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A THOUGHT FOR TODAY - "Keep an open mind and someone may drop an 

 idea into it." 



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Nursery Observations . On a recent 3-weeks nursery inspection trip through 

 Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, the writer had a 

 good opportuiiity to observe nursery practices and compare the type of tree 

 grovm under different conditions. Here are a few observations: 



(1) V/here a soil improvement program, including barnyard manure, 

 fertilized cover crops and crop rotation is carried out, a large, sturdy 

 tree is developed. In contrast, one nurseryman with a large acreage on 

 poor soil has a scattered stand of impoverished trees, many of which are 

 no larger at two years than they should be at one year of age. If he were 

 to concentrate on half or less of his present area, he should be able to 

 grow more good trees at lower cost, to the benefit of his customers. 



(2) The successful nurseryman pays strict attention to each step in 

 the propagation of nursery stock. He selects a good soil, fits it care- 

 fully, grows good seedlings, watches every step in budding to avoid 

 mistakes, controls weeds, and keeps a careful v^atch for insects and 

 diseases. Japanese beetle is not allowed to defoliate his trees. His spray 

 or dust program would do credit to any commercial orchard. In short he 

 plans his operations in such a way that he gets a good stand and grows a 

 high percentage of Number 1 trees. He limits his nursery stock in accord- 

 ance w; oh his labor and management facilities. His margin of pro-f'it is satis- 

 f actor-/ prid he relies on satisfied customers. In fact his sit'jjtion is much 

 like trat of the fruit grower,.-. Acres or number of trees are o .' "'.ess impor- 

 tance than busnels of good fruit and the margin of return over investment. 



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SOME EFFECTS OF T! ' E DR Y SUI-S-'ER 



The 'inprecpdented shortage of rainfall during the past few months has been 

 reflected in dr^^' wells and stream beds, curling corn leaves, brown lav;rs and 

 pastures and a reduced strawberry crop. The high temperatures have favored insect 

 and mite develop!v,int resultiiir; in very heavy ir)';;estations here and there as vrell 

 as heavier late broods. Hot^ dry weather is "made to order" for insects while fungi 

 are favored by lone continued -vet periods. And any grower who finds more scabby 

 apples at this season than bs expect'^d was probably a little too complacent about 

 those seemingly light infections of last Liay. 



With week after week of dry weather during June and July, one wonders how 

 fruit trees have been able to retain their leaves, much less develop a good crop 

 of fruit. The situation might be summarized in this way: A mature apple tree 

 requires several gallons of water each day (as many as 30 in the case of a very- 

 largo tree), A deep, widely ranging system is essential if an unfailing reservoir 

 is to be available. 



Thus a tree with a few of its roots in a permanently moist layer of soil 

 continues to function more or less normally regai'-iless of rainfall. Shallov^r rooted 

 vegetation may show unmistakable drought s;ymptoms but the deeply rooted tree goes 



