-4- 



the older, drooping, shaded parts of limbs. A study of the kind of fruit produced 

 on those handicapped parts of the tree at harvest time v;ill reveal the reason. A 

 secondary branch graving do\';nvvard from the underside of a scaffold ILmb on a mature 

 tree vifill tend to produce fruit of sr.:aller size tind poorer color. This is especially 

 true if the branch is in dense shade, because the lea.ves from v/hich the apple obtains 

 its carbohydrates have poorer light exposure and are therefore less efficient. 



Everything v/o do in the orchard is done with one objective in mind, — the 

 production of a profitable crop, Yflien v;e prune a tree wo have in mind more effec- 

 tive spraying, branch spacing and the retention of those parts of the tree v;hich are 

 most capable of bearing high grade fruit. Harvest time is the season when v/e can 

 size up our pruning efforts a:id lay pltms for next March v;hen ws again get out the 

 pruning saw, V/e might mark for removal a fev/ branches v;hich are now producing low 

 grade apples, instead of trying to invigorate those branches by removing younger, 

 and therefore much more valuable parts of the tree, 



A fruit spur may bear a good apple now aiad then for a period of about 8 or 

 10 yo:.rs, Vfl-ien it has outlived its usefulness, the ohai-.ces are the brtuich to which 

 the spur is attached is partially overtopped by younger brunches with younger spurs. 

 In pruning, v;c therefore remove many of the older branches entirely instead of 

 bothering v;ith individual spur removal. Much c;an be done to improve the grade of 

 fruit in most bearing trees by confining the cuts very largely to older branches 

 an inch or less in diametef, 



IvOT3S CN HOUSE CONTROL 



The practice of piling heavy mulch up to and against the base of fruit treps 

 for the purpose of sraothering the grass is one that appears to be growing in popu- 

 larity among some commercial orchardists. Usually the intention of the grower is 

 to remove the mulch from the tree base after harvest is completed. However, there 

 have been instances where this operation was overlooked, and serious damage by mice 

 resulted. Since orchard mice have been knovm to damage tree trunks and roots during 

 every month of the year, trnd particularly during the early Fall months, placing of 

 the mulch directly against the trunk of the tree is hazardous. Extra mulch shoul d 

 not be placed within three feet of the tree trunk, if mouse injury is to be proTen- 

 ted . ' ~ 



Damage of trees by mice is easily dotectod at this time of year. Trees vrith 

 small, sparse, light-colorjd leaves and poor teaminal grov;th should be examined for 

 mouse injury. After the i'javes fall, trees v/ith sjiy of those sjTnptoms may be  

 difficult to find or entirely forgotten. If marked noT/v, extra care may bo given 

 these trees during the approaching Fall and Winter months and a bct-cer job of mouse 

 eradication can be done. 



Quite often trees damaged bolo-,; the ground level by mice arc located in 

 sections of the orchard that are particularly favorable to mice. These areas 

 should receive special attention suid one or t\70 extra poison bait applications, 



Orchardists who have sections in their <;rchard v/hcrc mice have been a problem 

 and where control methods have boon unsuccessful should contact their Cou/nty 

 Agricultural Agent for advice, 



— Carl B, ]Ienry, Rodent Control Agent 



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