-7- 



cur eastern varieties arc really carrying a latent virus dis£;ase, virhich, 

 except for dwarfing in varying degrees, may show no other leaf symptoms, 



"Ti'/hat does this mean? Does it mean that we v/ill have to pay mors 

 attention to virus-free plants? Does it moan that some Btatos are better 

 adapted for producing healthy plants than others? Does it mean that i.'e 

 may have to consider controlling on insect vector? Does it m.ean that indexing 

 and certification of strav/berry plants will have to assume a more important 

 role? \'te think it does," 



0. C. Boyd 



DISEASE FIGS PLAIITS IN MASSACHUSETTS 



A plan to establish disease-free standards on Massachusetts 

 grown berry plants was announced today (May 28) by Agriculture Commissioner 

 Frederick E, Cole, Under this plan grades and standards vdll be established 

 based on inspection of nurseries or farms where berry plants are grovm. 

 Owners of disease-free plantations will be authorized to label thoir 

 products shovdng that they had been officially inspected and certified. 



It is tentatively planned to have this certification appear on 

 a blue tag, and the certified nurseries or farms would be known as grov;ors 

 of Blue Tag plants. The tag will be available for use on strawberries, 

 raspberries, blueberries and other berries and small fruits as the need 

 develops. 



The purpose of this certification is to stimulate the growing 

 of disease-free stock in Massachusetts, aiad at the same time to encourage 

 the planting by Massachusetts fruit producers of certified plants which 

 have been groi'm vrithin the Commonwoaltli, 



Public hearings will be scheduled during the early saiimer, at 

 which plant growers v.'ill be given the opportunity of discussing the standards 

 that will be established and of acquainting themselves with the details 

 of the plan. 



VfflERE DOES BROV'IT ROT COIvLS FROM? (This intorosting statement is borrowed 

 from the May is"3ue~f"king Apple and Queen pGach-Illinois) . 



D^vight PcTv.-ell, pathologist of the Department of Horticulture, 

 ansv/ers an important question which will help us to better und-irstand 

 brovm rot and help growers to combat the disease more intelligently, 



"This qu-3ation has been asked many times by growers interested 

 in brov.n rot control on peaches. Each spring during bloom it is possible 

 to find mummies on the ground with a cup-like structure called the apothecium, 

 which ic the perfect stage of the brov.Ti rot fungus, V/ith a small amount of 

 stimulation, a cloud of spores will arise from these apothecia. These 



