^ ■ 



annually that are easily dispersed and remain viable for at 

 least five years. Bees and wasps are effective pollinators of 

 loosestrife and provide the means for legitimate crossing, 

 perhaps even for isolated plantings. A few plants can 

 quickly become a large infestation that is virtually impos- 

 sible to eradicate and a one-acre field of loosestrife can 

 produce 24 billion seeds per year 



Researchers are still looking for ways to restore balance 

 to our marshlands. For the past five years, Dr. Richard 

 Malecki, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and participants in 

 DNR have been investigating biological control methods. 

 The Biological Control Program of USDA has joined the fight 

 against loosestrife as well this year. Six herbivorous insects 

 from Europe have shown potential as effective biocontrol 

 agents of purple loosestrife: two leaf-feeding beetles, one 

 root-feeding weevil, and three flower-feeding insects. Some 

 of these insects have been released in infested areas in 

 North America, and others are now being reared in lab 

 insectaries for future releases. Purple loosestrife is rather 

 formidable, and it may take the combined efforts of all of 

 these insects to displace loosestrife from areas where it has 

 become a dominate plant. Last year, some of these beetles 

 were released in New Hampshire for the first time. 



All witches are not bad witches. All loosestrife is not bad 

 loosestrife. We are hopeful that biological controls will bring 

 a happy ending. 



]ohn 'Weaver is Survey Entomologist in the Plant Biology 

 Department at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. 

 His phone number there is 603-862-1737. 



-i^ 



PIONEER POINTERS 



Time to Play Catch Up! 



August is here. For some growers, your season is 

 behind you and for some, the final months of 

 your season are just ahead, with mum and poinsettia 

 sales around the corner. Now is the time to begin as- 

 sessing/estimating your year-end financial results. So 

 if you are a little behind on your book-keeping, now 

 is the time to play catch-up. It's important to do this 

 exercise so you know about where you stand. Good 

 records are essential to your business. They do not 

 have to be fancy — they can be kept manually, through 

 a mail-in service, or inputted in an accounting soft- 

 ware on your business computer, in order to do year- 

 end tax planning, consider capital purchases/improve- 

 ments, thoroughly analyze operations (i.e. labor and 

 gross sales), or submit a loan proposal for bank fi- 

 nancing, current and accurate records are needed for 

 you to make well-informed management decisions. 

 (S.W.) 



First Pioneer Farm Credit has an experienced staff 

 willing to assist you in the area of recording-keeping . For 

 information, call the Bedford Office at 1-800-825-3252. 



RED HEMLOCK 



DOESN'T GET MULCH 



BETTER THAN THIS 



Morse Bros, is offering very special pricing on 

 our guaranteed Hemlock Bark Mulch from Maine 



per yord 



I per yord 



Prize 

 Hemlock 



Deluxe 

 Hemlock 



Burgundy 

 Hemlock 



Call for Details 



All prices FOB Windham. Effective Date: 5/23 



1-800-866-4991 

 MORSE BROS. 



32 Gombo Rd., Windham, ME 04062 

 (Tel) 207-892- UOO (Fax) 207-892-3400 



24 



THE PLANTSMAN 



