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"vVhy Do Remaining Trees Appear Yellov; After Fillers Arc Rernoved? It is a 

 matter of~comKion experience that the removal of every other diaponal rovj- of trees 

 in a crovifded orchard, in sod, does not invogorate the remaining trees the first 

 season, as one might expect. On the contrary, unless these trees are given 

 additional nitrogen, the foliage may appear decidedly yellov^. The reason is 

 probably this: wTien a mature tree is removed viith a tractor or bulldozer, a large 

 proportion of the root system remains- in the ground. Many of the brolcen roots 

 are in close proximity to the roots of the trees left standing. And before this 

 vrood can decay, -,vood rotting fungi must have a supply of nitrogen. The situation 

 is similar to that existing under a sawdust mulch. The organisms which bring 

 about decay become competitors vath the tree for nitrogen. But if enough nitrogen 

 is applied to take care of both the tree and the obscure organisms, decay is 

 rapid and the tree proceeds to take advantage of its newly acquired "elbow room", 

 both above and belovj- ground level. 



Vail Chemical Thinning Make Biennial Varieties Annual? A 

 the Missouri Horticultural Nevj-s, says "Grov/ers interested in chemical thinning 

 of apples frequently ask vrhether this type of thinning will change the alternate 

 year bearing of such pronounced biennial bearer as Yello\T Transparent, Duchess, 

 . wealthy, York or Golden Delicious. The answer is 'Yes' if the expected neavj'- crop 

 in the 'on year' is reduced to an average, or preferably be lov/ average, size by 

 early chemical tliinning. By 'early' is meant not later than 2 weeks, or at most 

 3 vi'cekG after bloom. Thinning must be so heavy that the fruit set in the 'on year' 

 vdll be not much more than 1 apple per 10 flovrer clusters on heavily bloonung 

 trees. But unless trees are maintained in good vigor, there is no assurance that 

 7irhen a thinning spray is used in the 'on year', biennial fruiting trees will snap 

 into heavy production the follov/ing year, ?/hei) trees are devitalized due to 

 over-bearing, lack of soil fertility and poor pruning or spraying, production may 

 be meager in the 'off year' and not much i/ill be gained," 



An Amazing Fly . The apple maggot or railroad v;orrf. fly is a good example of 

 specialization in the insect world. After one, and in some cases tv.'o, vanters in 

 the soil in the pupal stage, the fly works its v:ay to the surface and begins a 

 brief span y/hich may, and frequently does ^ couple telj^^ offset the grov/er's previous 

 pest control measures by ruining an othenvise good crop. The fly scorns able to 

 tell one variety from another, favoring svreeter or non-acid varieties, and 

 invariably laying a largo proportion of its eggs in those varieties which soften 

 early, thus insxiring the development of numerous progeny. The ovipositor is 

 perfectly designed for puncturing the skin of even a very hard apple. That a 

 creature so small can exert pressure enough to place its egg beneath the skin is 

 partially explained by the nature of the puncturing mechanism. The ovipositor, 

 of hard material, appears under a microscope to have a taper at the tip of no 

 more than 10 or 12 degrees v/hich puts it in the class v/ith the finest of needlos. 

 Here is a resourceful enemy which must be met with detemination and persistence. 



Those Rod Chokecherries . Along many Massachusetts roadsides may be seen 

 diseased chokecherries vrith leaves ranging in color from reddish yellow to var;\.'ing 

 shades of reddish brovm. Here are the first plants to take on an autumn color. 

 They are abnormal because of X-disease, and the reddish color should be a dangT 



