u 



HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



Prlininfc ^ iMinu: TrecN 



('ontjmiod 1 rom p;tf^f l;i, column 1 



(or tree) that is cut back is set back 

 in proportion to the severity of the cut- 

 ting. 



Pruning- the second year is very simi- 

 lar. Cut back any limbs that are crowd- 

 ing the leader too much and do not let 

 any of the lower limbs develop out of all 

 proportion to their neighbors. 



Prevent any bad crotches by cutting 

 back or cutting out one of the limbs. Do 

 not let any limb divide into two equal 

 sized branches. 



The same may be said of pruning for 

 the third year. Save the leader and pre- 

 vent the development of weak crotches 

 and divided limbs. Interfering limbs 

 may be cut out to advantage when these 

 limbs are damaging each other. Do not 

 try to form a head the first or second 

 or even third years, but grow a strong 

 tree and, by a gradual thinning-out pro- 

 cedure, save the limbs that are to be the 

 leaders. 



The mature tree should have its scaf- 

 fold limbs well spaced which means start- 

 ing them about 10 or 12 inches apart. 

 Four or five scaffold limbs should be 

 spread around the tree, preferably one 

 quarter of the way around for adjacent 

 limbs. 



Prof. F. E. Cole. 



APPLE GRADING LAW 



REVISED 



In Mas-^iachusetts the top layer of the 

 box or barrel of apples whether sold open 

 or closed must represent the quality all 

 the way through. That is the chief item 

 in the revised statute of interest to the 

 seller and to the buyer. 



Law as Applied to Closed Packages 



The Apple Grading Lav/ of 191.5 applies 

 to closed packages only. It was passed 

 at the instigation of Massachusetts fruit 

 growers. It established three grades; 

 "Fancy", "A" and "B" and provided for 

 a general classification known as "un- 

 graded". The grade, name, size, variety, 

 state where grown, quantity of contents 

 of package, and name and address of 

 packer mu.st appear on each package. It 

 provided for a fine for misbranding or 

 falsely branding apples and prohibits 

 "overfacing" or "deaconing". 



Under this law the grading and pack- 

 ing of Massachusetts apples has, accord- 

 ing to fhe statements of wholesalers and 

 retailers, improved a great deal during 

 the past eight years. The Massachusetts 

 Commissioner of Agriculture is the State 

 officer charged with the enforcement of 

 the provisions of the law. The work has 

 been educational in character. In 192.3 

 over eighty-five per cent of the "lots" of 



apples marketed were properly graded 

 and marked. 



Changes Affect All Packages 



The law up to the close of the season 

 of 192.3 applied only to apples sold in 

 closed packages. Such packages could 

 not be overfaced. But the person buying 

 an open barrel or box had no way of 

 forming a trustworthy opinion of the 

 lower layers by the size and beauty of 

 Continued on page 15. column 1 



I RAISE HEALTHY CHIChS! | 



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 I 



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CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE 

 is valuable for 

 Disinfecting Brooder Houses and Yards d 



We carry it in powdered form 



Put up in the size package you need 



It is cheaper by the pound 



WISWELL THE DRUGGIST 



82 Main Streel 



Northampton, - - 



Mass. 





Quality IS Never Forgotten! 



Some of those who ordered Eastern States 

 Feeds for the first time through last summer's 

 pool were di.sappointed in the announced pool 

 prices. As the fall and winter wore along, and 

 they had the opportunity to test the purcha.sed 

 feeds by actual results in milk-production, that 

 disappointment seemed to fade away. 



In responding to a question recently put to 

 all pool purchasers: — "Were you satisfied with 

 the results obtained from using the 192.' Pool 

 Feeds?" — the great majoiity expressed them- 



selves heartily in favor of these feeds and eager 

 to iepurchH.se again on a similar basis this sea- 

 son. 



By itself, price is only skin-deep. It may 

 seem the all-important factor for a moment, 

 being the most conspicuous and tangible. But 

 underneath it you must look for quality to de- 

 termine feed-values and make them endure. 



Quality in a feed is like character in a man — 

 it can never be forgotten, no matter the clothes. 



Know What You Feed! 



Eastern States Farmers' Exchange 



A non-stock, non-profit organization, 

 owned and controlled by 12,500 New England farmers 



SPRINGFIELD 



MASSACHUSETTS 



