52 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 305 



and very sharply serrated, wavy leaves, a character usually associated with 

 eglandular leaves. At present no data are available to explain this behavior. 



Effect of Pruning Bearing Trees. (J. K. Shaw and O. C. Roberts.) The two 

 projects formerly listed as dealing with pruning bearing trees may be considered 

 as one. Yields are not often reduced by light pruning but they may be if pruning 

 is severe. The average size of fruits is often a little larger on pruned trees than 

 on unpruned ones. Color of certain red varieties is likely to be improved by 

 pruning, but improvement in pest control is generally small or absent. In the 

 40-year-old orchard much work has been required during the past two years 

 to cut out dead and dying wood. It thus appears that bearing trees must be 

 pruned sooner or later, for dead branches furnish an opportunity for decay to 

 enter and threaten the life of the tree. It must be as well or better to cut out weak, 

 shaded wood before it dies. Ail the pickers agree that picking is more difificult 

 on the unpruned trees. 



Comparison of Cultivation and Sod in a Bearing Orchard. (J. K. Shaw.) 

 The fertilizer treatment of this orchard was the same as in 1932. Two cultivated 

 plots in this orchard which had had no fertilizer for twelve or more years received 

 a complete fertilizer in 1932 and 1933. No significant increase in production 

 appeared last year, but in 1933 these plots produced the largest crops since 

 planting. The purpose has been to increase growth of cover crop and thus the 

 organic matter in the soil. While the cover crops were somewhat better in 1933 

 there can be no great increase of organic matter yet. The fertilizer program will 

 be continued to see if the complete fertilizer gives better results than are obtained 

 on the plots receiving nitrogen only. The crop for the latter plots was small. 

 The sod plot receiving nitrogen and potash showed for the first time an increased 

 yield of Baldwins, while the superior yield of Mcintosh was not maintained so 

 well this year. Twigs of both Baldwin and Mcintosh from this plot showed 

 higher potash content than others from a similar plot fertilized with onl^- ni- 

 trogen. 



Results from this orchard under observation for twelve years suggest the in- 

 adequacy of both the sod-nitrogen program and continued cultivation with a 

 cover crop sown in early July. 



The plot in cultivation without fertilizer continued to give low yields though 

 they have been larger than they were in the earlier years, probably due to in- 

 creased size of the trees. 



Comparison of Clover Sod and Grass in a Sod Mulch Orchard. (J. K. Shaw.) 

 The effort to maintain a sod of white clover by fertilizing with potash, phosphorus, 

 and lime has proved a failure in this orchard. For the past three jears the grass 

 has been allowed to grow all summer partly to avoid the expense of mowing and 

 partly to see what would be the effect on the trees. This may have been the 

 reason for the disappearance of white clover. There does not seem to be any 

 marked injury to the trees but, as no direct comparisons can be made, it cannot 

 be said that no harm has resulted. 



These white clover plots were given an application of a complete fertilizer in 

 1933 the same as the other plots. This seems to have increased the production 

 from these plots, while that from the plots which have had a complete fertilizer 

 for the past 11 years was smaller than previously. This experiment will be 

 redirected next year. 



Tests of Different Amounts of Nitrate of Soda. (J. K. Shaw.) Following 

 the revised plan of using a complete fertilizer with 10, 17J^, and 25 pounds of 



