6. Stem Pitting virus is less a problem today than it was 10 or 

 15 years ago but it is present in some orchards every year. 

 It was a very serious problem in the late 1950's and was identi- 

 fied as a virus in the early 1960 's through the efforts of 

 Drs. J.C. Barrat, W. Virginia; S.H. Miretich and H.W. Fogel of 

 the USDA and Drs. F.H. Lewis, R.F. Stouffer and F.N. Hewetson 

 in PA. Nursery trees purchased today are far superior to those 

 of 15 years ago from the standpoint of being free of the Stem 

 Pitting virus. Nematodes transmit the disease and this is a 

 major reason for fumigating the soil. Bud wood selection by the 

 nursery is equally or more important. 



Other Practices 



Variety Selection . In New Jersey the two major requirements in 

 the selection of peach varieties for planting are cold hardiness of 

 buds and bacterial spot disease resistance. Observations during the 

 last 10 years make it possible to recommend a scries of varieties 

 that are superior in these two characteristics. Other desirable 

 qualities include fruit firmness, color, flavor, and size, and tree 

 vigor and growth characteristics. It isn't possible to find all of 

 the best in any one variety, perhaps, but a few varieties have the 

 2 major requirements plus several other desirable qualities. A 

 few of the best that we recommend in order of ripening include: 

 Candor, Garnet Beauty, Harbelle, Redhaven, Harken, Harbrite, Summer- 

 glo (NJ233) , Norman, Biscoe, Cresthaven, Jerseyglo (NJ244) and Emery. 

 A few nectarines that show promise include: Harko and Sunglo (Red- 

 haven season) , RedGold (Cresthaven season) and LateGold (Rio) . 

 Loring, Blake, Jerseyqueen and Rio-Oso-Gem are major varieties in 

 New Jersey and yet Loring, Jerseyqueen and Blake are not bud hardy; 

 Blake, Jerseyqueen and Rio-Oso-Gem frequently have serious infections 

 of bacterial spot and Rio is a poor tree. Blake is probably phasing 

 out and Jerseyqueen also, but wholesale market demand is a factor in 

 variety selection. Retail or pick-your-own selling can include some 

 varieties not the best for shipping. 



Bulk Hauling . Bulk handling from the orchard to the packing house, 

 into the storage and on to trucks is common practice in practically 

 all orchards. Bulk hydrocooling has replaced packed box hydrocooling 

 in many operations for more rapid cooling and efficiency, especially 

 during heavy harvest. 



Fruit Thinning . Growers have tried and used all chemical thinners 

 available as they appeared, and watched them disappear sometimes 

 with regret. Dinitro first appeared in the 1940's, and then through 

 the years NPA and CPA appeared, stayed for a while and then were 

 removed. There is no chemical for use on peaches today but Ethephon 

 will thin. Considerable research has been done regarding Ethephon 

 as a peach thinner beginning in 1968. One of the problems has been 



