PAGE TEN
MEDEORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREG OX, TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1933.
Pear Irrigation Studies
On Soils Near Medford
Analyzed by U.S. Expert
Efforts Made to Determine Conditions
Of Local Soil Most Favorable
To Big Yield and Quality
By ARCH WORK
Assistant Irrigation Engineer. Divis
ion or Irrigation, Bureau of Agricul
tural Engineering. United State De
partment of Agriculture.
At the annual meeting of the
league last year, the background of
the irrigation Investigation underway
at Medford waa presented and there
seems to be no need for repeating
that discussion. Briefly, the purpose
of the work Is to find the condition,
or conditions, of soil moisture which
' are most favorable to ctnststently In
creasing production of fruit of ex
cellent keeping and dessert quality,
at lowest unit cost.
The object of Irrigation la to main
tain In the soil a favorable condition
of soil moisture. The results of fa
vorable conditions of soil, moisture,
other things being equal, are manl
feet In large, thrifty and vigorous
trees, and high production per tree
of fruit of good quality, with a conse.
. quent decreased cost of production
per box. If the result of any partlcu
lar oondltlon of soil moisture la fa
vorable we may reasonably assume
that the condition Itself Is favorable.
The Medford Investigations have
shown certain soil moisture condl'
tlons to be favorable to Increased
yields of fruit, and Increased vigor
ana growth of trees. The purpose of
my talk Is to analyze this term "fa
vorable soli moisture conditions" In
Order that we may see what these
. conditions are and how we may se
cure them In our orchards.
We might first briefly summarize
the general conception of sou moist
ure. Various generally recognised
forms of soil moisture are Illustrated
in Pig 1.
Field Capacity refers to the mail
. mum percentage of water retained In
. the soil after . gravitational water
from rain or Irrigation has had an
opportunity to drain out of the soil.
rt Is recognized from results at Med'
ford, as well as elsewhere, that slow
downward peroolatlon takes place for
weeks after rainfall or Irrigation has
brought soil moisture to the satura
tion point. However, a point Is reach'
ed from 73 to 120 hours subsequent
to Irrigation oftor which the down
ward movement of water becomes
very slow. This point of approximate
stability is, for all practical purposes,
the "field capacity." When the soil
contains more than this quantity of
water it is too wet,
Willing Point Is the moisture con
tent present In the soil when plants
wilt even If the sir Is saturated with
moisture. Below this point plants
cannot extract water sufficiently fanti
to suimin growth. When the soil con
tains lees than this amount of water
it Is much too dry.
Amllable Moisture Capacity is the
moisture -content found In soils be
tween the field capacity and the wilt
ing point. It is In this range thai
the rots of our pear and apple trees
grow ana take up water and mineral
matter from the soil for transmission
to the leaves, arowth of most plants
occurs only in this range of avail
able moisture.
In our experimental work during
the last three years on the Chester
Fitch and Klamath orchards we have
iiad two chief questions In mind
1. How much water need be added
to the soil to produce maximum crops
of high quality at the low unit cost
year after year?
a. At what periods In the annual
cycle of the tree and the fruit should
water be applied?
The same experiments were carried
on in each of the two orchards. The
variety at the Fitch orchard Is Bart
lett and at the Klamath Is D'Anlou
The soil type at Pitch's Is Meyer stlty
clay loam with a field capacity of
approximately S7 per cent of the dry
weight or the soil. The soil type at
Klamath la Meyer day adobe with a
field capacity of approximately 30 per
me average soil depth In both
orchards is about i feet. Pour plots
at Pitch's and four plots at Klamath
were selected. The sou moisture con
tent of each plot has been followed
for three seasons. Different quanti
ties of water were applied at different
ttmes and the effect on tree vigor and
Broth, yield and site of fruit ob
served, as well as on bloom and set
the following year.
In one plot In each orchard, the
average soil moisture content in the
upper three feet was allowed to dron
one-fifth of the way rrom the rie'd
capacity to the wilting' point before
irrigation was applied. These fre
quently Irrigated plots each recelvel
from five to six Irrigations yearly. On
one pioi m eacn ordchard the sret
age soil moisture content in the up
per three feet was allowed to drop
half way from the field capacity to
am wm;n point before irrigation
was applied. These moderately irri
gated plots received thre irrigations
eacn season, on one plot In each r
chard the average soil moisture con
tent In the upper three feet was al
lowed to drop four-fifths of the way
irom me neia cspsclty to the wilt
ing point before Irrigation water was
applied. These plots received one Ir
rigation each year. The fourth plot In
eacn orcnara received the same irrl
gatlon treatment as the portion of
the orchard not included In the ex
periment, hence was not Irrigated at
any set time. These plots received
from one to three Irrigations annual
ly Neither number of irrigations depth
of application nor both combined Is
an altogether accurate means of com
paring soil moisture conditions In
plots. The soil moisture content tt
se;f, express:.! In standard terms. Is
the most accurate means of compart-
Ed. Note: An analysis of pear Irrigation studied conducted on soils of
the Medford region was given by Arch Work, assistant irrigation engineer
of the u. S. department of agriculture, at the January 38 meeting of the
Prult Growers league of Jackson county. The analysis, with accompanying
charts, will be published in the Mail Trlbunt, the first installment ap
pearlng herewith,
son, snd the one that will be used
most frequently in this discussion,
Samples of each foot of depth from
the bottom of the mulch to bedrock,
for soli moisture determinations, were
tsten at frequent lntervels at rep
resentative locations In each plot.
very complete and detailed story of
soil moisture conditions was secured
for the three year period.
Investigations on these orchards
and on the Medford Experiment sta
tion have led us to conclude that jn
shallow soils approximately 37 per
cent of the fine fibrous roots which
extract moisture from the soil are lo
cated in the first foot below the
mulch, 33 per cent in the second foot,
20 per cent In the third foot and 11
per cent I nthe fourth foot. Almost 70
per cent In the upper three feet. In
view of these facts we are Justified in
using the average moisture content In
the upper three feet as a measure ot
moisture conditions in the root zone,
On deeper soils not ss large a per
centage of the total roots are found
in the upper two or three feet,
The root concentration, or number
of active rootlets per cubic foot of
rooting space Is about the same at all
distances from the tree. This Indi
cates that In a mature orchard the
entire soil mass should be uniform
ly wetted by each Irrigation
On the Medford Experiment station
In 1032 four different Irrigation treat
ments were tried on four plots of
sbout 54 acre each. The plots were
treated uniformly In all respects oth
er than Irrigation-The soil type
Meyer clay adobe with an average
field capacity of about 33 per cent
ror me upper three feet.
On -one plot an effort was made to
keep the sou moisture up to-or sbove
no per cent or the available molstui
capacity In the upper three feet, from
full bloom to picking. Condltlona on
this plot approximated conditions on
commercial orchards with an unllm
Ited water supply. This plot received
seven irrigations, throughout the per.
ioa irom lull bloom to harvest.
In another plot the moisture con
tent In the upper three feet wu al.
lowed to drop almost to the wilting
pom oeiore irrigating. The condition
on tnis plot approximated local con
aitions In the years when water sup
ply has been a limiting factor In nro-
ductlon, and only one Irrigation has
oeen available,
In a third plot the moisture con,
tent or the upper three feet was kept
as or aoovo uu per cent of the avail.
aoie moisture capacity until about
85 doya prior to harvest and then no
runner water was applied. This con-
aiuon approximated commercial
practice here when flood water la an-
plied in the spring- and storage wat.
er 1s used up by late June or early
July. This plot received four early
.inKm-ions. ,
in tne last plot of the four, the
moisture content of the unner three
reet or sou was held at or above
per cent of the available moisture oa-
pacity in the 4S days tmmedlatelv
prior to picking. The early season
molature was that stored 1 nthe son
from winter end spring rains. The
moisture In this plot did not go be
low 70 per cent of the maximum
available until June 1, due to these
pnng rains. This Is the condition
that would be secured here on a com
mercial scale by withholding a limit,
ed storage supply untn July u or
tnereaDouta. This nlot receive thru
late irrigations.
Borne years ago the Idea n mum
prevalent that soils had an "optlmuia
moisture content": that i. a nation.
isr moisture content, or relatively
narrow range of soil moisture at
wnion plant growth took place most
readily. Some Investlgatora in recent
years have accumulated data which
as oeen interpreted to modllv this
Idea. This Is notably true In Califor
nia where Velhineyer and Hendrlck-
son of the California Experiment sta
tion working with several deciduous
fruits other than pears, and on light
soils have come to the conclusion
that aa long as sou moisture Is above
the wilting point It Is as readily
available to plants In one portion of
the available range aa In any other
portion. Their "optimum" range Is
then the entire range of available
moisture as shown In Pig. 1 Their
conclusion la that soil moisture either
is or is NOT readily available.
The results st Medford on heavy
ay soils do not bear out this con-
PAIN ACROSS KIDNEYS
SWELLING OF FEET
Portland, Oregon
"I had pains and
aches in my back
cross my kidneys,
swelling of fingers
and I'cet, and fre
quent rising at night,"
wrote Mrs. C. Deck
er of 6030 8Jrd St.
S. E., "but after I
had taken part of a bottle of
I'lrrcei A-nuric Tablets all this
trouble was corrected and I have never
noticed any of it since."
Sold by druggists everywhere,
Ss.s) 10. n Dr. ri.tr.-. dials, Ha.,
W. .. for (rial pass .( A-aurl ud
writs for free siodUal ad. Ira.
EX-CHAMPS IN BILLIARD TOURNEY
t ' i , " (
I fp
4-7-" i
'
1
Johnny Lay ton (left) of Gedalla, Mo.t and Otto Releclt of Phlla
delphla, former champions, were among the competitors In the world'i
three-cushion championship play In Chicago. (Associated Press Photo!
cliuion. vldence secured to date in
our Investigations on all three or
chards Indicates that soil moisture
becomes LESS readily available to
ZERO MOISTURE
WILTING
.i i
pear trees beginning a a point about
30 per cent of the way from the field
capacity to the wilting point. (Pig. 1.)
(Continued Wednesday)
TOO DRV
FIELD
POINT
-AVAILABLE-
CAPACITY
J '
l-TOO WET
GENRAl.Uf MCIPUO
GROWTH CURVE
IF
1
AE0FOR.D '"
GROWTH ClRVtT
ON .STICKY 50L
50iL ttOISTURE RANGE
IIP.
E
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31. (AP)
The Union Poclflo Railroad company
today was authorized by the inter
state commerce commission to bring
Ita subsidiary lines fully Into the
Union Paclflo system.
The commission attached a condi
tion that the company agree to pur
chase certain short lines at auch a
time as the commission may order.
The opinion of the commission
would authorize the Union Paclflo to
bring under one accounting system
the Oregon Short Line railroad com
pany, the Oregon-Washington Rail
road and Navigation company, the
Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
company and the St. Joseph and
Grand Island railway company.
Thero will be no change in operat
ing conditions, the only new arrange
ment being consolidation of the ac
counting systems of the four sub
sidiaries with the accounting of the
parent company.
Approximately half or the employes
me accounting departments of tho
subsidiaries will be absorbed Into the
Union Paclflo accounting department,
the commission saying that seniority
rights would be observed.
The Union Pacific has owned and
controlled the four roads for a num
ber of years.
COLLEClSTilHES
GET ESTATE SHARE
ASTORIA, Ore., Jan. 31 (AP)
Albany College was left aiOOO, the
First Presbyterian church of Astoria
was given (12,000, and other Institu
tions received lesser amounts under
the will of Miss Nellie Plavel, pio
neer Astorlan, who died recently.
'rao win was probated yesterday. Tho
bulk of the estate. In excess of $100,-
uoo, was bequeathed to a grand niece,
Patricia Plavel. to be left In trust
until sho is 30 years old.
TIRED AND
IRRITABLE?
Take Lydia E. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound
It steadies the nerves and helps f
to DullrJ you up. You will eat bet
ter , . . sleep better . . . look bet
ter. Life will seem worth Uvlnfl
aftaln. Remember that 98 out of
100 women say, "It helps me."
Let it help you too. Liquid or tab
let form, as you prefer.
SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOUSE BILL
City, Town and County Dis
tricts Provided in Pro
posed Measure Voters'
0. K. Would Be Necessary
SALEM, Jan. 31. (AP) Changes
in the present school Isw and pro
vision for three kinds of districts
with sn amendment cutting out
town school districts are features of
a bill received by the .house today.
The bill bears the names of Repre
sentatives Stockdale, Semon, Cooler,
Binder and Senators Upton and
Jones. In addition to changes In the
law two new sections are added.
The bill provides for three kinds
of school districts within a county
city, town and county school dis
tricts an amendment cutting out
town school districts and then pro
ceeding to unite all other than city
scnooi aisincts and tne county dis
tricts. No union shall become ef
fective In any county until approved
by em voters of the proposed district.
can on Petition.
T.he election shall be called by the
district boundary board or upon pe
tition or loo legal voters. No rpe-
clal election shall be held within 60
days prior to the annual meeting.
rrovision is made that a statewide
election shall be held on the day
oi tne annual scnooi meeting In
1934, In all counties to determine he
queslon of consolldaton. A comDre-
henslve plan of equalizing Indebted
ness, assets and liabilities Is contem
plated. Appraisers shall be named
by the county school board, and ap
proved by the state board of educa
tion and the valuations be for school
purposes only. Findings may be
modified by the school board. Hear.
Inge and appeals are also provided.
Five Directors Plan. -In
the event that the assets of l
district are greater than its liabili
ties the tsxatlon for school pur
poses on the property within the
district shsli be reduced by that
amount over a 16-year period, and
where the llabllltlee are greater than
tne assets a special tax shall be lev-
led for a similar period. Plve di
rectors are elected for five years
eacn.
When a city district seeks to con
solidate with a county district It is
necessary to Have a majority vote of
both districts, after both boards have
agreed upon an adjustment of as
sets and liabilities. The city con
tinues to remain a sub-district. The
act docs not apply to union high
school districts which contain -the
city school district or to one high
scnooi district which includes terri
tory In more then one county.
Another sohool bill, by Rtpresenta-
tlve Ooakes and Senator Upton
amends the code relating to the du
ties of district school boards, and
among other things provides that the
board shall fix the salaries of super
intendents. - The amendment pro
vides that In any county under 5000
population which has adopted the
county unit plan, the salary shall jiot
exceed S1800 a year.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wlllard O.
Vincent of Lozler Lane, a girt, -weigh
ing 5 pounds Sunday, Jan. 20.
For Immediate clearance hats
formerly priced up to (10.00
now 50c and $1.00.
ETHELWYM B. HOFFMANN.
New spring shoes now on display.
A larger and smarter variety than we
have ever had, and at only $1.95 to
93.95. The Band Box and Shoe Box.
HARR FOR DEBATE
WITH BILLY CARL
To the Editor:
I regret to eeem slow In replying to
"Farmer Bill's" communication of
January 25, dealing with our contem
plated battle. For fear this may ap
pear as a sign of weakening I must
explain that we are not as yet blessed
with a dally mall service, hence the
unavoidable' delay.
I am only glad to have an oppor
tunity to defend the cause of Justice
against one who baa so boldly mis
construed our unselfish motives. But
it seems it should not be necessary
for a raw "hill billy" bo lacking in
technical ability to have to assume
this responsibility. Nevertheless, I
go forth armed with courage, know
ing that "right Is might."
The exigencies of my profession
render it impossible for me to meet
my adversary face to face and am
a little reluctant about venturing out
after dark until law and order are
re-established in Jackson county. Like
the darky constable, I am "bravo but f
cautious." I suggest If the Tribune
will permit, that we settle this ques
tion through the columns of their
paper. I assure them we will be aa
decorous as this noble cause will Jus
tify. Though my opponent should
become rampant when he sense cer
tain defeat, I will quickly Blip one
of my verbal' poa bulbosa restrlctor
holds on him and he will be aa help
less as a farmer trying to sell lamb
on the local market.
Awaiting the onslaught of the
enemy, I am very truly,
BERT HARR.
. . . Scart taking
Liquocold at the
first sneeze or
sniffle. Relief comes quickly. Many say
in 30 minuites. Liquocold is the pop
ular new liquid cold prescription. Get
a bottle today have tt on hand.
. . Jarmln & Woods Drug Store
Save 25 On Your
FIRE INSURANCE Cost
Oregon Mutual policlea are NON-ASSESSABLE.""- Oregon Mutual
maintains more than twice ttie surplus required by Oregon Insur
ance Laws.
Oregon Mutual Fire Insurance Co. i
NEW LOCATION
16 NO. RIVERSIDE
C. L. GOFF
For Street
For Work
For Dress
.
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Rooms without bsth 91.50up
Rooms with bath . . $2.00 up
Special weekly & monthly rates.
Golf Prlrilegrs. Garage adjacent.
Can checked tt the door.
AT MANN'S
WEDNESDAY
$395
Now'a the time to step out ta
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a revelation at th is price.
Really they are 16.05 values.
Come as Early as You Gin Wednesday Morning
See What's New in Dresses for Spring
O
Sale of Spring Silks
Wednesday at Mann's
A sale Wednesday of beautiful new spring silks that
certainly will prove an inspiration to the women of
Medford who make their own frocks.
New E-Sharpe Printed Crepes
Fashion magaxlne for Spring 1033 will tell
you they are going to wear this smart silk
In a number of ways. K -Sharp Printed Crepe
Is now available In the newest colors and pat
terns and priced to meet the demand for
quality at a low cost. Per yard, at Mann's
$49
0 w
iinitlMWIIIiiilMMUMiiiii
New Furobeau 36-inch Rough Crepes
Furobeau crepe, a new 1033 silk that fea
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89
MAIN
FLOOR
MAIN
FLOOR
Colonial
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Demonstration
and Free Facial
A staff specialist from the
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scribe the csre best suited
to develop your particular
type of beauty, she will
also give you a free fecial
If you make your reserva
tion at once. Facial In pri
vate. Toiletries section.
Mann's Main Aisle