-8- 



The data indicate that drop was not a serious problem in this orchard until 

 September 24 to 25 v;hen temperatures soared to the raid-eighties during the day 

 and remained in the fifties and sixties at night. On heavily bearing trees 

 without a drop control material (Treatment 1.) a very severe drop occurred after 

 September 24 so that by October 4 about 50 percent of the crop had fallen to the 

 ground. The data, also, show that 2,4,5-TA (Treatment 2.) was completely in- 

 effective through September 24 (13 days after application) but reasonably effect- 

 ive, thereafter, with a total drop by October 4 of about 27 percent of the crop. 

 Ti'io applications of MM (Treatment 3.) were as effective as any treatment but 

 even this treatment v;a3 unable to prevent a 20 percent loss by October 4. From 

 the data, however, it is apparent that our second application of NAA was delayed 

 about 2 days too long since a sizeable loss of fruit occurred from trees receiv- 

 ing this treatment betv;eeu September 24 and 26 (vrhen the first treatment was no 

 longer effective and the second application had yet to become so). A slightly 

 earlier application of the second NAA spray might have saved about 5 percent 

 of the crop from falling. Tlie single application of the mixture of NAA and 

 2,4,5-TA (Treatment 4.) did as good a job as two applications of NAA. This 

 mixture looks very promising but we need more experience with it to be sure of 

 its reliability. All of the treatments hastened ripening slightly as can be 

 seen by the averages shown in Figure 1- 



In this block it is apparent, as far as a commercial application of NAA 

 or a mixture of NM and 2,4,5-TA is concerned for Mcintosh that the initial 

 application might well have been delayed until about September 20 since less 

 than 5 percent drop had occurred up to that time. Since v;c; are interested in 

 testing materials for at least 3 weeks we generally apply treatments ahead of 

 the best commercial timing in order to put the materials through as severe a 

 test as possible. 



F. W. Southwick 



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



PRESENT STATUS OF MASSACHUSETT S FRUIT IN PUS TO Y_ 



A - Analysi s of the Situation 



At the Department of Horticulture Fruit Advisory Council Meeting (the 

 Council was composed of fruit growers, marketmen and University personnel) held 

 on June 12, 1958 the general consensus was: APPLE BUSINESS GOOD - - - PROSPECT 



FOR FUTURE IS BRIGHT CLOSE CONTROL ON PRODUCTION COSTS NliCESSARY - - - 



EXTENSION PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE >njST PLACE MORE EMPHASIS ON HARVESTING AND 

 R\NDLING THE CROP. The Committee felt that new plantings should be encouraged 

 where sites and other factors indicate feasibility. In addition, they thought 

 that continued emphasis must be given to the Certified Cider Mill and Approved 

 Farm Stand Programs and that increased plantings of varieties of early apples 

 are well adapted to many farms. 



A study of harvesting practices in 20 Mcintosh orchards during the 1957 

 harvest season was made by Prof. 0. C. Roberts. In orchards where pickers were 

 paid on a piecework basis 14.4% of the apples harvested had one or more 1/2" 

 bruises while in orchards where pickers were paid on the hourly basis 4.5% of 

 the apples had one or more 1/2" bruises. A tremendous variation in bruising of 

 fruit by pickers v;as evident. Forty-three per cent of the apples picked by some 

 pickers had one or more 1/2" bruises. The study indicated rather conclusively 



