28 X. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION, [Bulletin 171 



reported that wild apples do not grow near their trees. Of the 

 latter, however, a considerable number are to be accounted for 

 because the grower lives in a village or other somewhat closely 

 settled community. 



Our study of the question seems to warrant the statement that 

 wild apples are more or less prevalent throughout practically all 

 of that part of the state in which the apple is grown commercially, 

 except in the few towns bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. In 

 the latter there is an occasional tree, but they are scarce. In 

 a great many towns wild apples are exceedingly common, occur- 

 ring at comparatively remote points in wooded areas as well as 

 in pastures and fields. In fact, on numbers of farms part of the 

 cultivated apples are seedling trees that have been grafted, the 

 trees left standing where they sprang up, or transplanted into 

 rows. 



One hundred and twenty-five growers offered observations as 

 to infestation of wild apples by the maggot. Of these 103 stated 

 that the wild fruit near their orchard was infested; 22 stated that 

 it was not. 



In general it is unquestionably true that seedling apples, 

 especially such as drop and become soft before freezing weather, 

 are infested. 



AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, AND SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS. 



Of 222 growers, 182, or 82 per cent, reported in 1910 that in 

 the preceding two or three years there had been much damage by 

 the maggot. Eleven growers, or 5 per cent, stated that there 

 had been '"some" injury. Fifteen growers, or 6.7 per cent, 

 defined the injury by limiting it to early apples. Fourteen 

 growers, or 6.3 per cent, stated that there had not been much 

 injury in their neighborhoods. 



A considerable number offered the observation that the injury 

 varies from year to year, being excessive in seasons when the 

 apple crop is short following years of heavy crop. In a number of 

 cases it was argued, as the writer believes correctly, that a year 

 of large apple crop is favorable to the maggot, while at the same 

 time distributing the injury by it over much fruit, so that it is not 

 so much in evidence; that a year of light crop following this gets 

 the benefit of an unusually large number of adult flies ready for 



