(:)
I Farm
Pear Tree Decline Study
Explained, History Given
Editor's Note: The follow-
- ing article ii one of a teries
of stories on pear decline in
. the Rogue River valley
based on excerpts from a
paper prepared by Prof.
Henry Hartman, horticul
turist at Oregon State col-
lege, C. B. Cordy, Jackson
' county horticultural agent.
H. Ronald Cameron, John
'. R. Higdon and Harold J.
Jensen. Professor Hartman,
'. who has been heading the
' decline study here, was
' scheduled to discuss the de
cline problem and his latest
; findings during a meeting
: of the pear industry here
'. earlier this year. Under doc
tor's orders since his heart
attack, Hartman has not yet
been able to come to Mod
; ford.
' What is the poor tree de
cline research? What are it's
objectives? What is the his
tory of decline? What are oth
er aspects of tree sickness?
The pear tree decline re
search in the Rogue valley is
' joint project between the
Fruit Growers League of
Jackson county and the Ore
gon Agricultural experiment
I station. The league has helped
finance the project. Indivi-
dual members provide some
'labor, supplies and faciliti
The Oregon agricultural ex
periment station pays its
workers' salaries except for
.that of Henry Hartman, for
mer head of the OSC horticul
ture department, who is head
ling the project. It also finances
i incidental expenses and tra
1 vel. OSC also provides clerical
help, laboratory facilities, and
greenhouse space for the work
;at Corvallis.
Southern Oregon branch ex
(pcriment station also provides
'some personnel and facilities.
decline are found in different simlar to decline. Trees In-
,The Oregon Extension service
js carrying on certain phases
iof the work, also.
The present' project got
underway Aug. 1, 1958. How
ever, preliminary studies of
pear-tree decline were made
prior to the 1958-59 fiscal
Vear. Present research is a
'crash program aimed at sav
ing the present pear tree gen
eration. Researchers hope to
find preventive measures for
.'specific troubles which often
jvome to light long before the
actual causes ore fully re
vealed.
Decline History Given
Various forms of pear tree also
parts of the world where pears
are grown commercially, in
the United States the trouble
was first seen in the state of
Washington. Extensive dam
age was done to that stale's
pear orchards particularly llie
trees on Japanese root stock.
Later the same trouble was ob
served in this area. Although
the trouble is found in trees
with both French and Japa
nese root slock it seems more
prevalent in the latter type.
One case was fund in the Wil
lamette valley in 1959. It was
found in various parts of Cali
fornia, also, during the past
season.
Due lo work done so far, it
is possible to separate many
of the ailing trees from true
decline and give specific
causes.
Itogue valley pear trees are
seriously injured or killed
often, by high water tables or
"wet feet." This trouble oc
curred long before the decline
problem was discovered. Japa
nese root stock is more sus
ceptible to "wet feet." No
rootstock is immune to the
high water table trouble, how
ever. This problem has
creased during the past few
years. The wot seasons of
1055-50 and 1957-58 added to
the problems. Precipitation in
crease each year from 1943 to
1958 also aggravated the prob
lem. Fairly recent changes in
irrigation practices in the im
mediate vicinity of the orch
ards also increased the
problem.
Different than one hurt by
true decline, a tree injured by
water alone usually shows re
tardation of growth and even
"die-back" at the terminals
but may send up suckers from
the frame work of branches.
Poor Strains Troublesome
Poor strains of rootstock arc
another cause of ailing trees in
the Rogue valley. So far, five
proven cases of this condition
have been found. Due to tjiis
type of tree trouble trees have
not grown normally since
being planted. They have
been dwarfish or scrubby
from the start.
Shallow soils is another ail
ing tree category. Trees in this
type of soil often collapse
during periods of extremely
high temperatures and low
relative humidities.
Injury from smudge oil has
given trees symptoms
jured by oil soaking trunks
or rools collapse during the
latter part of the growing
season.
Tired trees is yet another
classification of tree trouble.
This is indicated by insuffi
cient annual growth, lack of
deep green color in leaves
and a tendency toward low
yields and unsatisfactory fruit
size. This trouble is not fully
revealed yet by research, the
agricultural scientists report
ed. Low nitrogen levels in the
soil is not associated with this
problem. It initially occurs in
trees with large quantities of
nitrogen. Failure to utilize
properly the nutritional ele
menls available is a more
likely cause.
There are a number of mis
cellaneous ailments. Trees
girdled by rodents also show
pear-decline like symptoms.
Collar rot is caused by action
of soil fungus organisms
Numbers of trees in the val
ley suffering from this trouble
is not known. Old blight can
kers in the roots is yet another
miscellaneous problem. This
problem has decreased in the
vallev in recent years. How
ever, there was a time when
pear trees used to die from
root blight even though trunks
and large branches did not re
veal blight organism presence.
Plant Services
Shown In Film
Salem - A second 20-min-
uto 10mm sound color film,
"For Crop and Man," is now
available for showing lo inter
ested Oregon groups.
The film depicts how the
division of plant industry,
slate department of agricul
ture, serves agriculture and
consumers. The film includes
fruit and vegetable harvest
and processing scenes in west
ern and central Oregon, nurs
ery activity, and plant pest
and disease surveys, ragweed
control operations. H takes to
the skies in plane dusting op
erations over Umatilla county
grain fields and glimpses
weather modifiers (rain mak
ers, for example) at work.
The film is a department
production. It is available
from state department of ag
riculture, information office,
Salem.
ATTENTION!
FRUIT GROWERS
Look over this list of the most com-
plete selection of new insecticides
t designed for you. Norkem Corpora-
tion also offers you experienced
field service.
B"W Etf gives oxcellcnt control of major insects
EL V I IN JV. W and docs not harm fruit. Use SEVIN
yourself to get fine finish and more top quality fruit.
The Scab Spray. The Combination ft T Cf Mm. C A
of Protection and Eradication hat f IX tV Oja TT
provided superior control of Pear Scab.
1 . V
GUTHION
The Single Insccticido that controls all
major fruit pests all season long!
Controls codling moths, apple maggots,
mites, scale, pear psylla, cherry fruit flics.
DIAZINON
KELTHANE
Ability to kill many species plus long
residual action add up to Low Cost
mita control.
Phytomycin, Agrimycin and
Streptomycin for effective, ef
ficient Pear Blight Control.
ANTIBIOTICS
CHLOROBENZILATE Sf 1Z,
all stages of mites and thoso types resistant to certain other miticides.
For effective, easy, economi- A F (" "N A I Ft g
cal weed control, Norkem W fc fc U IxlLLtKb
has the greatest selection available.
I I A fckl A 4 C ancrtncr product to be used against
U I YV -Jm& pc-" psylla up to within SO days of
harvest.
For Experienced Field Service Contact
PJor (!H Corporation
ED SMITH
P.O. Box 1133
Medford, Ore.
SP 2-6151
CHIT CHAT-!
ly JOI C0WLIY
Mail Tribune Far Iditer
Uncle Dan Sez: Me and my old ladv was going to church
Sunday morning and I had to drive 10 miles an hour fer
about 2 mile behind a fool woman driver on account of not
being able to get around her. I finally passed her just as
we had to stop afore gitting into the highway, giving her a
mighty mean look as I went by. She pulled up aside me at
the highway, stuck her head out the window and hollered
"If you're going to church, get in a better humor!" It shore
did make me feel cheaper'n a wood nickel.
MAIL TKIBUNI, Medford, Or.
Tueiday, May 17, 160
About 400 Persons
They wasn't many folks at church on account of a little
rain and the preacher started off by saying it was a funny
thing to him how 50 drops of rain could keep 100 folks from
church. It got him in a bad humor and he worked the congre
gation over good, especially them that was absent. He finally
got on the subject of people being money crazy and allowed
as how the pore and humble and ignorant would get to
heaven first. I been humble and ignorant all my life but
I ain't ever been able to work up any great joy over the
blessings of poverty. Just between you and me, that woman
hollered a better sermon out the window in about 10 words
than our preacher give us in a hour and 10 minutes. I reckon
preachers, like everybody else, has their off days.
Well, the tax assesser was out our way sneaking around
last week, which is mightly bad in a election year. But I
found out a long time ago it gits you no place to argue with a
tax assesser. His mind was made up afore he ever looked
at your propity, maybe afore he got out of bed that morning.
Arguing with them tax fellers is worse than arguing with a
woman, which is about like trying to read a newspaper in
a high wind.
I give up on the fair sex when we got girl bull fighters
and wimmen rasslers, and when the tax assesser got to
measuring the pitch of my barn roof, 1 sold my herd and
got me a rocking chair. Them cannibals out on that island
in the Pacific has got the only fool-proof solution I've ever
saw for the tax situation. They eat the tax collector.
My old lady come home this morning from shopping and
got out her old trunk and started counting her Great
Grandpa's Confederate money. I was curious but didn't
let on I was looking. Wimmen is funny tiiat way and some
times you get more information if you just keep quiet. Bui
I finally give up and ask her what she was doing with that
Confederate money. She said she had just decided that Con
federate money was now worth about the same as U. S.
money and she wanted to see how much she had.
Ted Kennedy, younger brother of Sen. John Kennedy,
dropped into the office Saturday led by the local Kennedy
campaign manager Robert Boyer, Medford attorney. He
was following up his brother's appearance here some weeks
ago. We asked him a number of questions including how
his brother's chances stood with the agricultural states.
Naturally, he said he expects his brother to do well in the
farming areas. He said the only farm counties he suffered
defeat in during the Wisconsin primary were those on the
Minnesta border a state in which rival Sen. Hubert Hum
phrey's strength was greatest.
Incidentally, contrary to some political commentators like
Alsop, young Kennedy feels that direct personal appearances
won the West Virginia campaign for his brother, not the
Lincoln-Douglas style debate which was televised. For in
stance, while talking to the West Virginia miners he held
a can of dried eggs in his hand. The federal government
has distributed these and other surplus agricultural products
to the out-of-work miners and their families in the area.
This is the kind of thing, Kennedy told the miners, he would
encourage.
Senator Kennedy feels that Oregon Is now the key to
his possible Democratic nomination at the national con
vention in Los Angeles this summer. The senator needs the
support of the Rocky Mountain states and he feels that if
he wins the nomination in the Oregon primary Friday this
will swing that area his way. Since this is a western farming
area he feels victory in Oregon will help considerably to
swing the other farm areas, too.
Fishermen Propose
Self-Help Program
Salem - For the first time
in Oregon commodity commis
sion history, producers are pe
tioning for a direct referen
dum on proposals to establish
a self-help program.
Th e request comes from
commercial fishermen who
want to form a seafoods com
mission of Oregon.
In a petition to the state
department of agriculture,
fishermen say they represent
about two-thirds of the pro
duction. When petitioners
speak for more than half the
production, they may request
the department to by-pass the
usual hearings and proceed to
registration of producers for
a referendum vote.
The deaprtment is checking
the seafoods petition to de
termine if it is in order to
waive the hearings.
The seafoods request fol
lowed shortly on heels of the
department's announcement
that the Oregon fryer grow
ers' referendum failed to elim
inate their commission as
sessment. On this, 165 broiler
growers voted, with 71 or 43
per cent wanting to wipe oul
the 17100th cent per pound
levy.
To carry a grower referen
dum, two-thirds of the voters
must favor the proposal.
About three-fourths of the
state production was repre
sented in the referendum
with the minority who want
ed the fryer levy cancelled ac
counting for 51 per cent of
the voting production.
The Danish radio industry
employs 30,000 persons in
modern factories.
FFA
Attend
Eagle Point - Elvin Haw
kins was named Chapter Star
Farmer during last week's
Eagle Point Future Farmers
of America fifth annual par
ent and son banquet.
Hawkins was given a per
manent tropny and his name
will be placed on the Eagle
Point Lions club rotating pla
que, Glenn Clymer. Eagle
Point Lions elub president,
told the crowd of 400 per
sons attendin' the banquet.
Other award winners were
Dale Vaughn, farm and heme
electrification; Victor Halsey,
soil and water management;
Glenn Burg, farm mechanics.
Each was presented an indi
vidual permanent plaque by
Harry Hanscom, Eagle Point
Junior Chamber of Commerce
president.
Ron Greb was presented a
Dinner
Lamb Pool Shipment
Planned Here Soon
Jackson county farmers
with farm flocks of sheep are
being polled on how soon
they will have enough lambs
for a pool shipment, accord
ing to Earle Jossy, county ex
tension agent.
Jossy said some lambs
should be ready for shipment
by May 20, if not then by
June 1. It takes 350 lambs for
shipment, he said. Approxi
mately 3,01)0 lambs were
shipped last year in the Jack
son county pool.
Meanwhile agreements on
the new wool pool are coming
in. These should be sent in as
soon as possible so the pool
can be closed by June 1, he
said.
Proper zoning, after all, is like channeling a stream or
river. So population growth has to be channeled or zoned.
The better the channeling or zoning the faster and more
efficient is the growth.
As Gaffney of the University of Missouri points out
"Each addition to the local market helps also to spread the
overhead of more specialized and larger operations. Each new
taxpayer shares the burden of large public works and im
proves the city's credit. Each new producer helps diversify
the city's economic base and insure its stability. Each new
seller tends either to bring in outside money or to reduce
leakages of money to outside sellers, and thus he creates
new demand for local services."
Uncle Dan's remarks were borrowed from the wife's
hometown paper in North Dakota. We felt this rambling
commentary was appropriate for this time of year.
rotating plaque by Bob Bit
terling of the Oregon Milk
Producers league. Bitterling,
as Master of the Eagle Point
Grange, also presented Madi
son Patrick the Grange's ro
tating plaque for public speak
ing. The Eagle Point Lions
club president also presented
Don Pestka the farm safety
permanent individual plaque
donated by the Lions.
Steven Geren, Dale Vaughn
and John Patrick received the
FFA Green hand awards.
FFA activity awards were
presented to the five boys
ranking highest on the activ
ity board by Howard Wilde,
1957-58 chapter vice-president.
First place and plaque
went to Benny Sutton. Others
who also received a gift cer
tificate for FFA jackets were
Steven Geren, Ron Greb, Dale
Vaughn, Victory Halsey and
Warren Pestka, listed accord- I
ing to ranking.
Honorary Degrees Given
Honorary degrees were pre
sented Bob Lonzway, Bill
Woods and John Patrick.
Lonzway, as field conserva- i
tionist for thj Sams Valley
Beagle conservation district,
helped the chapter by holding
soil and water classes in ;
school and teaching land
leveling. Bill Woods, an Eagle
Point rancher, made it pos
sible to judge livestock at his
ranch and loaned hay equip
ment. John Patrick, the father
of the chapter president, loan
ed his truck for many hours
of wood-hauling. He also help
ed in many other ways.
The banquet guest speak
er, Dennis Wood, is state pres
ident of the Oregon FFA as- j
sociation, past president of I
the Mololla student body and
an outstanding member of his
local church. He was state
public speaking winner and
western regional winner and
will go to Kansas City this
fall to participate in the na
tional convention.
Marketing Expert
Receives Award
Salem - W. L. Close, of
Salem, known throughout
fruit and vegetable shipping
centers in Oregon, recently
received the U.S.D.A. certifi
cate for continuous outstand
ing service and a $250 cash
award.
The presentation was made
at the recent regional shipping
point inspection conference at
McCall, Idaho.
Clo.e is federal marketing
specialist attached to the State
Department of Agriculture.
Portland IUPD Sen. Wayne
L. Morse (D-Ore.) said Monday
that Premier Nikita Khrush
chev's withdrawal of his invi
tation to President Eisenhow
er to visit Russia "belies his
words" in favor of peace.
Salem-flMl - Jean Scheel,
Corvallis, has been elected
chairman of the Oregon Rural
Civil Defense Advisory committee.
Km
VOTE FOR
E. II "Pickle"
TAYLOR
Democratic
Candidate
For
County
Commissioner
Lifetime Resident of
Jackson County
Successful Stock Rancher
Successfully Owmdi
Operated the Taylor
Pickle Factory for Over
20 Years.
Conservative
Qualified for the Job
Active in Many County
Affairs.
Pd. Pol. Adv. Taylor for Com
missioner Committee - -E.
H. Taylor, Rt. 2, Box 285,
Central Point, Oregon.
Conservation of all natural resources Is a strong plank j
in the Kennedy platform, Ted Kennedy told us. He feels i
an easterner promoting conservation will be considered
more sincere by the public than somebody from the west !
where the issue is almost forced on a candidate. Easterners
have been key figures in promoting conservation. He pointed j
pointed out such people as Theordore Roosevelt, Franklin ;
Delano Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot. i
It's just a short hop and skip from conservation to zon
ing, as we see it. Actually, that is what zoning is all about,
it's aimed at portioning land off and designating it for uses
to which it seems best suited. We don't say zoning always 1
achieves this aim for there is a lot of good orchard land
which is now a part of subdivisions. Farmers feel a strong 1
kinship for their lands so it's only natural for them to ,
oppose any proposed restrictions if they feel it's going to
hamper them in their free use of that land. I
M. Mason Gaffney, associate professor of agricultural
economics, University of Missouri, asks a sharp question,
"Will urban expansion ever slop?" He has an interesting
chapter in the 11)58 yearbook of agriculture entitled, "Land."
"The increasing demand for land for urban uses has
been met by accelerating expansion of cities into the rural
areas," a fellow professor points out. "The outlook is for a
faster rate of conversion of agricultural land into nonfarming
use. particularly for urban expansion. Many of the metro
politan areas may be expected to double the amount of areas
they will occupy within the next two or three decades."
Before you scoff at this, remember this man belongs to the
same class of people who produce marketing reports and
estimates which you farmers follow religiously in plan
ning your farm operations.
HAYING TIME IS MEM
GRANGE CO-OP
Locally Owned
Locally Controlled
and Operated Solely
for the Benefit of Local
Ranchers and Farmers.
Always quality p rod
ucts, and reasonable
prices.
X
.
i V--K-SS&.
i . r A
1 3
We Have the Best
in High Quality
HOLLAND TVINES.
A Large Stock of
Hay Salt Always
on hand.
Harold M. Maver. nrofessor. department of eeoeraDhv
ITnivercilv nf Ptiimffn nnintc nut In the same hnnk that mnrh -9
! of the land the urban or city spread will occupy is crop-
land used for Intensive production of speciality crops and
i has a higher value per acre than the average value of all
I agricultural land.
j These croplands, being devoted to Intensive cultivation
of specialized crops, are characterized by small "farms, he
j further points out. Naturally, they would have n much
i denser population than the average for all agricultural areas.
! Pears are a speciality crop. So is Talent alfalfa seed. Both
! arc produced in the Rogue River valley.
"While the total loss of cropland may not represent
: an actual net loss of agricultural production nationally, the
loss of speciality crops, involving conversion to nonagricul
' tural use of some of the best land for such crops, could
well become significant," the professor points out further.
So the farmers of the valley should bless, not curse, the
Jackson county planning commission for its attempts to
zone valley land for what its studies consider the best use.
We admit that the commission's efforts are slow and some
what awkward and bumbling, but an attempt is being made.
It is trying to keep a proper balance between agriculture
! land use and industrial use.
fool them on
this shirt deal!
(see page 8)
fPI
! V
rft'ftV
! r-il t . 'iff J
It V.
t4t" 'T " 'IH: 4
ft - 1, U t -j i
i,k il ji
Also Silage Preservative
and Beet Pulp for making
a Superior Silage
1... i j;.. .iiiw- vsri- I H
- - - ,
. i ' - .d..fir t - v
fc' T.fr' i'nnjw
CO
-OP
UPPIV ASSOCIATION
HIGHWAY 99 IN CENTRAL POINT
Phone NO 4-1261 or SP 3-4022
B AND WATER STS. IN ASHLAND .
Ashland MU 5-4021