of most jjiterest were selected. After a presentation rf the essential facts and a 

 review of methods in other countries, the topic was thrown open for discussion. The 

 questions and comments in these sessions were very interesting. 



As a direct result of tl^e seminars, several simple demonstrations of recommend- 

 ed practices were arranged, including insect control, pruning, mulching, contour 

 planting, etc. These demonstrations have attracted much attention since they involve 

 cultural practices with which the people were not previously familiar. The methods 

 of controlling San Jose scale and codling moth in the United States should prove of 

 particular value, since these pests are taking a very heavy toll. 



Readers of FRUIT NOTES may wonder how one would solve the language problem in 

 a country where very few people speak English, Each Republic supplied an interpreter, 

 of whom three were graduates of American universities (Maine, Vermont and Cornell), 

 Host of these interpreters served very creditably. However, with most of the educa- 

 ted people speaking some German, my acquaintance with that language came in very 

 handy. On several occasions, two or more days were spent with individuals who spoke 

 little or no English, and it was necessary to con'Terse entirely in German, 



In the next issue of FRUIT NOTES we intend to say something about soil manage- 

 ment practices. There may be an idea ortivo of interest in New England, In visiting 

 a foreign country one v/ould be short sighted indeed if he asstmied entirely the atti- 

 tude of a teacher, and shovred no interest in learning. The writer a^ed many questions 

 about their commonly accepted horticultural methods. Some of the answers may be wor- 

 thy of consideration. An ingenious and successful method of grafting grapevines is 

 an example, 



W, H, Thies 



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V'fhy Add Nitrogen to Sawdust? Sawdust, used as a mulch or for improving 

 the structure of soils, is known to depress plant growth. The reason is 

 briefly this; Soil bacteria and fungi which bring about the decay of or- 

 ganic material need nitrogen to carry on their activities and if necess- 

 ary will rob-the'soil td get it. Sawdust and other wood wastes are very 

 lovif in nitrogen. Hence the addition of supplemental nitrogen is nesess- 

 ary to overcome the depleting effect on the nitrogen in the soil. About 

 ,8 of a pound of ammonium sulfate or »$ of a pound of ammonium nitrate or 

 their equivalent in other forms per bushel of loose sawdust, is recommen- 

 ded. The yellow leaves of plants growing where sawdust has been used lib- 

 erally bespeak nitrogen starvation. Sawdust literally brings about an im- 

 balanced condition in the soil. It does not exert an actual toxic influ- 

 ence, 



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How Insects Breathe , In SCIMTIFIG AIJIERICAN (February '53) there appeared an in- 

 teresting article on this subject. It is of interest to fruit growers because in- 

 sect control involves an understanding of insect anatomy. Some insects can be 

 smothered because the respiratory system by-passes the blood and delivers oxygen 

 directly to every one of the millions of cells in the various tissues and organs. 

 This is accomplished by a complicated system of breathing tubes, called tracheae. 

 These air filled tubes branch repeatedly, and the finest tubes, as small as capi- 

 llaries in the human system, come in contact with each cell. Oxygen diffuses 

 through this system. It is the dream of the entomologist to fill these tracheal 

 tubes with an insecticide. 



