-6- 



A NOTS OM FOLLINATIOH 



The effect of a noar-by pollcnizer on the crop of Mcintosh nay be 

 observed over and over again in Massachusetts orchards this fall. The light 

 crop in many orchards is probably due less to frosts than it is to faulty 

 pollination. In a season when bee flight is limited, we must mrjco it easy 

 for the bees to carry suitable pollen to the I.lclntosh blossoms, Farm, sunny 

 weather during the blossoming period may bo extremely liraited, A Mcintosh 

 tree next to a Red Astrachan tree stcjids a much better chance than a Mcintosh 

 tree in the middle of a Mcintosh orchard, Yfe would go so far as to suggest 

 that the ideal arrangement in a Mcintosh orchard is for every tree of that 

 variety to be not more than one tree distant from a good pollcnizer . In a 

 solid bloc!: of Mcintosh trees no better solution can be found than to graft 

 one prominent branch in each tree to a good pollcnizer such as Rod Astrachan 

 or Golden Delicious, 



TO PROP OR NOT TO PROP 



In years past it was not at all uncommon to see heavily loaded 

 apple trees generously supported by prop poles of assorted lengths, Ono tree 

 might have a dozen or more props tilted outviard from tho tr^jnlc to relieve the 

 strain on crotches in danger of splitting, i\nd in the off season, huge piles 

 of these poles were in evidence at points convenient for next year's uso and 

 for winter quarters of the codling moth, as well. Today, propping of apple 

 trees seems to be less coinmon. If such is the case, what may be the reason? 

 Right or r;rong, here's our guess: 



Modern pruning methods tend to develop a tree vdth stronger frame- 

 work, A loader tree, '>vith its v/ide angled scaffold limbs and its absence 

 of v/horls, v/ill support a tremendous load of fruit mtli little or no breakage. 

 Limbs will curl dovaward, in a mamior reminiscent of the Norway spruce, but 

 tho sturdy crotches refuse to give v.'ay. If breaks do occur thoy arc usually 

 found where a limb has been allowed to divide into two more or less equal 

 parts. 



In a vase-form tree, or ono of the multiple leader typo, a heavy 

 load of fruit may cause a third or half of the tree to split away. Or we 

 may find a three-way split v/ith the entire tree resting on tho ground. It is 

 no wonder if the owner would consider spending v.'eeks cutting prop poles, after 

 the complete loss of a fevif trees capable of bearing 25 bushels of apples each, 



Tliis fall ono may see unpropped orchards bearing more thc>Ji 400 

 bushels per aero vdth only an occasional limb giving vfay. Seldom does the 

 broken part ai.icujat to mere tlian a tenth of the tree because tho framework 

 is designed for holding up heavy crops of fruit over the normal life span of 

 tho orchard. The situation may be suraj~arized in this way: Prop poles are 

 much less essential in trees of good frar.iework. They provide hibernating 

 quarters for codling moths. Unless properly placed, breakage nay occur in 

 spite of propping. Placing' props involves skilled labor and thoy tend to 

 intorforo v/ith harvesting. All things considered, perhaps vra should put more 

 emphasis on pruning and reduce our props to firewood. 



