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An Editorial Headachu , January FRUIT NOTES is delayed for this 

 reason: The stencil' had to be cut a second tLne because the 

 first one \:a6 so orittle froiu long storage that it v/ould not 

 hold together for duplication, putting a 10-page stencil tv.dce 

 in a busy office presents quite a problem, 



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" He Had Good Plants to Start ilth y Strawberry grm.'ere in Washington and Oregon were 

 faced vdth a production problem siiuilar to ours in luassachugetts. Yields have been 

 decreasing until they have reached such a low level in some fields that the growers 

 were losing money. They were faced with the practical certainty that unDe ss they 

 did sorce thing they ;Yould have to go out of the strawberry business. They chose to 

 act, The story of what they did, called "Strawberries by the Ton", appears in the 

 fall issue of the KA.TIONAL FERTILIZER REVIEW, Several lessons can be learned from 

 this story. 



Production was increased by proper soil preparation, correct fertilizer pra- 

 ctice ar^ irrigation. These have been well emphasized as they should be ardall are 

 important in Massachusetts because even irrigation is becoming a must for a good crop 

 in most years* A fourth factor which contributed to their success was passed over 

 too lightly. It is a matter of Just as great, if not even greater, importance than 

 the three which were stressed. The last sentence in the article, referring to one 

 of the growers, states, " He had ^ good plants to start with," Another grower "put out 

 Qertlfied Margfcall plants^ ^fCio'od plants"! "^Certified plants" I That's very ioipcrt- 

 ant, Iviarshall," their principal variety, has been infected with virus for years. 

 The yellow margins of the leaves v/hich were thought to be a varietal characteristic 

 proved to be a symptom of virus Infection, "/lOst of our commercial varieties don't 

 show such characteristic symptoms of virus but they may be just as isick. Sick plants 

 won<t be top-notch producers no matter vfhat is done to them. 



— -J.S.iBailey 



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Note on the "Allen Method" of Lowering Tall Trees , A letter just received 

 from Joseph H, ^Putnam, fomer county agricultural agent in Franklin County, 

 now in Florida, expresses concern about the kind of pruning depicted in 

 December FRUIT NOTES. He refers to the experience of grovrers before V/orld 

 War 1 when severely pruned Baldwin trees never thereafter bore a crop of 

 fruit, "De-horning", as then practiced, proved an expensive experiment, 

 I'lr. Putnam fears that slnilar drastic prvining is now recommended, and urgefl 

 the utmost caution. In reply we have indicated the need for lowering the 

 tops of Mcintosh trees, and that our recommendations in iiassachusette are 

 quite different from the "de-hornlng method" of years past, is favor the 

 removal of those towering second story branches which are not only out of 

 reach themselves but prevent the development of fruiting wood at a lower 

 level. This does not mean approval of all details of the "Allen ilethod". 

 Furthermore, orchard meetings are being held in several counties this winter 

 at Tfhlch the "Allen Method" is carefully appraised, improvements suggested, 

 and needed precautions emphasized, kr. Putnam's letter is greatly appre- 

 ciated. It will help to avoid some of the mistakes of the past and insure 

 cautious procedure as v/e adapt our tall McIntoBh trees to the modern air- 

 blast sprayer and the l5-foot ladder. 



