-6- 



Tho orchard fl:)or is important in nead tw mouse control. The sm )other 

 the orchard floor, the less riajjes, ruts, harrow uarks, holes left by tree 

 renoval, stonewalls and brush rove's, the easier it is to control nice. 



To deterraine the degree of nouse infestation in your orchard, 

 follOT.' those simple practices, 



(1) lYhcn mowing late in the surnraer watch for evidence of mice, 



(2) THiile gathering windfall apples note areas in the orchard where 

 most apples are nibbled. 



(3) If havfks are seen circling over orchard, skunk and fox digging 

 are n jticed or cats are observed catching mice, look for evidence of the 

 presence of these rodents, 



(4) The tree-girdling nice are the only real trail builders; theref )re, 

 search for their rumvays under hay mulch cjid in rcaik vegetation, 



(5) Also learn to detect active i-unways by noting fresh grass clippings, 

 empty seed hulls, nibbled Vifindf alls and fresh excreta, 



co-operators of the Fish a:id y/ildlife Service have established 

 a bait mixing station at Ar.iherst, Massachusetts to fiicilitate the preparation 

 and distribution of poison bait for use in controlling nice. Inf orr.iation 

 on hovif to procure these baits can be obtained from your County Agents, 



Fresh apple cubes one half inch or larger treated with zinc phosphide 

 placed in active runways in^Aediately after windfalls are picked up will give 

 excellent results when thoroughly and properly applied. One such treatment 

 yearly should be sufficient. Stonewalls, brush rows, stone drains should 

 be re-treated before snow falls. The broadcasting of poison baits is not 

 recommended, not only because of the poor results obtained in the control 

 of mice but also, because of the danger to other wild life, Tifhile mouse- 

 signs in the orchards this year may not be as easily seen as last year, 

 no grov/er should omit this work from his orchard program or permit it to be 

 done haphazardly, A job worth doing is worth doing well. 



CONTROL OF ODORS DJ FRUIT ST0R.;GES 



(The following suggestions from Dr. Smock of Cornell University 

 are particularly timely at this season when apples are being stored in all 

 sorts of storages, good, bad and indifferent.) 



Stored fruits absorb odors very readily. Apples have been dis- 

 counted in price in late spring because they had absorbed foul odors in 

 st "^rage. Those absorbed .odors do not leave the apples very readily even after 

 they have been removed fr^vm storage. For example, one lot of applesauce had 

 to be destroyed because the apples used in its manufacture had been stored 

 v/ith potatoes. 



There are many sources of foul odors which may c -:»ntaninate fruit 

 in storage. Sometimes building materials are the source of odors, Occasi 'n- 

 ally other f'^'^ds stored with the fruit are the source of trouble. Potatoes 



