-3- 



That the U. S. normally buys about half of the world supply of 

 bananas? In 1937 v;o imported 63,000,000 bunches and in 1943 only 22,000,000 

 bunches. It will take some time to restore the banana plantations, shipping, 

 and upset conditions in the big bancjia producing countries. In normal 

 times, bananas are considered the most important fruit in v,forld trade. 



That approximately one ton of mulberry leaves is consumed in the 

 production of one pound of silk? More than 25,000 cocoons are involved. 



That fall sot strawberry pl^uits aro unlikely to thriva unless 

 well mulched? Fall planting has one big adv^uitage over late spring planting, 

 in that the roots become established in time to encourage early runner plants 

 the next spring. The principal disadvantage is that the bed must be mulched 

 twice for one crop of berries, and the first mulch must be raked off the 

 following spring to permit the development of runner plrjits. 



That there has been a seven-fold increase in the canning of citrus 

 fruits in the past nine years? During this period there has been slightly 

 less than a three-fold increase in the t'-ztal citrus crop. Nine years ago 

 a little less than one-third of the grapefruit grown in Florida was processed 

 and nov; two-thirds of the crop goes to the canneries. During the scjne peri.xi, 

 processing of orai:ges has increased from about one-seventieth to one-fourth 

 of the total crop. 



That about 14,000,000 pounds of load arsenate are used annually 

 to protect tha apple crop in the State of Yfashington? This is approximately 

 one-fifth of the 75,000,000 pounds estimated to be needed for the entire 

 United States, 



That bagging of quincjs offers excellent possibilities as a means 

 of preventing pest bler.dshes? One Pennsylvania gr:Hver reports using 1000 

 2-pound grape bags to protect the fruit on tv;o trees. Last year his quinces 

 brought $70^00, One quince v/eighed 16 ounces. 



That the Oriental fruit moth, is now quite generally distributed 

 over the United States? It is said that every state except North Dakota 

 either has the pest or is bordered by cjijther st^'.te v/hich is infested. 



That fig trees v;cre first grown in the United States in 1882 when 

 14,000 cuttings of Smyrna figs v>rere imp-'-rted into California? However, 

 no figs developed and it was not until several years later that investigat .:)rs 

 revealed the secret. Wild figs and a tiny wasp were needed to bring about 

 the pollination of the cultivated fig bl.issoEi, 



