8 A
TUESDAY. APRIL IS. 1363
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
New Ideas, Equipment Tried
By Tireless Orchard Foreman
Br JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribunt Firm Editor
Edward W. Earnest, or
chard foreman for Myron
Root and company, Medford,
could be called the prototype
of the new generation of pear
orchard managers, eager to
try anything which will shave
costs and promise more com
pany profit.
"I don't think Ed owns a
clock or watch. Time on the
job means nothing to him,"
Warren Bayliss of the pro
gressive fruit company re
marked, recently.
Managing the valley - wide
fruit company orchards plus
70 acres of his own pear,
peach and apple trees is al
most a 24-hours-a-day job for
the 33-year-old man; particu
larly during the orchard heat
ing season.
To do it he averages 100
miles a day. He estimated his
pickup (ruck has logged 77.
000 miles in two years. He
frowned when we suggested
after two years his truck
should be junked as wornout
equipment. He quickly assur
ed us the fruit company's own
shops keep such equipment
running efficiently much long
er than that.
Like Edn Valley
Like the Eden Valley or
chard in a previous article,
Myron Root and company re
pairs and makes its own spe
cially equipment. Three me
chanics operate from the plant
shop and one in the Vilas
orchard. The management's
eagerness to try out new
equipment and procedures as
manifested by Bob and Don
Root make such shops an in
tegral part of the overall op
eration. Although a young man try
ing out new ideas in orchard
management, Ed is familiar
with the old style operation.
He grew up in the business
in California by working in
orchards starting in his high
school years. He remembers
how "a lot of hoses had to
be drug around for spraying."
The husky young orchard
foreman came to the valley
while his father was in the
Camp White veterans' hospi
tal. He liked it and bought
some orchard property here.
Later the Root brothers asked
hint to come to work for
them. During his five yours
with the company Ed has tak
en pride In the gradual stream
lining oi the company operation.
Tills has meant use of two
way radios, concentrate spray
ers and recently Clorettcs, or
self-propelled platforms using
a Jong boom with crow a nest
cage for picking, pruning and
thinning
Perhaps the two-way radio
hookup has been the most far
reaching development for the
Medford pear district as well
as the Root company. The
Roots use it for trouble calls
for mechanics, for irrigation
and for orchard heating.
Frost Warning Hookup
Last week we heard the
new, almost valley-wide, frost
warning radio hookup in ac
tion. This was spearheaded by
the Hoot brottWl and inaug
urated this year. Orchardists
reporting cloud movements
and temperatures helped Me
teorologist Bill Rogers, of the
Fruit Frost Warning Service,
obtain a fix on the immediate
weather conditions from his
"radio shack" at the airport.
It also gave each orchardist
an idea of how his orchard
conditions checked with oth
ers. The comparatively weak
citizens' radio band works
best at night when little in
terference occurs. Such day
time interference would make
it difficult to use extensively
in the day time and for wide
area harvest operations. It can
be used early In the morning,
a time of little radio interfer
ence, to route pickers from
orchard to orchard, however.
The two-way radio hookup
is especially efficient for
night-time irrigation when Ir
rigation water evaporation is
at a minimum. Using walkie
talkies and a mobile radio,
irrigators can check the wa
ter from the head to the end
of a row. This requires fewer
men, makes for more efficient
operation and better use of
the water during the night
period when few if any users
want it. In effect, it provides
24 hour water control.
In the 1061 harvest season
the Roots used one gorettc
or squirrel for picking. Now
the company has six more,
used in 1062.
"The squirrel is well-suited
for pruning, blight cutting
and thinning, but there is a
lot to work out for picking,"
Ed answered. "The main prob
lem is getting the fruit of the
gorette into boxes. Bins would
work better. But this would
mean a cnangc over oi uic
Chit Chat
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
additional work contribution would have been more than
half of that supplied by foreign workers in the state that year.
packing house handling equip
ment which would be costly "
A large picking bag mount
ed on the squirrel which could
be reeled down as the bag
filled was tried. But one man
was required to do nothing
but place and remove boxes
as the fruit tumbled in from
the over-size pear bucket af
fair. California has completed such an objective study recent-
Thc orchard foreman pre- y. The University of California and the Giannini Foundation
diets eventually such a pick-1 of Agricultural Economics has compiled a fat volume of
ing rig will have its own con-1 facts and figures which may well become the "White Paper
veyor tower to carry the fruit ! on Seasonal Labor." It's an excellent job.
to a bin on the ground. Last
Belknap New Head
Of Riders' Group
Fruit growers like any other businessmen must keep
their costs of production as low as possible to insure
profit. An Oregon State university agricultural economist
is now making a study oi pear production labor here to
sec just how it is being used.
season s work demonstrated
the machine could be used
effectively for light crop pick
ing. But these machines arc
expensive and savings must
offset the operation cost.
The Roots use a sprayer
"on the concentrate side" so
more of the spray gets on the
trees than on the ground than
it does with the dilute spray
er. Key to this was nozzle ad
justment. The one crop - pears - and
the short season generally
makes this area unattractive
to migrant pickers. Mexican
Nationals are a necessity as
a good, steady, dependable la
bor supply, the orchard fore
man said. But this is a prob
lem being worked on at high
er levels.
The pear orchards are here
to stay, but the smaller or
chards which cannot operate
profitably on a slim margin
of cost-profit are being bought
out by the larger companies,
or lower grade orchards arc
being pulled out for subdi
visions, Earnest noted. More
and more pear acreage is be
ing planted and will be plant
ed. The pear business is not
going out of tiro valley, Earn
est concluded.
We do not claim this study can be applied to Oregon,
much less to Jackson county. But, it does raise some major
questions: Is all available labor fully utilized? Are labor
mrruitina nffnrl f.illv c. . - r . :. t . .H amittnrc ..-.,.L-i.. .
houses and with governmental agencies? How touchy to Tne uU mcmershlP 1 1' committee, reported on
political pressure is the Bracero program? Is the avowed I 'ended the April meeting of he danger and the hazards
U. S. Department of Labor's goal to hold down the number I Jackson County Horseman's !nvolvei on 'he bridge cross
of Braceros used in the U. S. a fair and realistic one? If association, held in the rcc-1 mg at tnc Iree'a' by riders,
coordination is a major key to this seasonable labor problem I reation room of the Tex Nash I Me renimendcd plans be
could the U. S. Department of Agriculture do a better job Ford Tractor and Implement FT by e JCHA ' "old 3
of distributing seasonal labor where it is needed by using ! building. They unanimously I barbecue at tne Midway
its advance crop information? elected John Belknap to the arena as soon as ,ne weather
I presidency. permits.
Belknap has been conduct- h rh.i, p,.,u, .,,j '
Farm & Garden
SSiHSfi"1-!?"?'! S!nCr! U,C B'irdic Swearingen, that an 1
resignation of Larry Perrj
vitation be sent to John Hart,
One thing the California report brings out strongly is
the need for thc Mexican Bracero.
"Among the many groups that have served California
farming, there is no doubt the Bracero has been one of
the most productive," the report states. "In addition to their
willingness to work in some of the crops and operations
that have not been highly attractive to domestic workers,
the Braceros have played the important role of being a
supplemental labor supply."
Gardening Tips
By JOHN W. McLOUGHLIN I with the soil because these
They give the assurance that the crops will be harvested,
thc report points out. If the Bracero program was suddenly
stopped "the impact would be intense," according to the
report.
One big advantage of thc Braceros is they come without
their families. This makes the housing problem much simpler
as local growers will tell you.
"Green Card Mexicans," those who have applied for
U. S. Citizenship, have worked well in this area. But being
a more settled type of worker their families often come
with them which does mean larger housing units. This also
affects the school space required if the harvest carries over
into the school period.
It Is true U.S. farmers have fostered this labor source
as an alternative to the Bracero program since the latter
is a year by year program subject to much red tape and
more and more controls.
Vote Due May 21
On Wheat Program
STOCKMEN
FEED PELLETS
Your coarse or unpaUtabl
roughage will make a bata
for a modern balanced ration
that you can feed with little
labor and no wattage. The
increased meat or milk pro
duced will give you maxl
mum returns on a small cash
investment.
MORTON
MILLING CO.
500 Roit lane, Medford
Corvallls-Ovcr 17,000 Ore
gon farmers can qualify to
vote May 21 In the national
wheat referendum which will
decide the nation's wheat mar
keting policies for 1964.
The vote relates to thc pro-
gram that would be in effect
only for the 1064 crop. This
referendum is required by thc
1962 Food and Agriculture
Act. Thc law instructs the
Secretary of Agriculture to
otler U.S. wheat producers an
opportunity to choose between
two kinds ot programs lor
next year, explains M. D.
Thomas, Oregon Stale univer
sity extension agrlcul Ural
economist.
For the first time, farmera
with wheal allotments of less
than 15 acres will be able lo
vote. However, fanners Willi
these small allotments hud to
indicate their wish to vote by
signing with thc county Agri
cultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service office
by May 14, points out R. E.
Schcdecn, chairman of thc
State ASC committee.
Those signing up to vote
will also quality to receive
price supports, marketing cer
tificates and diversion pay
ments if marketing quotas are
approved. If quotas arc disap
proved, those who sign will lie
national acreage allotment at
49.5 million acres, 10 per cent
under 1963 but the same as
1962, and has proposed a na
tional marketing quota lor
domestic use, export, seed and
livestock feed of 1,220,000,000
bushels.
If approved, certificates cov
ering about 80 per cent ol
thc quota will be issuer).
These certificates entitle the
farmer to a support price ot
52 a bushel, national average.
The remaining wheal would
not receive certificates, but
would be supported at a lower
level of $1.30 a bushel, nation
a I average.
If quotas are disapproved
Hie law provides that thc 1964
wheat support rate would be
50 per cent of parity for
growers who plant within
their allotments. At the
March parity level, this would
mean about $1.25 a bushel
support. Those exceeding
their acreage allotments
would lose their eligibility for
price supports, but there
would be no marketing quota
penalty, Thomas said.
Secretary Freeman set Ore
gon's 1064 wheat acreage al
lotment at 760,059 acres. This
compares with B5i,000 acres
111 l!)K3 and 783,038 in 1902.
County ASCS and Exten
"It is estimated by July 1, 1961, as many as 50,000
permanent immigrants from Mexico had been added to the
U. S. farm labor force, with 22,000 being in California,
according to the bureau of employment security, U. S. De
partment of Labor. "Green card" immigrants in the Cali
fornia farm labor force at the 1962 peak was 30,000 to
35,000."
"For thc state (California) as a whole, based on thc
entry rate of 1961, this source of pupils from immigrant
families is estimated to require the equivalent of 140 new
schoolrooms per year," according to the report. However,
school Is usually in its first two weeks in the Rouge valley
when growers need these workers to finish up the winter
pear harvest.
Thc experts predict that more and more Mexican im
migrants will be coming into this country even if thc
Bracero law is extended. The buildup of the "green card
Mexicans" will rapidly speed up if the law is not extended.
The Bracero is temporary. Numbers are limited by cer
tification of labor shortage by the secretary of labor. Work
contract is specified by legislation and intergovernmental
agreement. He must remain in specified farm work and with
the contracting employer unless otherwise arranged. Thc
worker's family is not permitted to enter. The employer s
cost of procurement such as transportation and insurance is
required by legislature and intcrgovermental agreement.
The immigrant Mexican is permanent but may return
lo Mexico temporarily. Number is not limited except an
Individual employer sponsoring 25 or more requires cer
lifieation of labor shortage by the secretary of labor. No
contract is required. There are no restrictions as to em
ployers or type of work The family may follow the entry
of the head of the family. No procurment cost requirement
is set.
Thc (act Braceros arc not allowed to operate machinery
mav be of increasing importance as more harvest machinery
such as self-propelled elevated platforms are used in orchards
or picking.
n essentially the same poll- sion offices have work forms
tlOIl as if they had not Indl
cated a desire to vole, Thomas
said.
As usuol, all wheat pro
ducers wllh allotments of 15
acres or more are automatic
ally eligible to vote In the
referendum.
Program Details
Details of the 1064 program
were recently announced by
Secretary of Agriculture Or
villc Freeman. He has set the
for wheat producers use in
analyzing income effects on
Individual farms. They also
have other pertinent informa
tion to help each wheat grow
Those making thc California study noted that thc seasonal
pattern of California agriculture has shifted forward in thc
calendar year. A larger share of the temporary work now
occurs in the school vacation period. Emphasis on youth
for this temporary work has brought encouraging results,
according to the California Department of Employment. Use
of high school students for thc heavy and strenuous pear
picking work is still hotly debated in this valley. One big
handicap is school opens when they are needed most-near
the end of the season when migrant labor has migrated.
County Extension Agent
Lilacs
Lilac blight may be preva
lent this year due to the rainy
weather.
This disease causes dark
black streaks on the young
shoots or one side of the shoot
may be blackened. Spots may
occur on the leaves. These
spots may run together
and form a water soaked
blotch. Young leaves may
turn black and die quickly.
This disease also attacks
thc flowers causing the flow
er head to wilt and turn
brown. The flower buds may
be completely blackened by
lilac blight. The white flower
varieties seem to be more
severely affected than the
colored varieties.
Good cultural practices
play an important role in the
control of lilac blight. Give
your plants adequate grow
ing room and prune to pro
vide good air circulation.
Avoid overfcrtilization of the
planting.
Prune any diseased shoots
six inches beyond thc infect
ed area. Sterilize thc pruning
shears before each cut by dip
ping them in denatured alco
hol. Then spray with a copper
spray at the rate of three
tablespoons 50 per cent cop
per to a gallon of water.
Spray infected lilacs with
copper in the fall at the above
rate.
Available Phosphorus
Important for
Vegetable Crops
The response of vegetable
plants to phosphorus fertilizer
is greater during early
growth than at any other
time. An abundance of phos
phorus encourages develop
ment of fibrous roots which
are important in helping
young plants establish them
selves and get off to an early
start in the spring.
When applying phosphorus,
as super phosphate or in mix
ed fertilizer, to acid or cold
soils, don't mix thc fertilizer
soil conditions tend to tie up
phosphorus and make it un
available to vegetable seed
lings. Placing fertilizer high in
phosphorus in bands to the
side and slightly below the
i T B ""c15"wu- noted trainer of horses and
Medford. is vice president circu8 fame. to attend a meet
Belknap addressed the mg of the JCHA at his earli
group, and led discussions re- ( est convenience.
S-u.ok me necessary pro- Tnc cxt mectlng w, bo
gram, how to proceed, promo-, l)c,d Mav 8 -,.
tion, aim and needs of the
that the Tex Nash building
I on Crater Lake highway will
members and local 4-H club.
as wen as o ner imercsieo ; be rclained as a regular meet
"'-.""-''": ing place bv the group
activities now being con-1 .
ducted throughout Jackson
level of the seed has been county.
found the most economical
and effective method for
vegetable crops.
Pines
The best way to control
the size of pines such as the
mugho pine is to pinch off
the candle -like new tip
growth before it breaks into
needles. Selective pinching
will allow you to train these
shrubs into many interesting
shapes.
Camellias
The dropping of Camellia
buds is often caused by the
drying of the roots the pre
vious summer and winter. To
prevent this drying periodi
cally check the soil around
the bush and water if dry.
Pay particular attention to
Camellias under eaves in con
tainers and in other out of
the way places where they
don't receive the benefits of
rain.
Lonnie Varncr stated the
needed requirements of any
constructive plan would be to
see ample room and facilities
will be available, in order to
accommodate the increasing
number of clubs. This would
enable the youngsters, as well
as the other groups to prop
erly display their livestock,
poultry, homemaking proj
ects, and -all other hobbies.
Ted Christensen. chairman
of the membership and activi- I
mj&4$) 772-
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Good Condition
1959 Jeep FC-170
Pickup, Very Good Shape
$1375
NASH FORD TRACTOR
& IMPLEMENT CO.
3005 Crater Lake Hwv.
Japan Gets Onions
Grown in Salem
Salem - Some of Japan's
residents will be eating
onions grown in thc Salem
area. Inspectors for the state
and federal shipping point
inspection service checked
out 27,500 50-pound sacks of
Salem district onions in
February for shipment to
Japan.
Thc inspectors say it is the
first shipments to Japan that
they recall. inspecting.
Hood River reports about
350 cars of apples are still in
storage and 160 cars of pears
remain to be shipped. The
Medford district has approx
imately 400 cars of pears still
in storage. Most of these are
D'Anjous.
I LAWN WEEDS i
BejHsS HHI rr. .'
I ; I H IfinMSzii
BIG Y FEED & SEED GO.
1948 Pacl.it Hwy. N. 773-3160
SUPER
SCAB CONTROL
FOR
APPLES AND PEARS
Cyprcx provides powerful, economical control along with flexibility
to meet any threat from scab throughout thc season
The California researchers state the seasonable labor
available is not used as fully as it should be. This is the
fault of both worker and boss, they point out. The workers
er to decide for himself how don't always know where and when work is available. Spc
he wishes to vole on May 21, cialization in certain crops also keeps them from working
Thomas said. I as much as they could, thc report pointed out. But thc em-
ployers recruit independently and long before the season
Salt-fed steers will gain ancj fake on more workers than they actually need,
more weight on less feed than
will similar steers that have So. In Tulare county they tried two experimental crews
been denied salt.
B
WELL WATER
PURIFICATION
Well water contamination by sewage wastes is becoming a
serious threat throughout the country today. This underground
water contamination from septic tanks, surface water, other con
tamination or abandoned wells and many additional sources
carries this threat to millions of private well owners and to the
entire private well industry.
The proper solution is to install simple automatic chlorina
tion on every well. This will provide continuous automatic pro
tection from disease bacteria for the lifetime of the well.
Complete Chlorination Equipment Available
Simple Accurate Dependable
HUBBARD WRAY CO.
909 S. Rivenide 773-7511
Complete Water System Service
Cyprcx is recommended by all
western states as thc preferred scab
fungicide.
These recommendations are based
on comparative trials by plant
pathologists in all Washington, Ore
gon and California areas where scab
is an economic problem on apples
and pears.
Cyprex is superior both as an
eradieant and a protectant. Low eco
nomical rates in protection schedules
have proved to be far more effective
than other protectant materials. And
by merely increasing rates slightly
Cyprcx also becomes a powerful
eradieant, giving up to 48 hours of
"kick-back" action.
Cyprcx is compatible with most
insecticides and fungicides. It is also
now available in dust form. Consult
local authorities for further
information. Or. contact American
Cyanamid Company, Agricultural
Division, Los Angeles 64, Oakland
12 or Portland 8.
to see what the maximum amount of work each crew could
I obtain. Each crew member was told lo accept different
! types of work when it became available and jobs were ar-
ranged and scheduled.
The crew sponsored by the Tulare County Farmers' as
sociation was active for 33 weeks or -45 days, It obtained
178 days of work. A crew sponsored by the Americans
Friends Service committee was active for 42 weeks or 245
days and obtained 214 days of work. Directors of the two
crews estimated that on a year's or 365 days basis the crews j
would have had 250-260 days of work However, a Kern i
county study (next to Tulare county) showed that family
heads averaged 138 day of farm work in 1961
So what.' So it the temporary farm worker in California
hid averaged an additional 35 days of work in 1961, the
Top Tonnage
Begins With
ANCHOR
Pelleted Fertilizers
For complete selection
and service, Call . . .
GRANGE CO-OP
SUPPLY ASSOCIATION
HIGHWAY 99 - CENTRAL POINT
PHONE 664-1262 OR 773-4022
421 A STREET ASHLAND
PHONE 482-2143
iHTeiiftfffXPfl
jKyifcy 'i(
I Hfv ' B .-T '' ' J4e
I 1 kHI I K Jt
Cyprcx always "pay of: These pairs show what you can expect from a
Cyprcx-sprayed orchard. Crops thus protected assure higher dollar
returns.
Start Cyprcx sprays early dnrina the eritieal Cunm ,;r.i;i.
;"" ." " prevent scab from higher rates gives 'powerful "kick-b
becoming established, f-wf.wj Mr-n
CYPREX IS NOW LSO REGISTERED tor olauom brown rot inU leaf
P0t on cntrrtet (iw.tt nd .our) nd bloi.om brown rot on p.icb..
- protection at low ratei. At slightly
CYPREX 65 W
FUNGICIDE
mtMJIM nam nts H Ho hams a WSUtm or eu l ltl kl