-h- 



lime may so disturb the Ca/Bo ratio that boron deficiency symptoms may develop. 

 Boron deficiency symptoms have already been observed with many crops in this 

 state, including the fruit crop. It would appear wise, therefore, to supplement 

 most hea\fy applications of lime with a suitable application of borax. 



The unprecedented drought this year has caused heavy financial losses to 

 Massachusetts farmers but even the lining of this black cloud (or perhaps lack of 

 clouds) has just a tinge of silver on it. Dairymen have never cured better hay 

 and the land in orchards and elsewhere was never in better shape to receive a 

 liberal application of lime. There shoiild be no extracting of mired lime trucks 

 from wet spots in the field this year. 



— Yfilliam G. Colby 



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COUNTY AGENTS ' CORNER 



(Observations reported by Lewis A. Norwood of Plymouth Coimty) 



It looks as if the mulching program in the State Farm orchard is paying off, 

 especially during this dry spell. Vifallace Pratt has an excellent crop and the 

 leaves are large and of very fine color, ''iially has had considerable trouble with 

 Grape Cane Qallmaker in his vineyard this season. He has picked off 20 bushels 

 of the galls and destroyed them. It is the worst infestation that he can 

 remember. His method of pruning the Fredonia variety is working out very \vell. 

 He has adopted a system v^hich involves weighing the prunings and leaving 

 proportionately more buds on large vines. In other words, the number of buds 

 varies in accordance with the weight of the prunings. He looks forward to a good 

 crop of Fredonias this season. 



Dry weather has hit the strawberry crop in this section, George Rounds is 

 cooperating with the Extension Service in a test planting involving 5 varieties. 

 Midland, Fairland, Sparkle, Catskill and Howard. 



The County is fairly free from Apple Scab. Seme Scab, however, has been 

 noticed in the tops of trees in one commercial orchard Vv-here a speed sprayer has 

 been used. Minor refinements in spraying technique are apparently needed. 

 Clover Mite has been observed in Plymouth County orchards in the past few weeks. 

 There is also considerable Rosy Aphis damage especially on the Cortland variety. 

 Ralph Baker plans to use a dormant D-N this fall to clean up Ihis troublesome pest. 



Essex County Fruit Grovjers Look Ahead (Observations reported by Calton 0. 

 Cartwright) 



\irhile some of our younger fruit growers would think tivice before planting 

 an orchard which they might think was for' the benefit of the next generation, 

 "Dean" Harry Seagrave, manager of Long Hill Orchards, Inc., West Newbury, set out 

 a new peach and plum orchard last year and is now planning for an apple orchard 

 to be set on the contour in 1950. "Bill" Thies said on his last visit to this 

 orchard, "If our younger fruit grovrers had the enthusiasm and confidence in the 

 future that our "Dean" (of 80 odd summers) has, our fruit industry would surely 

 prosper." 



