Letter, 1978 April 28, from Gwen Buler to Eva Jessye

1 page, Buler worked in the music business

Influence of several methods of flower and fruitlet thinning on the yield and quality of Gala Must apples

Apple trees of the Gala Must, grafted onto the dwarfing M.9 rootstock, planted in 2014 at a spacing of 3.5×1.8 m, were subjected to flower and fruitlet thinning in 2022–2024. Seven thinning combinations were used: 1 – (M) Mechanical thinning of flowers at the stage when the petals had emerged in 2 or 3 flowers in the inflorescence, using the German BAUM device; 2 – (C) Chemical thinning of fruitlets with Globaryll 100 SL containing cytokinin; 3 – (H) Hand thinning of fruitlets after June drop; 4 – (M+C) Mechanical thinning of flowers with the BAUM device supplemented by chemical thinning of fruitlets as in pt. 2; 5 – (M+H) Mechanical thinning of flowers with the BAUM device supplemented by hand thinning of fruitlets after June drop; 6 – (C+H) Chemical thinning of fruitlets with Globaryll 100 SL supplemented by hand thinning after June drop; 7 – (Control) Trees in which neither flowers nor fruitlets were thinned out.In most treatments, the thinning of flowers or fruitlets caused a significant decrease in fruit yield but improved fruit quality, compared with the control. The thinning treatments increased the weight and size of apples, as well as their soluble solids content. Most apples were of a favourable marketable size in the range of 7.0–7.5 cm. The combined thinning treatments (M+H, M+C, C+H) resulted in the production of too many overgrown apples, which are known to be more susceptible to bitter pit, which in turn may reduce their storage life. Most of the thinning treatments resulted in a higher soluble solids content in the fruit without a significant effect on their firmness

First-time motherhood and intergenerational solidarities during COVID-19

Objective: This study investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on intergenerational solidarities in Poland, specifically looking at flows between members of four family generations in the context of first-time motherhood. Background: Unlike other crises, which typically mean that family members rely on one another for support, the pandemic challenges the scope of family solidarities. Little is still known as to how families navigate the particular vulnerability of first-time mothers who might face obstacles in accessing family assistance during lockdowns. Method: The empirical material originates from a Qualitative Longitudinal Study (QLS) on transitions to motherhood in Poland (GEMTRA project, 2018-2021) and features case studies of intergenerational family triads (a first-time mother, her mother, and her grandmother). Two cases have been selected from a large pool of over 100 interviews conducted in two waves. Results: We argue that the crucial stage of family life reified in welcoming the first child serves as special grounds for examining how family support and intergenerational solidarities are maintained, altered, or prioritized during the COVID-19 pandemic. We demonstrate that distinct types of associational, affectual, consensual, functional, normative and structural solidarities are variably affected. Conclusion: We propose a new angle for identifying key support recipients within intergenerational solidarity flows in families during the crisis. Two directions of solidarity flows, towards younger and older generations, respectively, are presented.Fragestellung: Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die Solidarität zwischen verschiedenen Generationen in Polen und betrachtet insbesondere die Ströme zwischen Mitgliedern von vier Familiengenerationen im Kontext der Erstmutterschaft. Hintergrund: Im Gegensatz zu anderen Krisen, bei denen Familienmitglieder typischerweise aufeinander angewiesen sind, um Unterstützung zu erhalten, stellt die Pandemie die Tragweite der Familiensolidarität in Frage. Es ist noch wenig darüber bekannt, wie Familien mit der besonderen Verwundbarkeit durch erstmalige Mutterschaft umgehen. Diese Gruppe könnte während des Lockdowns beim Zugang zur Familienhilfe auf Hindernisse stoßen. Methode: Das empirische Material stammt aus einer Qualitativen Längsschnittstudie (QLS) zu Übergängen zur Mutterschaft in Polen (GEMTRA-Projekt, 2018-2021) und enthält Fallstudien zu generationenübergreifenden Familien-Triaden (eine Erstmutter, ihre Mutter und ihre Großmutter). Aus einem großen Pool von über 100 Interviews, die in zwei Wellen durchgeführt wurden, wurden zwei Case Studies ausgewählt. Ergebnisse: Wir argumentieren, dass die entscheidende Phase des Familienlebens, die durch die Aufnahme des ersten Kindes verdinglicht wird, als besonderer Anlass dient, zu untersuchen, wie familiäre Unterstützung und generationenübergreifende Solidarität während der COVID-19-Pandemie aufrechterhalten, verändert oder priorisiert werden. Wir zeigen, dass verschiedene Arten von assoziativen, affektiven, konsensuellen, funktionalen, normativen und strukturellen Solidaritäten unterschiedlich betroffen sind. Schlussfolgerung: Wir schlagen einen neuen Blickwinkel vor, um die wichtigsten Unterstützungsempfänger innerhalb der Solidaritätsflüsse zwischen den Generationen in Familien während der Krise zu identifizieren. Es werden zwei Richtungen der Solidaritätsflüsse - jeweils hin zu jüngeren und zu älteren Generationen - dargestellt

Comparison of the yielding of plum, sour cherry, and sweet cherry trees trained to a trellis for mechanical harvesting of fruit with those trained to a leader

In 2014, plum, sour cherry and sweet cherry trees were planted in an experimental plot of the Institute of Horticulture – National Research Institute at a distance of 4.5 m between rows and, depending on the cultivar, every 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 m in a row. The trees were trained in the shape of the letter ‘Y’, with the shoots raised at an angle of 20° or 30° to the horizontal, intended for mechanical harvesting of dessert fruit with a harvester attached to a tractor. The two tree canopy formation systems at both shoot inclination angles were compared with the standard spindle crown with a vertical leader, from which the fruit was picked by hand. After 3 years of training the trees, mechanical harvesting of dessert fruit began with a harvester designed at the Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice. The trees formed in the shape of the letter ‘Y’ produced comparable yields, and also higher and lower yields, depending on the cultivar, in comparison with the trees trained to a spindle crown.In 2014, plum, sour cherry and sweet cherry trees were planted in an experimental plot of the Institute of Horticulture – National Research Institute at a distance of 4.5 m between rows and, depending on the cultivar, every 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 m in a row. The trees were trained in the shape of the letter ‘Y’, with the shoots raised at an angle of 20° or 30° to the horizontal, intended for mechanical harvesting of dessert fruit with a harvester attached to a tractor. The two tree canopy formation systems at both shoot inclination angles were compared with the standard spindle crown with a vertical leader, from which the fruit was picked by hand. After 3 years of training the trees, mechanical harvesting of dessert fruit began with a harvester designed at the Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice. The trees formed in the shape of the letter ‘Y’ produced comparable yields, and also higher and lower yields, depending on the cultivar, in comparison with the trees trained to a spindle crown

Intensive plum orchard with summer training and pruning

An intensive plum orchard model was created for two types of fruit harvesting: by hand and with a self-propelled straddle harvester working in continuous motion. Six plum cultivars grafted on semi dwarfing rootstock ‘Prune Wangenheim’ (Prunus domestica) were planted at three densities (1000, 1250 and 1666 trees/ha). A new training system - central leader spindle - was applied. The leader was not headed after planting and summer training treatments were performed. From the third year onward renewal pruning was done after fruit harvesting. The new training and pruning system resulted in very rapid tree growth, much young wood, fruit bud formation on young wood and early bearing. Trees appeared to be suitable for hand and mechanical harvesting within four years from planting

Provision of supplementary food for wild birds may increase the risk of local nest predation

In countries such as the UK, USA and Australia, approximately half of households provide supplementary food for wild birds, making this the public’s most common form of active engagement with nature. Year round supplementary feeding is currently encouraged by major conservation charities in the UK as it is thought to be of benefit to bird conservation. However, little is understood of how the provision of supplementary food affects the behaviour and ecology of target and non-target species. Given the scale of supplementary feeding, any negative effects may have important implications for conservation. Potential nest predators are abundant in urban areas and some species frequently visit supplementary feeding stations. We asked if providing supplementary food affected the likelihood of nest predation in the vicinity of the feeder, by acting as a point attractant for potential nest predators. We provided feeding stations (empty, peanut feeder, peanut feeder with guard to exclude potential nest predators) in an area of suburban parkland in the UK and monitored the predation rate experienced by eggs placed in artificial nests located at distances which replicate the size of typical suburban gardens. Nest predators (Magpies Pica pica, Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis) were frequent visitors to filled feeders, and predation caused by Magpies, European Jays Garrulus glandarius and Grey Squirrels was significantly higher when nests were adjacent to filled feeders. The presence of a feeder guard did not significantly reduce nest predation. As supplementary feeding is becoming increasingly common during the breeding season in suburban habitats, we suggest that providing point attractants to nest predators at this time may have previously unconsidered consequences for the breeding success of urban birds

Competition and habitat quality influence age and sex distribution in wintering rusty blackbirds.

Bird habitat quality is often inferred from species abundance measures during the breeding and non-breeding season and used for conservation management decisions. However, during the non-breeding season age and sex classes often occupy different habitats which suggest a need for more habitat-specific data. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a forested wetland specialist wintering in bottomland hardwood forests in the south-eastern U. S. and belongs to the most steeply declining songbirds in the U.S. Little information is available to support priority birds such as the Rusty Blackbird wintering in this threatened habitat. We assessed age and sex distribution and body condition of Rusty Blackbirds among the three major habitats used by this species in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley and also measured food availability. Overall, pecan groves had the highest biomass mainly driven by the amount of nuts. Invertebrate biomass was highest in forests but contributed only a small percentage to overall biomass. Age and sex classes were unevenly distributed among habitats with adult males primarily occupying pecan groves containing the highest nut biomass, females being found in forests which had the lowest nut biomass and young males primarily staying in forest fragments along creeks which had intermediate nut biomass. Males were in better body condition than females and were in slightly better condition in pecan groves. The results suggest that adult males occupy the highest quality habitat and may competitively exclude the other age and sex classes

An assessment of spatio-temporal relationships between nocturnal bird migration traffic rates and diurnal bird stopover density

BACKGROUND: Daily magnitudes and fluxes of landbird migration are often measured via nocturnal traffic rates aloft or diurnal densities within terrestrial habitats during stopover. However, these measures are not consistently correlated and at times reveal opposing trends. For this reason we sought to determine how comparison methods (daily magnitude or daily flux), nocturnal monitoring tools (weather surveillance radar, WSR; thermal imaging, TI), and temporal scale (preceding or following diurnal sampling) influenced correlation strength from stopover densities estimated by daily transect counts. We quantified nocturnal traffic rates at two temporal scales; averaged across the entire night and within individual decile periods of the night, and at two spatial scales; within 1 km of airspace surrounding the site via WSR and directly overhead within the narrow beam of a TI. RESULTS: Overall, the magnitude of daily bird density during stopover was positively related to the magnitude of broad-scale radar traffic rates of migrants on preceding and following nights during both the spring and fall. These relationships were strongest on the following night, and particularly from measures early in the night. Only during the spring on the following nights did we find positive correlations between the daily flux of transect counts and migration traffic rates (both WSR and TI). This indicates that our site likely had a more consistent daily turnover of migrants compared to the fall. The lack of general correlations between seasonal trends or daily flux in fine-scale TI traffic rates and stopover densities across or within nights was unexpected and likely due to poor sampling of traffic rates due to the camera’s narrow beam. CONCLUSIONS: The order (preceding or following day) and metric of comparisons (magnitude or flux), as well as the tool (WSR or TI) used for monitoring nocturnal migration traffic can have dramatic impacts when compared with ground-based estimates of migrant density. WSR provided measures of the magnitude and daily flux in nocturnal migration traffic rates that related to daily stopover counts of migrants during spring and fall. Relationships among migrating bird flux measures are more complex than simple measures of magnitude of migration. Care should be given to address these complexities when comparing data among methods