PLASTIC MULCH FOR STRAWBERRIES 



While I was in California I visited some strawberry fields where plastic 

 mulch is being tried. Only a few of the many strawberry growers there are 

 trying it. It is still considered in the experimental stage. It is true 

 that during a three weeks rainy period in the early part of the season plas- 

 tic mulch prevented many berries from rotting (I v/as assured that such weath- 

 er was very unusual). In California strawberries are grown by the hill sys- 

 tem. This makes it possible to cut holes in the plastic strips and pull 

 the plants through. 



In the summer of 1956, a small amount of plastic mulch was donated for 

 trial by one of the manufacturers. I gave some to two growers who use the 

 Cape Cod spaced row system. Both reported that it was almost impossible to 

 set runner plants through the mulch. At the end of the season the runner 

 plants set through the plastic were much smaller than those set without it. 

 I can see no possibility of using plastic mulch where the matted row system 

 is used. Only some type of hill system appears adapted to its use. Climate 

 is also a factor. Plastic mulch appears to be shorter lived in the north- 

 eastern states than in California. Even the black mulch, which is most 

 resistant to sunlight, has deteriorated badly in about two years. 



Although the results here have not been very encouraging, it is still 

 possible that with changes in the material itself and in methods and prac- 

 tices in strawberry growing, plastic mulch may be useful. 



---John S. Bailey 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



COMPOSITION OF VERI-IONT ORCHARDS 



A survey of Vermont commercial apple orcliards conducted during the 1957 

 growing season v/as the first complete survey of this kind. Of the 104 apple 

 plantings surveyed, only 86 are of commercial importance. These 86 orchards 

 involve 3562 acres on which 122,000 trees are being grown. In line with a 

 trend observed from other orcharding states, orchards of 500 trees or less 

 have only 4% of the tree population while even though only 22% of the orchards 

 were above the 2,000 tree size, they included more than 56% of the tree 

 population. 



Mcintosh is far ahead of any other variety with 64% of the tree popula- 

 tion followed by Northern Spy with 12% and Red Delicious with 10%. Cortland 

 is the fourth important variety with only 6%. Greenings are down to 2%. This 

 is the continuation of a definite trend during recent years to fewer varieties.. 

 With better than 90% of Vermont's commercial apple trees limited to four 

 varieties, it is not at all surprising that Baldwins, Wealthy, Fameuse and 

 Northwest Greenings are no longer being grown. 



