- 8 - 



Part oc all of these may be making a very weak growth and sane may be sick cr dead. 

 The sick and dead ones should be removed first, and then the weakest of those remain- 

 ing. Leaving very short stubs aids the next pruning job. Removal of one fourth cf 

 the bush has been found to be sufficient, Overpruning will result in an unnecessary 

 reduction in yield. Although a rough type of pruning can be d'>ne with an axe or hat- 

 chet, a better job can be done with a pair of long-handled, heavy, lopping shears. 

 The removal of dead or sick side branches from the main branches which are left v:ill 

 further invigorate the bush. 



The third operation to be considered is fertilization. This is also important 

 in successfully increasing yields. Pruning and fertilization supplement each oti:;er 

 and both are needed for maximum yield increase, V/ild bushes are usually starxed for 

 nitrngen and will respond to any fertilizer supplying nitrogen. They seldom respond 

 to other elements. Hence, an application of a straight nitrogen fertilizer, such 

 as nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia, or ammonium nitrate, will be most economical. 

 It has been found from experience that an annual shoot g rovrth of about 10 inches re- 

 sults in the highest yields. Fertilization and pruning should be adjusted to get 

 about this amount of gro\vth. As a start it is suggested that nitrate of soda be 

 tried at 200 pounds per acre or other nitrogen soiorces to give an equal amount of 

 nitrogen (sulfate of ammonia 160 pounds, ammonium nitrate 100 pounds ), 



Although these treatments cay result in some increase in s ize of berries, not 

 too much should be expected. Berry size is controlled by heredity as vrell as nutri- 

 tion. Good treatment can increase berry size only as much as heredity vi'ill permit. 

 You can't make a giant of a pigmy by force feeding. To get the best from wild high- 

 bush blueberries give them more light and less competition so they vfill have a chance 

 to grow; prvine and fertilize them to increase V'igor, You'll get more berries and 

 they may be bigger, 



—J.S.Bailey 



SIZING UP THE APPLE SITUATION 



In the mail a few days ago, I found a note from the compiler of FRUIT NOTES 

 saying "it has been some time since you were included among the contributors" v/ith 

 an invitation to s end something along for this issue. By a coincidence, I had just 

 been reading Bill's report on Yugoslavia! conditions, covering the subject of f ruit 

 varieties. I was especially interested to see how sane of our American varieties are 

 getting in over there. We are returning the favor which they accorded us in years 

 gone by with certain varieties which came from the eastem hemisphere. 



Currently the most striking developraent in our New England fruit industry seeas 

 to me to be this pronounced trend in going back to hand sizing of apples. I think 

 of it as history being un-made because my span cf pomological experience covers the 

 time when hand sizing was the general practice and machines were just coming in . Nwvif 

 the reverse is in effect to a certain extent, particularly on late season packing of 

 Mcintosh. One of the factors that might aid in hand sizing now is the use of so many 

 cell carton boxes. It's easier to keep checking your judgment if you are packing 

 cartons, because if the apple is too big, it won't fit, and if too small, it vd.ll 

 rattle aro^jnd, 



I'm an old hand-sizer myself, v;ith my ovm special method: thumb and middle 

 finger rf the left hand just meeting around an apple is my 2 l/U" gauge. If the apple 

 is big enough to allovT one finger of the right hand to be placed in between the two 

 left-hand fingers it's 2 l/2"; if 2 fingers it's 2 3A"; and if 3 fingers it's 3". 



