1917, 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



81a 



combating the San Jos6 scale has been very general in the past, 

 and some growers have thought that they had injured their 

 trees in this way. In this experiment we have a block of trees 

 which has been sprayed with oil each year since 1909, as 

 against one sprayed from 1909 to 1911, inclusive, and not 

 since then, and another sprayed from 1909 to 1913 and not 

 since. 



2. Experiments were begun in 1916 to test the effect of lime- 

 sulfur at the strength that is usually used on dormant trees, 

 but applied in the late spring after the buds have begun to 

 start. The object of this was twofold, — first, to note its effect 

 on the expanding leaves, and second, to control the aphis. 

 There was practically no damage to the leaves, although the 

 last application was made after the blossom buds had begun 

 to show pink, and the spray materially reduced the number 

 of aphids. The work will be continued in 1917. 



3. The department has been gradually extending its variety 

 plantations until it now has the following numbers of varieties 

 in the different fruits : — 



Apples, 132 



Pears, 44 



Peaches, 40 



Plums, 30 



Nuts, . . . . .12 



Grapes, . . . . .50 



While the evidence in regard to the value of some of these 

 is by no means conclusive, yet in many cases we already have 

 sufficiently definite results to say whether or not they are of 

 value to Massachusetts fruit growers, 



4. The department has several plantations of dwarf trees, 

 especially apples, which are beginning to give some very inter- 

 esting results. It seems very evident that the large, or doucin, 

 dwarf in particular may have a very distinct value in Massa- 

 chusetts fruit growing. It would, of course, be especially suited 

 to home plantations, but also seems promising, at least as a 

 filler, in commercial plantations. The following varieties have 

 been noticeably successful in this stock: — 



