North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[JRobbFarm@aol.com]

Just got in from working on my pear trees.
Last year I planted ( with an eye towards disease resistance),  a Harrows 
Delight, Potomac, Magness, Moonglow, and with fingers crossed, a Clapps 
Favorite.
This has been a low to medium pressure blight year, and  ranking in order of 
increased blight strikes,  I found the following: Harrows Delight, Clapps 
Favorite(!), Moonglow, Magness and Potomac.  This surprised me but might be 
do to 
the vigorous growth of the Potomac this year and the wire fencing that Bambi 
forces me to surround my trees with.  The Harrows Delight had almost no 
blight 
but is the least vigorous in new growth.  The Bartlett grafts on a seedling 
pear are also doing well, very little blight and some pears as well.
Had a grand total of two plums on my Methley, one was ripe today, and I 
actually beat the deer, squirrels etc to it.  Delicious!  
I used Surround on some trees for JB protection, and it seems to be working 
well.
It doesnt work too well for Irish Setters, as I caught mine walking calmly 
with a Surround coated peach in his mouth. He saw me, spat it out and 
shrugged 
his shoulders.
Good luck and a productive season to all.
Jeff, Ohio River Valley, zone 6