobacco 

 growers continue to plow their fields. The plow has, for more than 20 years, 

 been practically obsolete in Massachusetts apple orchards. Sod culture and 

 mulching are the most common practices. Liberal nitrogen applications are 

 essential in the sod orchard but we have observed that nitrogen fertiliza- 

 tion of mulched orchards may be injurious after a few years of liberal ap- 

 plication of mulch. The primary objective in applying phosphorus and potash 

 in the orchard is to favor the grovrbh of grasses and other plants needed to 

 maintain soil organic matter. The v/riter believes that it will pay to use 

 a grass fertilizer, perhaps a 7-7-7 formula on grass land outside the orchard 

 to grow hay for mulching purposes. In our experience such a program will 

 generally make unnecessary any direct fertilizer application to the orchard 

 trees. There are doubtless special cases where something additional will be 

 necessary. 



— J. K. Shaw 



The strawberry planting should be mulched soon after the ground 

 freezes. It is just as important not to mulch too early as too 

 late. It takes several light frosts to accomplish the hardening 

 of the plants, and fully matured plants can endure a temperature 

 as lovif as 21° F. The mulch should be applied before the temper- 

 ature drops below that level. 



