- 6 - 



helps the other worker to finish loading c This niethod (B) saved more than one-sixth 

 of the work requirements per 1,000 boxes and reduced the time to load the traler by 

 approximately one-fourth of an hour per 1,000 boxes. 



Method C - Ifethod (C) eliminates the man standing on the ti-ailer platform. This was 

 accomplished by placing hardwood skids across the trailer bed #iich enable the worker 

 to push the stacks of boxes tovrard the center of the trailer after building a stack 

 of the desired height on the edge of the trailer platform. Thereby, the whole load 

 can be handled from the ground. 



Method (C) saved 39 percent of the loading labor required by the conimou 

 method (A) and reduced the elapsed time to load a trailer by nearly UO pei'cent. 



Comparison of the Three Methods 



The results of the study showed that even with the slight variation of 

 methods (A) and (B), it would pay to instruct the man on the trailer to stack the 

 center row of boxes and then help the other worker to finish the load from the ground. 

 Method (C) reduced costs considerably as a result of man hours savede In addition, 

 it may allow the use of a smaller crew because one man can do all the loading and 

 hauling of fruit to the storage. In large orchards the saving in total time may 

 reduce the amount of hauling eq\iipme;it necessary. The difference in the capital cost 

 of equipment for methods (A), (B), and (C) is negligible. The cost of the hardwood 

 strips may be off -set by less wear on the traler platform, 



— ViT.J.Lord 



SEEN AM) HEARD IN THE FIELD 



Powdery Mildew - The author had the opportunity to go on the Hampshire 

 County Fruit Tour to Columbia and Duchess counties in New York, One of the 

 highlights of the program was the visit to Albei-t Cole's farm in Red Hook, 

 where we saw some of Dr. Palmiter's fungicide test blocks for powdery mildew 

 control on Jonathan apples, 



Apple powdery mildew always has been a serious disease of apples 

 west of the Rocky Mountains but has not been so prevelant in the East, Drc 

 Palmiter stated that it has become a serious problem in some of the New York 

 orchards, particularly in the western part of the state. 



The mild winters and the use of organic fungicides were consider- 

 ed tvro of the main reasons for the increase of powdery mildeiT in the New 

 York orchards. The organic fungicides now being used do not control the 

 disease and the mild winters have been f avorable for the over-wintering of 

 the fungus threads. It was evident in the test blocks that sulfur controlled 

 the mildew while the organic fungioides were ineffective. 



The powdery mildew was found on the under side of the leaves on 

 the terminal growth. The affected leaves were crinkled and curled, and the 

 under side of the leaf covered -with grayish or T/hite felt-like patches© In 

 some instances the fungus patches covered the entire under surface of the 

 leaf and the affected foliage v;as hard and bcittle. In addition to the 

 grayish or vfhitish patches, small black patches of winter spores on the af- 

 fected leaf petiole also were noted. The fungus threads of the mildevj- 



