North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Tom Olenio <tolenio@sentex.net>]

Hello,

I have a question regarding the wet, cool summer season we just went through 
(here
in southwestern Ontario) and diseases/pests of apple trees.

I live in a small village (approx. 1,000 people) in an agricultural area of
Ontario.  Most of the surrounding farms have small orchards, from the period 
of time
where every farm needed an orchard.

My in-laws orchard has 12 standard apple trees, dating back to the early 
1900's.
This year it is hard to find a leaf or a fruit that does not have some 
blemish or
discoloration.  The summer was damp and cool, and when it rained (which it did
frequently) it was torrential.  It was impossible to keep the trees sprayed 
with all
the rain, and that is what we chalk up the bad apple season to.

However, I dug up a scrub apple from the cattle pasture and moved it into my
backyard last spring.  At first the tree was dwarfed (cattle browsing damage) 
with
very small leaves, but new growth has brought full sized leaves, and it is is 
doing
very well.

What is strange is that there is not a single leaf on this young tree, which 
is
marred by disease or insect, yet the surrounding orchards are in poor shape 
this
season.

Is my tree a fluke, or are young trees not as bothered by disease and insect?

Thanks for any input you can offer.

Regards,
Tom
--
Thomas Olenio
Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone 6a


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