' Finally, other picker "specialists" working with conventional lad- 

 ders follow to pick the remaining top level of the tree. Again, with the 

 lower apples removed, less fruit are bruised or lost as drops. 



The method is not without problems, since a piecework differential 

 becomes necessary. Naturally, the ground based pickers can pick into con- 

 ventional bags at the fastest rate, approximately 12 bu/hr; on 7 ft. step- 

 ladders, l\ to 9 bu/hr; from 18 ft. ladders, 4% - 5 bu/hr. 



Two methods have been suggested to overcome this difficulty. The 

 best method: a "team" divides the day's efforts equally. This is a lot 

 easier said than done, but one grower in California asserts that his sup- 

 ervision problems are considerably reduced because one worker will prod 

 another - to the mutual benefit of all. The foreman's responsibility is 

 largely limited to bruise control and associated problems. The second 

 method employs a combination of minimum wage and bonus - all of which in- 

 volves more paper work and supervision. As an example, a minimum wage of 

 say $1.60 might be set with a "plus or minus" bonus system. The ground 

 based workers would receive 15(|^/bu. over a minimum 10/bu/hr. requirement; 

 the 'hiid section" pickers, 20<^/bu. over 7 bu/hr.; and the "top pickers". 

 25<?/bu. over 5 bu/hr. Individual rates and payment schedules would need 

 to be worked out to suit one's own experience with pickers. 



While this method had not received much acceptance 10 years ago 

 when first introduced to this country, times have changed insofar as the 

 availability of labor is concerned. More recent acceptance is in evidence 

 in many fruit growing locations. Perhaps there may be something here 

 worthy of consideration for New England's growers. 



A limited number of bulletins which describe this method in more de- 

 tail have been secured and can be obtained at no cost by writing to the 

 Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 

 Massachusetts . 



*************** 



DICHLOBENIL NOW LABELLED FOR FRUIT TREES 



William J. Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



Dichlobenil (commercial product Casoron) has label clearance for use 

 in bearing and non-bearing apple, peach, pear and prune-plum orchards. 

 This material is available in wettable powder and granular form. 



Like simazine and diuron, dichlobenil destroys germinating seeds of 

 annual weeds. This means that to be most effective in our sod-mulch or- 

 chards, dichlobenil would have to be used with a contact herbicide. In 

 2 tests at the University orchards, however, mixtures of dichlobenil and 

 contact herbicides gave good initial grass and broadleaf weed control, 

 but did not control grasses (the principal weed problem) as the season 



