Southern varieties behave q-iite differently'. In sonthern Florida where growing 

 temperatures continue all winter and the day length is as short as 10 hours, flOTjer 

 bud formation continues all winter into April or later when the days lengthen and 

 temperatures become high enough to slow dovm and finally stop flower bud formation. 

 Florida 90, if brought to Massachusetts, v/ould respond unfavorably to both the long 

 daj'S of summer and the severe cold of winter. Conversely, CatskiH or Sparkle, 

 taken to Florida, xrould not grow normally x<7ithout the winter rest and the high 

 temperatures of summer would cause weakness and death. These are extreme cases. 



Moving varieties out of their normal range often causes the berries to become 

 soft and have poor quality. Hoiv'ard 17, Catskill and Robinson when grown in Maryland 

 are too soft to ship. Several Canadian varieties have been tried in Amherst and all 

 v/ere too soft for commercial handling. The old Marshall variety, long the standard 

 of excellence when grown in the north, lacks flavor vxhen gror^n in Maryland. The 

 fabulous yields of the Central Coastal area of California are the result of low 

 temperatures all summer. The cold water of the Pacific keeps the average summer 

 temperature at 60^. At these low temperatures most strawberry varieties will form 

 fruit buds even under long days, especially the California varieties such as Shasta 

 and Lassen, which were bred for these conditions. Taken into the Central Valley of 

 California where the summers are very hot, these same varieties will produce only a 

 spring crop. 



Other examples could be given of the adverse effects of temperature and dav 

 length on varieties of strawberries taken from their normal range. However, it is 

 not intended to discourage grower variety trials but to encourage a more informed 

 approach to such trials. 



John S. Bailey 



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



POMOLOGIGAL PARAGRAPH, 



Approved Farm Stand Program . A note in the October issue of "Fruit Notes" mentioned 

 that two fruit growers in Rhode Island were now program members. In answer to ques- 

 tions asked about this note, any operator of a roadside stand or farm salesroom in 

 New England may become a member of the program if requirements are met. Information 

 on procedure for leasing an Approved Farm Stand Sign can be obtained from the Secre- 

 tary of the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association, Inc., French Hall, Amherst, 

 Massachusetts . 



William J. Lord 



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



RESEAR CH ENTOM OLOGIST 



Dr. Herbert E. Wave, an entomologist with the US DA Agricultural Research Center 

 at Beltsville, Maryland since June of 1961, has been appointed Assistant Professor 



