Cold storage for Iowa grown apples.

In continuing its investigation of cold storage for Iowa grown apples, upon which a partial report was made in September, 1909*, the horticultural section of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station has found further evidence that the principal commercial varieties of apples grown in the state may be handled with profit. The four years’ work with many different varieties all gives support to the value of this practice to Iowa apple men. Since 1909 the Station has also developed many other new facts of importance to Iowa apple growers, not the least of them pertaining to the freezing of apples and their storage value when frozen. Careful tests indicate that apples which are frozen upon the trees in the fall can be safely placed in cold storage if allowed to thaw out gradually on the tree before picking, unless the fruit is broken down by the freeze. Apples which are frozen in cold or common storage will not be seriously injured if thawed out below freezing temperature

Making Old Orchards Profitable

In many sections of Iowa apples can be grown successfully and profitably In a large way, provided the Industry Is carefully studied and its problems are dealt with correctly. To furnish a basis for study, to get at the difficulties of orcharding in the state, and to help growers meet them successfully an!l put the industry on a more permanent and profitable basis, the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, In the summers of 1911 and 1912, made a survey of the orchards of :Mills county. This county was chosen because It ranked first In apple production and in the percentage of tillable soil devoted to this crop, although Pottawattamie county had a larger total area of apple orchards. In the survey every phase of orchardlng was investigated and the results are reported In this bulletin, with suggestions for meeting the various problems that arise In the industry, and particularly for saving and restoring old orchards to profitable production. Whlle this report Is made up of recommendations for the orchards of Mills county it will apply to orchards in all parts of tho:! state. Iowa\u27s rank as a fruit producing state, and the Importance of the Missouri loess as an apple producing soil appear In these tables

Orchard heating

Late spring frosts cause immense losses of fruit in Iowa and help to discourage growers until many of them neglect, destroy or dispose of their orchards. For that reason the Iowa Agricultural Experiment station is seeking to determine the value and efficiency of some of the orchard heating devices now on the market. During the season of 1911 tests were conducted in three different orchards and in addition several individual growers in various sections of the state also tried out heating as a means of frost protection. While the work is not complete and must be extended through other seasons, these first tests demonstrated these facts: That the temperature in an orchard can be raised several degrees in time of frost. That orchard heating as a method of insurance against frost is practicable under Iowa conditions during most seasons

Potatoes

This circular will answer the many Inquiries received by the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station relative to different phases or potato culture. More complete Information on the Investigational work now under way at the Station at Ames will be published later In a regular bulletin

Better methods of potato production for Iowa: Results of three years’ investigations at Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station

Spraying potatoes for early blight proved profitable each year during three seasons of experimentation. Three sprayings increased the net income per acre $3.20; five sprayings,$8.92; seven sprayings, $16.46 per acre. About thirty different varieties of early and late potatoes were tested during each of the three years. Of the early varieties Irish Cobbler and Early Ohio gave the best yields; of the later varieties Prosperity and Rural New Yorker gave the highest yields. The importance of seed selection was demonstrated by selecting high yielding hills in the field. The yield was increased 50 bushels of marketable tubers per acre by selecting the best hills as compared with the poorest hills. In selecting the best hills from both of these lots the following year the seed which had high yielding characters behind it still outyielded the poorer lot by 50 bushels of marketable tubers. Planting late in April gave the highest yield in 1910. Plantings on May 16 and May 23 gave the highest yields in 1911 and 1912

Orchard heating

Late spring frosts cause immense losses of fruit in Iowa and help to discourage growers until many of them neglect, destroy or dispose of their orchards. For that reason the Iowa Agricultural Experiment station is seeking to determine the value and efficiency of some of the orchard heating devices now on the market. During the season of 1911 tests were conducted in three different orchards and in addition several individual growers in various sections of the state also tried out heating as a means of frost protection. While the work is not complete and must be extended through other seasons, these first tests demonstrated these facts: That the temperature in an orchard can be raised several degrees in time of frost. That orchard heating as a method of insurance against frost is practicable under Iowa conditions during most seasons.</p

Making Old Orchards Profitable

In many sections of Iowa apples can be grown successfully and profitably In a large way, provided the Industry Is carefully studied and its problems are dealt with correctly. To furnish a basis for study, to get at the difficulties of orcharding in the state, and to help growers meet them successfully an!l put the industry on a more permanent and profitable basis, the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, In the summers of 1911 and 1912, made a survey of the orchards of :Mills county. This county was chosen because It ranked first In apple production and in the percentage of tillable soil devoted to this crop, although Pottawattamie county had a larger total area of apple orchards. In the survey every phase of orchardlng was investigated and the results are reported In this bulletin, with suggestions for meeting the various problems that arise In the industry, and particularly for saving and restoring old orchards to profitable production. Whlle this report Is made up of recommendations for the orchards of Mills county it will apply to orchards in all parts of tho:! state. Iowa's rank as a fruit producing state, and the Importance of the Missouri loess as an apple producing soil appear In these tables.</p

Cold storage for Iowa grown apples.

In continuing its investigation of cold storage for Iowa grown apples, upon which a partial report was made in September, 1909*, the horticultural section of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station has found further evidence that the principal commercial varieties of apples grown in the state may be handled with profit. The four years’ work with many different varieties all gives support to the value of this practice to Iowa apple men. Since 1909 the Station has also developed many other new facts of importance to Iowa apple growers, not the least of them pertaining to the freezing of apples and their storage value when frozen. Careful tests indicate that apples which are frozen upon the trees in the fall can be safely placed in cold storage if allowed to thaw out gradually on the tree before picking, unless the fruit is broken down by the freeze. Apples which are frozen in cold or common storage will not be seriously injured if thawed out below freezing temperature.</p

An apple orchard survey of Mills county

In many sections of Iowa apples can be grown successfully land profitably in a large way, provided the industry is carefully ¡studied and its problems are dealt with correctly. To furnish a basis for study, to get at the difficulties of orcharding in the state, and to help growers meet them successfully and put the industry on a more permanent and profitable basis, the Iowa Agricultural Experiment station, m the summers of 1911 and 1912, made a survey of the orchards of Mills county. This county was chosen because it ranked first in apple production and in the percentage of tillable Soil devoted to this, crop, although Pottawattamie county had a larger total area of apple orchards. In the survey every phase of orcharding was investigated and the results are reported in this bulletin, with suggestions for meeting the various problems that arise m the industry, and particularly for saving and restoring old orchards to profitable production.</p