-3- 



trate this point. In the early Thirties a series of apple maggot control demonstra- 

 tions was carried out in cooperation vdth A, I, Bourne in about a dozen orchards, 

 located in seven counties. In all of these orchards there had been a heavy infesta- 

 tion previously. But wherever our recommendations were carefully followed, the re- 

 sults were outstandingly good. In six of the orchards, the infestation vraa less than 

 1% in each of the tvro succeeding years. In the fall of 1928, T;-hile J, \T, Dayton 

 was county agent in liiddlesex County, samples of "orchard run" apples were carefully 

 examined for insect and disease blemishes in a number of orchards. It was noted 

 that in three of these samples the percentage of unblemished fruit vms in the upper 

 Eighties, and in one case just over 90%, This marked the beginning of the project 

 known as the "9^jJ^]e an Apple Club" which was operated for five years, 1929-1933. 

 During these/ 120 commercial crops of apples were found to meet the high standards 

 of the Club, and five growers actually met the requirements in each of the five 

 years. Thus a new standard vras established in orchard insect and disease control. 

 Other states have since set up a "9^% Clean Apple Club", 



During the past 30 years the writer has made more than ^000 farm visits, trav- 

 velled at least half a million miles by automobile, conducted about 200 pruning dem- 

 onstrations and has taken part in meetings too ntmerous to mention. If the days 

 devoted to project work in ViTorcester and Ivadd3e sex Counties are- added up, it means 

 that more than a year has been spent in each of these counties. Beyond a few very 

 minor mishaps there have been no serious highway difficulties. But one self-imposed 

 joke is worthy of mention. Soon after arriving in Amherst and before a sense of 

 direction had been acquired, arrangements were made to take a train in Northampton 

 for Boston, presumably via Springfield, After taking a trolley from Amherst to 

 Northampton to board the train, imagine the surprise in finding that t he train pas- 

 ,sed through Amherst over the old Massachusetts Central route of the B&Mo ' .. . 



These have been happy years in Massachusetts, and \vith the cooperation of a 

 host of co-workers, they have been fruitful years. Good friends over the state and 

 elsewhere have contributed much to a store of pleasant memories. Were it not for 

 the blessing of unusually good health there vrould be a strong temptation to remain 

 in Amherst and continue to enjoy life among familiar surroundings. But a combinatiQn 

 of another challenging opportunity with FAO, a firm conviction that a contribution 

 can be made in the field of international understanding and no physical infirmities 

 have prompted the decision to retire and apply the experiences of three decades in 

 an underdeveloped country. 



Among the highlights since 192U, in addition to those previously mentioned are 

 the folloYd.ngj "The New England Seven" project (1S2B) in which the New England states 

 cooperated in preparing a publication in color depicting the seven apple varieties 

 then recommendedj the "Red Apple Club" (19U7-1951) which emphasized three important 

 factors in an apple enterprise, pest control, yield and fruit color; the severe 

 winter of 1933-3U and its aftermathj the hurricanes of 1938 and 195u v/ith the pro- 

 blem of tree salvage involved; tv/ilight meetings which have been conducted during 

 the spraying season for about l8 years j rating of soil types for orchard purposes 

 and a study of root development in relation to soil type; examination of several 

 hundred thousand apples to determine the degree of insect and disease control, grade, 

 etc,; German Prisoner of War apple picking project in the Nashoba area (1546); co- 

 operative strawberry variety tests (l^SS-) j and discussion group meetings in several 

 counties beginning vdth the Sears Study Group in Viforcester, Since 19^0 the Univer- 

 sity has granted three leaves of absence, first, for a 3-months mission vrith the 

 State Department in Germany in the interests of an Extension Service in the French 

 Zone of Occupation, The other two, in 1952 and 1953 ^ of 12 and 3 months respective- 

 ly, were with the Food & Agriculture Organization of United Nations in Yugoslavia, 

 They had to do with the improvement of an extensive fruit industry in that countrya 



