Show Keeping Up i 0 n erv e eD 0 e Science Service Service Orchards Gassed to Produce Improved Crops Regularly rIy Weather Will ill Not Count Say Methods Method's Devisers Washington Fruit trees are made to produce regular crops and on time too regardless regardless ret re- re t- t of the previous winter winter winter win win- ter weather it is claimed in ina ina ina a pa patent ten t just granted here to Daniel Glenn and Marston H. H Kimball California California Califor Califor- nia researchers of the United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture Agri Agri- culture and assigned to Henry A A. A Wallace as secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary of agriculture This is accomplished the inventors inventors in in- reveal by literally gas gas- attacking the trees with a hydrocarbon gas There are me thousands of acres of walnuts peaches and other deciduous ous fruits including apples pears apricots plums prunes prun s cherries and bush berries now planted in areas where in certain years winter winter winter win win- ter weather conditions are unfavorable unfavorable unfavorable able to the thc formation of flowers the setting of fruit and the production of a crop state the Inventors of This condition results in failure trees to produce regular crops occasioning occasioning occasioning oc oc- heavy losses and often oHen se seriously seriously seriously se- se crippling the industry J j Will wm Produce Uniformity in Fruiting Such fruit trees as lemon and avo avocado cado also exhibit marked alternate bearing tendencies say the tors The result is a heavy production production production tion one year followed by lighter producing the next with wilh attendant cultural and marketing difficulties which produce economic losses The process used by the inventors to stimulate growth and produce uniformity in fruiting is this About two weeks before the normal or desired leafing start of the growth c cycle or blooming ming time for the variety variety va va- of trees being treated ted the trees arc are enclosed in tents or gas- gas tight covers I J Then gas is released inside inside inside in in- side the tent until the proportion of gas to the atmosphere is 1 part of to parts of air The temperature during treatment is kept between 60 GO and degrees Fahrenheit The length of treatment treatment treat treat- ment is from one to two hours Gas and md other chemical treatments treatments treatments treat treat- ments have been used in the past to stimulate opening of cut flowers ers production of roots on cuttings etc but this is the first time whole trees have been gassed to make them blossom 3 at t the desired time tune |