-7- 



practical working program it is advisable not to pcllinate every tree. Applying 

 pollen to every other tree in every other row will ordinarily be adequate if bee? 

 have seme opportunity to work. If time permits, the orchard can be gone over again 

 applying pollen to some of the other trees. 



Although the problem of applying pollen in quantity with a duster and other 

 types of blowers has been investigated to some extent, no practical or effective 

 method has been devised or tested that can be recommended at the present time. 

 iYhen one considers the nature of apple pollen, the problem of collecting it in 

 large quantities, liandling and keeping it in a viable condition and applying it 

 to the small stigmatic surfaces; it seecis, that the process of cross-pollination 

 lends itself mainly to some method of contact such as is performed by bees, other 

 insects or the brush method described above. 



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Place Beehives in the Sun . If possible, beehives in the orchard 

 should be placed~where the sun vdll shine on them and with the 

 entrances toward the east or south. The heat from the sun, and 

 the additional sunlight induce the bees to fly and work on the 

 blossoms at times when colonies in the shade vfill not be active. 



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An Objective in Pruning A federal publication says, "Pruning in the ho.ie 

 orchard is often so done that the result is vrorse than no pruning at all." 

 This statement need not be limited to home orchards. Commercial blocks are 

 frequently pruned in such way that only the more convtnient cuts are made, 

 or so many vigorous, upright growths are removed as to encourage a heavj?- 

 growth of suckers. In bearing trees it is extremely important that those 

 branches and parts of branches which have become submerged and overtopped 

 by younger v/ood, be removed. It is alv/ays advisable to remove the older 

 •TOod instead of trying to invigorate it by giving it more light. 



Set Strawberry Plants Early The strav^rberry plant thrives in 

 cool vfeather. Early set plants are able to develop a root 

 system before weather conditions favor top development and loss 

 of water through the leaves. Furthermore, a runner plant which 

 takes root in July is likely to yield t^idce as many berries as 

 one v^hich starts in September. It is better to set plants in 

 mid-April even though the soil is a little muddy than to wait 

 until mid-May. 



3rowing Peaches in Sod The practice of cultivating a peach orchard until mid- 

 sumjaer or later has been shovm to be unnecessary, and in many cases, detrimental. 

 A peach tree is less able to compete rri-th grass than an apple tree, and if the 

 competition is too severe, the tree fails to make the kind of grovrth v/hich 

 accompanies good production. But if heavily mulched , favorable growing condi- 

 tions are created (See Hay Kulch article on page 3 ) and good crops of excellent 

 quality are produced. Peach trees are being grown under those conditions in 

 several Massachusetts orchards with very favorable results, tho fruit maturing a 

 fevr days earlier and frequently attaining a more attractive color. The secret 

 to bear in mind is that competing vegetation must be fairly well suppressed by 

 the mulch and unless the soil is naturally fertile, a somev/hat heavier fertilizer 

 application may be needed. 



