Experimental treatments in the fall with sprays of the growth-retarding compound, “B-Nine,” provided an effective and apparently safe means of delaying bloom in Bartlett pears to avoid loss due to late spring frosts. The delay in bloom resulted in increased fruit set. Shoot growth was delayed, but the total amount was not significantly reduced. Pears that developed on the sprayed trees had shorter and thicker stems, but storage, ripening and flavor qualities were not adversely affected. This chemical has not been approved for use on pears at this time.

The N-dimethyl amino succinamic acid (ALAR or B-Nine) was supplied by the United States Rubber Company, Naugatuck Chemical Division, Naugatuck, Connecticut. This chemical has not been cleared for use on food crops by the United States Food and Drug Administration, U.S.D.A., or the California Department of Agriculture.