THE RELATIONSHIP OF FRUIT SIZE AND WATER CORE AND 

 BREAKDOWN OF DELICIOUS 



Williajn J. Lord and Richard A. Damon 

 Departments of Plant and Soil Science and Statistics, respectively 



It is stated in literature that water core is more severe in large 

 than in small Red Delicious and that small apples make better recovery 

 from this disorder. A study conducted by the authors during the 1963 - 

 1964- and 1964 - 1965 storage seasons showed that Delicious fruit that 

 averaged 1/3 to 1/2 inch smaller diameter than other fruit from the same 

 pickings were sometimes as severely affected with water core or internal 

 breakdown as the larger fruit. Small but severely water-cored apples 

 developed internal breakdown as soon during storage as the larger fruit. 

 In both years, breakdown was present after 1 month of cold storage plus 

 7 days at room temperature, and at removal after 2 months of cold stor- 

 age. Consequently, severely water-cored Delicious apples should be dis- 

 posed of soon after harvest, regardless of fruit size. 



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BIRD DEPREDATION OF BLUEBERRIES AND ATTEMPTED 

 CONTROL IN MASSACHUSETTS^ 



William J. Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



Both cultivated blueberries and lowbush blueberries are produced 

 and sold commercially in Massachusetts. With a few exceptions, however, 

 these are produced in many small plantings or fields by part-time farm- 

 ers with several farm enterprises. More than 3 00 acres of cultivated 

 blueberries are grown commercially throughout Massachusetts. The low- 

 bush blueberry industry is centered in the Granville -Blandford area of 

 Hampden County and in Northern Worcester County. Production of lowbush 

 blueberries is estimated at 300 tons. 



Complaints of Bird Damage Voiced Many Years 



The location and proximity of most small cultivated blueberry plant- 

 ings in Massachusetts to optimum songbird habitat makes them exceedingly 

 vulnerable to depredation. For these reasons, damage has been severe and 

 complaints loud and numerous. As a result of these complaints, a Bird 

 Control Project was initiated in 1956 by the Department of Wildlife Man- 

 agement at the University of Massachusetts, with 3 major objectives: 

 (a) to determine the species of birds doing the damage, (b) to determine 

 the extent of damage, and (c) to attempt to find means of reducing or 

 eliminating bird depredation. The results of the findings have been sum- 

 marized at periodic intervals (2,3,5,6,7). 



Excerpts of talk presented at the North American Blueberry Workers' 

 Conference, University of Maine, April 6-7, 1966. 



