-5- 



Institute, Hence the idea of reorganizing the present plantings and reducing the 

 older, scattered trees to firewood, vrill have popular appeal, 



^l^.H.Thies 



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A VISIT TO SLOVENIA AND CROATIA 



As this is being written (June 1) in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, 

 the weather is becoming warmer in a country where spring was delayed by at least 

 three weeks. There has been much rain and the usual concern among fruitgrowers 

 about the development of fungus diseases in wet weather. Were it not for the fact 

 that the varieties of apples grown here are, in general, less susceptible to scab 

 the control program wovild present a serious problem. Equipment and materials leave 

 much to be desired, and winter spraying to combat San Jose scale receives more at- 

 tention than the later applications, 



Ifere in Croatia with its terrain extending from the Dalmatian Coast where 

 the climate is sub-tropical to semi-mountainous regions, there is interest in grovr- 

 ing a wide range of fruits, including grapes for wine making, apples, plums, sweet 

 cherries, quinces and others. In a sweet cherry orchard of one variety, visited 

 this week, the yield has been relatively light but is much better this year, 

 Vifhether or not "bouquets" of another variety were used this spring, as was recor>» 

 mended at the time of our visit last year, could not be determined since the mana- 

 ger was not at home. One of the interesting developments in this area is a new 

 Institute for Agricultural Improvement in Slovenia, This district includes 17 

 counties devoted largely to farm crops. However, on the rolling uplands fruits do 

 especially well and the returns from fruit crops compare very favorably with the 

 others, A fruit Section of the Institute is concerned with fxorther developments 

 along that line and vrill have to do with variety testing, demonstrations and ai 

 educational program among farm people. There are eyen suggestions of a modified 

 form of an Extension Service, 



As in other countries where tree frviits are grovm, varieties and rootstocks 

 are of increasing concern. The lengthy list of apple varieties, for example, which 

 makes up the present plantings, will be reduced to include only a few well adapted 

 sorts. In Croatia emphasis will be placed on a maximum of 10 apple varieties for 

 use in future plantings while Slovenia has its iHSlovenia Seven", In one of the 

 Fruit Institutes a study is being made of a large number of wild apples, which have 

 grown here for centuries, in the hope of finding a better rootstock, 



A few days ago a visit was made to the first contour orchard in Croatia, 

 the first row of which we helped to lay out in the spring of 1953* The 1-year-old 

 trees made excellent growth but were more heavily pruned back this spring than we 

 consider advisable in New England, Previously, apple trees were kept in the nur- 

 sery for three years, but with several comparisons of 1 and 3-year-old trees novi 

 under way, the planting of the younger trees is likely to become a common practice. 

 One reason for favoring the older trees is that a large species of rabbit is in- 

 clined to cause more severe damage on 1-year-old trees, Huntiiig regulations do not 

 permit shooting the rabbits except during the hunting season. The past v/inter, 

 Yfith an unusually heavy snowfall, brought more rabbit damage to young orchards and 

 unprotected nurseries than has occured in some years past. 



In Slovenia, it is gratifying to find that a start has been made in estal>. 

 lishing an Extension Service, In 10 of the 19 counties a little Extension V/ork 



