- 7 - 



There is still no control for red stele other than resistant varieties. Some 

 soil fumigants look promising but too little experimental evidence is available to 

 dra\T any conclusions, 



—John S, Bailey 



BRUISES COST MONET- 



Would you knoiving^y pass by a twenty dollar bill lying on the sidewalk and not 

 pick it up? 



Possibly, you are passing up many twenty dollar bills by careless handlii^ 

 of your apples. 



As reported in "Apple Research Digest" the V/ashington State Apple Commission 

 estimates that over the past eight years, because of better handling methods, 

 Yfashington State apple growers have saved |2, 000,000 annually. 



In 19hMi7 the Apple Commission made a survey of Delicious apples on re- 

 tail display and found 31,8 per cent of them severely bruised. After bringing this 

 situation to the attention of the grovrers by means of films, posters and similar 

 devices, the number of severe bruises was reduced to 11,0 per cent as determined tiy 

 another survey made in 195^^-55 • 



The recent survey of Mcintosh apples on retail display in Massachusetts showed 

 23 per cent as being severely bruised. This would indicate that Massachusetts 

 grovTers might save thousands of dol].ars at least by adopting measures which would 

 reduce bruising to a minimum, 



—0,0 .Roberts 



############# 



POMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 



5. Black-Root Rot 

 of Strawberries 



One of the newest projects in the list of research projects of the Pomology 

 Department is that concerned with the cause and control of black-root rot in straw- 

 berries. This is being carried on under an informal cooperative agreement with the 

 U.S.D.A, Vife are working on control measures; the U.S.D.A, man on causal agents and 

 their nature. 



The black»root rot disease can be found in all parts of Ldassachusetts, It 

 is more serious in some sections than in others. It is extremely serious in the 

 Southeastern corner of the state, A state-wide survey carried out in the fall of 

 1953 (see FRUIT NOTES for November 2k, 1953) showed that nematodes are generally 

 present in plants suffering from black-root rot, and that usually the plants showing 

 the worst black-root have the highest population of nematodes in their roots. 



The presence of nematodes in the roots of black-root rot infected plants 



