EIGHT MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
' Sunday, August 10, 1952
isis
uring County's
Annual Orchard Tour and Fie
of
Problems
Yai
Orchard
Demonstrated
Host
$ racing
ey
Day
Orchard Heating,
Insect Pests Among
Discussion Topics
Sponsored by State
And County Groups
The host of problems which
face valley orchardists became
abundantly evident recently,
during the second annual Or-
chard Tour and Field day, con
ducted under the joint sponsor
ship of the Jackson County Fruit
Growers league and the State
Horticultural society.
The problems range from cold
weather during budding season
in the pear orchards, and what
to do about it, to the recent in
vasion of tiny insects known as
Pear Psylla, and how to combat
them.
The first of these problems is
a headache, for not only is or
chard heating expensive under
any circumstances, it is also a
major public relations hazard as,
every spring, housewives and
merchants get madder and
madder at the sooty smudge.
Problem Unsolved
What can be done, however, is
still not solved. Experiments
with "smokeless" heaters, which
throw out less black soot, have
been made with some success,
but the smokeless type cost con-
' siderably more than do the old
smudge pots with which or
chards are equipped. It would
require an investment running
into thousands of dollars for each
acre of orchard land to convert
to them. Storage, too, is a prob
lem, for the heaters, which have
stacks, cannot be stacked row
on row the way the simpler and
less ' expensive pots can be
stored.
This year experiments in the
motion of air were tried. One
big installation was at Klamath
orchards, where a tall tower
mounting two big propellers
makes a circle each 12 minutes,
It helps bringing temperatures
up a few degrees but only in
a strictly limited radius. To
, prove effective, many of the ex
pensive "machines would be
needed.
The situation here, particular
ly on flat bottom-land, is differ
ent than in California, where
hills, and a usual layer of warm
air above make the machines
much more effective.
The 100 or so fruit growers
and farmers on the recent tour
visited the Klamath orchard, and
inspected varying fruit damage
resulting from the late-season
cold snap, on June 12, when
most heater-pots had been re
moved from orchards..
Frdm there the group went to
the Medford branch of the OSC
experiment station, where Dr.
Elliott Degman, superintendent.
explained a series of experiments
which have been conducted with
various sprays for different pur
poses, including those which pre
vent fruit from falling from trees
before they are ripe.
At the station, viewers saw
two plots, one of which had been
treated with a new soil condi
tioner, and one which had not,
Many found it difficult to tell
them apart, and the conclusion
was that no decision on its worth
can yet be made.
The use of sawdust as a mulch
and moisture-holder was shown
at the next stop, the orchard of
Chris Wolff south of Medford
This procedure too is still large
ly experimental, although more
and more orchardists are trying
it. The sawdust can be applied in
various depths, serving to break
up the soil, and to hold moisture
in it without drying out. Sawdust
is in some ways more efficient
than the use of cover crops.
The longest and most interest
ing stop was at the Talent branch
experiment station, where ur,
Degman, Dr. L. G. Gentner, en
tomologist, and Prof. Henry
Hartman. of Oregon State col
lege, told of experimental work
designed to protect trees, and
to develop better strains.
Some 1,400 varieties of pear
trees are planted at this station,
and many of them are more than
one -variety, through grafting.
Here, too, is the daddy of all
the valley's blight-resistant trees.
It was one which resisted blight
innoculations, made by Dr. F. C
Reimer, original and long-time
superintendent of the stauon.
"Seedlings grown from this tree's
seeds are used to form tree
parts, usually roots, which pro
vide the basis ior Diigm-resisiam
producing trees.
Other experiments in develop
ing more colorful pears are also
under way at the station.
One of the highlights of the
trip was a talk by Professor Hart
man on the seemingly-dry topic
of when to pick pears. However,
Hartman's explanation, retailing
the many reasons fruit should
not be picked too soon, and then
telling why they must not be of weather,
picked too late, made the talk an - In previous years, Hartman
interesting one to the fruitmen, pointed out, almost all fruit was
whose livelihood depends on picked too soon, for fear of its
timing, as , well as the vagaries dropping from the tree. More
recently, with the development
of hormone sprays which keep
fruit on the trees, the tendency
has been in the opposite direc
tion, although from 90 to 95 per
, EQUIPMENT DEMONSTRATED Follow- cutting weeds and cover crops; and beyond that
ing the picnic luncheon for orchard tour mem- are sprayers. In front of the sprayers is a
- bers on August 1, an equipment demonstration "smokeless" type heater, which some orchards
was held at TouVelle park. At right is Hyster use, but which is considerably more expensive
straddle truck used for carrying pear boxes; than old-type heating pots with which most
next is ground beater with tractor, used for orchards are equipped.
1 . if: . :
h ' r-
' f - ' j
& 11'. ,
.
cent of the fruit is now picked
at approximately the right time,
he said.
A presure test, recently de
veloped on the basis of many-
years records, is the most effec
tive way of judging the exact
moment which is best for fruit
which will be stored in cold
packing houses.
A discussion of the many dis
eases and pests which are the
bane of fruit men's existence was
given by Dr. Gentner, and he
illustrated his talk with exam
ples of the pests he described.
The Pear Psylla, a recent in
vader of the valley, is a tiny,
almost invisible insect, which
can do great damage to pear
trees because it is so tremen
dously prolific. Several billions
of insects can develop in just a
few generations from' one fe
male fly.
Effective sprays, however, can
keep it under control, provided
they are applied sufficiently and
properly, Dr. Gentner explained.
Another pest is the spider mite,
and great strides have been made
in recent years in conquering
this .pest, particularly through
the use of newly-developed sys
temic poisons, which are put
around the roots or lower parts
of the tree, 'and which are then
absorbed into the tree, itself, thus
poisoning the mites. These poi
sons are still experimental, and
not being used commercially.
The conclusion of the tour was
at TouVelle park, where a-pic
nic luncheon vjbs served by
ladies of the Phoenix Grange,
and where dealers in equipment
showed off their wares.
The demonstrations gave a
good idea of the "mechanical
revolution" which has swept the
industry in recent years, with
specialized vehicles designed to
vp J IS .;
RESISTS BLIGHT Pictured is the orig
inal tree, developed by Dr. Reimer, which has
blight resistant roots. All blight resistant trees
stem from this one, with the seeds grown to
seedlings, and then other varieties are grafted
onto these, on either the roots or trunk. Some
times three or more separate trees go into mak
ing up a single producing '"tree..'' In budding
season, the framework around .the tree is cov
ered with cheesecloth, and a hive of bees is
put inside the cloth, thereby giving sure con
trol of pollenization.
handle boxed pears much more
rapidly than can be done by
hand, by automatic spray rigs
which douse trees with chemi
cals as they are pulled by tractor
through orchards, and with other
special equipment.
The field day tour was the
second one held in the valley,
and fruit men here plan to make
it an annual affair. Not only
fruit men, but any others inter
ested in the problems of horti
culture and pear raising, are wel
come to attend. !
: : i .
I
WIND MACHINE Shown above is a rotating type windmill
in experimental use this year at Klamath orchard. Wind machines
are being tried, with strictly limited success, as substitutes for
smudging. The tall machine, operated by two engines with big air
plane propellers, has raised orchard temperatures two degrees or
so, .but only for a maximum radius of 500 feet. The expense, and
the necessity for many such machines, coupled with the fact .that
there is seldom a layer of warm air in the Rogue valley for the
machines to draw down, limits their practical use.
A Tribute To T!
Armed Forces
The army, the navy, the air force, the ma
rines, the generals, the admirals, the ser
geants, the doughboys . . . God bless them
all. Never in the history of our country have
our armed forces meant so much to us as they
do today; never have they been such a bul
wark, of strength and inspiration against
aggression. We humbly pray for the preser
vation of every man . . . and woman ... in
Uncle Sam's protective services and cherish
' the day when their efforts will be directed
only in the cause of permanent Peace! - f'.-i
.... .
MEDFORD PHARMACY, Inc.
127 EAST SIXTH , PHONE 2-6253
11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. We Are Open Today'
WE SALUTE OUR TOWN
likil for ?
i '
P
and
DRINK PLENTY OF
9
.
jmmmem
NEW HOMOGENIZED GRADE A
IFClMMIFIIIEffl)
NATURE'S MOST PERFECT FOOD
. You build up your health insurance every time you take a glass of milk. You can't find
a better, more economical, more fun way of getting those essential vitamins and min
- erals so necessary to your good health. That's why doctors say "Drink at least two
glasses of fresh milk a day." Treat yourself and your family to the best that means
Jorgensen's grand new milk FORTIFIED to supply the minimum daily requirements'
of the MOST IMPORTANT VITAMINS and MINERALS except Vitamin C (easily ob
tained from fruit and vegetable juices).
Delivered to Your Door Or at Your Grocer
Supplies
Practically ALL
of Your Daily
Vitamin and
M ineral Needs!
o