TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1963
MEpFORO MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
Farm &
VIEWS PEARS Youne Michael
ber of Simons and French, Ltd., London and New York, watches
pears come off the belt at a local fruit packing house. He visited
Medford truit snippers ana orcnaras two aays last ween on a
general get-acquainted tour of Pacific Coast fruit areas.
Medford Once Site
Of British Firm
Young Michael Simons, of Si
mons and French, Ltd., London
and New York and formerly
Medford,' stopped in Medford for
two days last week to become
acquainted with the pear ship
pers and learn of their problems
in getting their fruit into the
British market;
This was part of a general
swing through the Pacific Coast
fruit regions which includes Cal
ifornia, Hood River, Yakima,
Wenatchee and British Colum
bia. '.,'"' ' -
i Simons and French used to
have an office in Medford about
the 1030' s on 11th and Fir sts.
(then Simons, Shuttlcworth and
French), but found it more eco
nomical to base their operations
in New York and London. Young
Simons is the fifth generation In
his family to be in the business.
He said he wasn't forced into it,
he likes it.
Formerly of Merchant Marine
! The former British Merchant
Marine officer is tall, fair com
plc.vioned with blue eyes and
Hunt brown, somewhat unruly
brown hair. If he didn't have to
work for a living he would settle
in the Rogue valley, he said. Of
all areas visited, he prefers
northern California and southern
Oregon. Previously he had spent
a year, in New York City study
ing the market. The peoples of
Hie colder northern countries of
Europe such -as England prefer
citrus fruits, so Simons spent
some time in tfc: California cit
rus areas. He also visited Ixidi
and Sacramento since his firm
also imports prunes, grapes,
nectarines and plums.
Mite Spray Needed
Now, Agent Advises
; Peach silver mites or rust
are quite numerous in some of
the valley peach orchards.
: This pest has been trouble
some from time to time but
seldom has been in numbers
sufficient to require . control
measures. Growers should
check their orchards and
where mites are numerous,
however, a fall spray for their
control would reduce popul
Uons for next year. .
' Miticides such as Krllhane or
Chlorobenzilate will give con
trol. Wettablo sulfcr also has
controlled this pest. Chloro
benzilate at one pound per 100
gallons, or Kelthanc at Vt
pounds per 100, or wctlablc
tulfor at three pounds per 100
fnay be applied this fall. The
addition of a good sprcador
would also be beneficial.
' Do not use Chlorobenzilate
on peaches during the grow
ing season. Where fall sprays
are omitted a pre-pink spray
or summer spray may be used
to control this pest.
Exams Opened for
federal Positions
i New examinations are open
to ,lill several federal civil
service positions,
t They Include supervisory mil
itary personnel specialist, me
chanical quality control repre
sentative, engineering drafts
man, industrial specialist, and
electricjt accounting machine
project .planner. .
I Information and applications
may be obtained from the Civil
Service commission In the
Medford post office or from the
regional office at the Federal
Office building, Seattle
Wash.
I
4,
Garden
Simons, fifth generation mem
The British importers like
the fruit shippers here were
watching the Common Market
developments apprehensively.
The British importers would not
have gone along with any trade
restrictions imposed if their
country had joined the Common
Market, the young importer
said. ,
Much of the fruit which comes
into England is from Italy, one
of the Common Market coun
tries. But, Italy can't duplicate
the unform high quality which
British importers get from this
country and must have to satisfy
their large chain market cus
tomers.
Under the new Common Mar
ket conditions, however, Italy
can ship, peaches into England
threo days after harvest. The
more uniform and speedier
transportation system through
Common Market countries to
England makes the difference.
A new transportation system al
lows refrigerator cars to bo
lifted off one set of wheels onto
another set so the journey can
continue in the same freight
cars, but on a different' gauge
track, . . . .,,.(. f.
Typically British
Typically British, the young
importer said he had not
changed his opinion on imports
much after visiting the Pacific
Coast fruit areas. But, unlypi
cally British, he asked for a cup
of coffee instead of tea. His firm
has learned to rely on the qual
ity of U. b. fruit shipped into
England. Such fruit usually ar
rives in 100 package lots or in
lots of 20 packages for selling.
Many of the pears move into
restaurant trade. England has
no gift box trade although the
holidays see the usual boom
in fruit sales.
The coffee habit probably
dates back to the several years
served in the mcrchnnt marine.
There Is no conscription in Eng
land now so joining the mer
chant marine was not a case of
cither or. England has a small,
highly trained and technical mo
bile army, perhaps relying more
on atomic weapons than the U.S.
army which is also trained to
fight "brush wars."
Simons went to sea as an ap
prentice when 16. He spent 2's
years in the British Nautical col
lege. After 16 years at sea he
I was rcaily for the import trade
ana entered nis family s firm.
"Yes, I'm single." he grinned.
"I probably wouldn't have been
able to make this trip if I
weren't. I am impressed with
the highly economical, highly ef
ficient fruit business here," ho
added.
Funds For Test
Program Approved
SALEM Federal matching
funds have been approved by
Uie U.S. Department of Agn
culture for development of 1
reproducablo fluorescence test
(or annual ryegrass seed as a
joint marketing service project
by the Oregon department of
agriculture and the Oregon
Agricultural station.
Word of tho approval was re
ceived last week by Paul T,
Rowell, agricultural' develop"
ment chief for the Oregon De
partment of agriculture. ,
Commenting on the approval
of the funds, Rowell said the
need for a more exact knowl
edge on which to base'. testing
methods and on the lactors In
fluencing fluorescence in an
nual ryegrass seedlings was
emphasized by a recent federal
regulation requiring labeling of
all ryegrass seed at annual or
perennial or mixtures of thest
two, based on the fluoresenc
i test. -
FARM
Woodiot
By DICK OLSON
Oregon State Farm Forester
If you happen to be out in the
woods and see a man wiui
sack pursuing a squirrel, he is
not trying to bag a gray dig
ger. He is just gathering seed
the same as the squirrel. But
for a different reason. The
squirrel uses the seed for future
food but man uses it for future
trees; trees that are processed
into hundreds of wood products
used by man every day.
As the old growtn timber
stands of the Pacific Northwest
are depleted, the need for start
ing a new crop of trees for the
future becomes more and more
important. Logging creates
about 200.000 acres of new clear
cut areas each year in the Paci
fic Northwest. Fire denudes
thousands of acres each year.
Although nature has provided
for ample and prompt restock
ing, this does not often occur.
In most cases, we cannot afford
to wait for nature to do this and
artificial reforestation through
planting of seeding is neces
sary. More than half a million bush
els of seed cones are collected
each year, providing a source
of income for thousands of peo
ple. Many folks have found that
cone collecting provides an en
joyable week end diversion in
the woods and a chance to earn
extra cash at the same time.
Experienced cone collectors
earn good wages during tne
cone collecting season.
To Inform People
The mam purpose of this arti
cle is to make the general pub
lic, as well as the small wood
land owner, aware of this im
portant service performed by a
few.
Cone collectors find that it
pays to get complete informa
tion from cone dealers or their
buying agents before they start
to pick. These contacts are im-
FROM
THE
GROUND
UP
By (ART BARTim
The annual harvest of pears
will be completed this week
There will be some apple
picking left. This is only on a
small acreage of late winter
varieties and does not involve
a great amount of labor.
The peach harvest was fin
ished during the early part of
last week. The harvest of the
fruit crop for this area is being
completed very early this year.
This is because tree fruit crops
were generally short this year.
The season also played a part
in compressing the harvest pe
riod. This year bosc and cornice
pears were ready to pick at
about mid-anjou season.
Hale Rio-osa, Gem and Ala-
mar peaches ripened very close
together. Another facet of the
season was that all peach va
rieties tended to drop heavily
as maturity approached. This
seemed to be correlated with a
too short stem on the fruits as
the final swell comes so that
the peaches literally grew them
selves off the tree limbs.
It is not too late to check
over any woody plant budding
that was done this summer and
replace any buds that failed to
take. This applies to stone fruits
as well as to apples and pears.
A bud well placed now in a
stock plant will do very well
during next growing season.
1 he control of weeds by chem
ical means has progressed to
the point that it should be con
sidered by every farmer.
This field of farming is not so
specialized as many of us have
boon led to believe. If you have
followed the suggestions that
have appeared in this column,
you now have, some basic, in
formation as to what to do
starting now. Some weedicides
or herbicides should be applied
at this time to effect the desir
ed pest plant control during the
coming growing season. Consult
your spray chemical dealer for
advice.
Orchardists should apply a
good fall cleanup spray before
the fall rains come to make the
orchard soils a sea of mud. A
well applied fall cleanup spray
can ease some of the necessity
tor a full dormant spray that
In most Instances means the
use of heavy equipment in or
der to make the application on
very wet, boggy land during
early spring. Consult your spray
chemical dealer tor advice in
regards to this spray applica
tion.
There is a special election
coming up that concerns the
stale tax measure. We regret
to say that following the elforts
of a self paid "hardest work
ing" legislature we fail to
agree that thoir' salary was
worth the effort. Perhaps the
four cent postcards marked
voted by proxy might suffice
for the next meeting of these
gentlemen.
It is notable that those con
tributing the Urgent amount of
verbiase In defeno of the pres
ent state budget art mployecs
of the system.
i
Facts
portant to the picker to deter
mine current prices and types
of cones that aro in demand. By
finding out where to pick, what
to pick, and now to test cones
for required ripeness and seed
quality, they avoid the possi
bility of collecting cones that
they cannot sell. Cone buyers
are sometimes able to direct
pickers to heavier cone produc
ing areas and advise them who
to contact for permission to
take cones.
Nature usually produces heavy
cone crops over a wide area at
three to five-year intervals.
During other years, the crop is
spotty with complete failure
in some areas. Crop failures are
most likely to occur the year
before or the year after a
bumper cone year. So far it
looks like a spotty cone crop
year in the Rogue valley area.
Tree seed dealers buy large
Quantities of cones during good
cone years and accumulate suf
ficient seed to supply demands
through several lean years. Be
sides being easier to. gather dur
ing bumper crop years, cones
produced at this time contain a
greater number of sound seeds
and fewer seed eating insects.
The cone collecting season
lasts for only a few months dur
ing late summer and early fall.
Cones must be gathered before
the cones dry out and the
scales open. The brown cones
which are scattered about un
der the trees or still attached to
the branches are old cones and
do not contain seed. Cones at
lower elevations in Southern
Oregon are now ripening. The
ripening season gradually ex
tends from lower to higher ele-
stop when Douglas-fir, pine,
spruce, cedar and hemlock
cones start to open and shed
their seed. In the case of noble
fir, grand fir, concolor fir and
other true firs, the entire cone
will begin to break apart and
shed both cone scales and
seeds. '
Several Methods
There are several methods
used for collecting cones. One
of these methods is picking
from standing trees. Best cone
picking trees are young, heal
thy, well-formed and heavily
laden with cones. Cone picking
equipment includes: (1) hook
with five-foot long handle, (2)
safety belt, (3) gloves, (4) sol
vent, (5) picking bag or bucket,
(6) serviceable burlap gunny
sacks, (7) old work clothing, (8)
first aid kit, (9) cone testing
knife.
Another method of gathering
cones is picking from felled
trees in logging, land clearing,
or road building operations. I
have heard of cases where the
cones were worth more than the
logs. The third method of ob
taining cones is from squirrel
cutting and caches. Squirrel
caches are much more difficult
to find than freshly cut cones
scattered over the ground.
Squirrels usually cut cones ear
ly in the morning and spend the
remainder of the day hiding
their cones in a number of
caches. Squirrels locate their
caches in moist, shady spots
such as overhanging banks near
streams or under an old moss
covered log. Don't feel too sor
ry for the squirrels because ex
perienced woodsmen have ob
served that they cut far more
cones than they need for their
food requirements. Large quan
tities can be collected from un
der trees or from caches with
out depriving them of necessary
food.
The future for cone collecting
looks good. Forest tree nurser
ies require thousands of pounds
of seed to grow planting stock
for private and public plant
ings. In addition, thousands of
pounds of seed are treated with
a rodent repellent and scattered
systematically over nonstocked
lands from helicopters. It seems
probable that a strong demand
(or forest tree seed will continue
for many years.
Jossy Attending
Agent Meeting
Earle Jossy, Jackson County
Extension agent, is in Minnea
polis, Minn., attending the 48th
annual meeting of the National
Association of County Agricul
ture Agents Sept. 22-26.
Jossy is past president and a
member of the executive com
mittee of the Oregon County
Agents association. He Is repre
senting that group as a delegate
to the convention.
Jossy has been an extension
agent In Jackson county for
over 20 years. He has the ma
jor responsibility for serving the
livestock, dairy and poultry industries.
BEAUS NAMED
Salem O. K. Beals, Oregon
Department of Agriculture as
sistant director for consumer
services, has been named to a
Western Association of Dairy',
Food and Drug Officials com
mittee, whose (unction it will be
to compile and develop sources
of reference Information mater
ial for state use on V S. Food
and Drug Administration pesti
cide and food additive tolerances
and other requirements of Inter
est to states.
Chit
By JCE
Mail Tribune
It's a problem of communications.
This is what the pear growers
invited about so people to their
This is the problem with veterinary services, starting at the top
federal level. And this is the
dustry has because people who
often don t realize publishing or broadcasting is not an instantane
ous process.
The local pear industry no doubt convinced a number of people
Thursday that the industry needs Mexican Nationals to insure
picking all of its pear crop which can economically be picked
It also convinced those who came and brought their friends that
the food and lodging provided
pickers is good.
Somebody was smart in hiring Al Gonzales as cook for the
several picking seasons at the
1943 as a Mexican National and has cooked for both Mexicans
and the single transient pickers using the camp since 1951. He
knows thoroughly the customs of his people-and provides the
food they like. Less highly seasoned food is provided the non-Mexicans.
The quarters provided the pickers, all single men, or men who
left their families behind, costs the Fruit Growers League con
siderable money each year to maintain.. The League has a high
investment .in these buildings which housed an observation
squadron-during the war years. The camp includes new build
ings, water and sewer lines plus
The fruit growers also use
who have applied for their U. S.
from Texas at $35 a man cost, including transportation and meals.
This $35 plus $10 cash advance is customarily withheld from the
first three weeks' pay checks.
Joe Beeson, from the regional office of the U. S. Department
of Labor, Seattle, Wash., explained that although the regulations
pertaining to use of Mexican Nationals seem arbitrary and un
reasonable, Congress's short period extensions of the Mexican
National law is largely responsible. Each time the law is ex
tended the regulations are pyramided by new regulations tacked
on by Congress. Longer period extensions would make it possible
to work out the "unreasonable" requirements, Beeson indicated.
Beeson ob jected to the description of the bus carrying Mexican
Nationals which was involved in a recent fatal collision with a
train. The bus couldn't be "makeshift" as mentioned in news
stories because transportation inspectors wouldn't allow such
l conveyance to operate, he said. If this description is wrong
than this is a breakdown in communications. The reporter orig
inating that story on the UPI wire didn't realize the implications
of that word "makeshift."
A shipper-grower objected to the name Mexican-National be
ing applied to two men of Mexican origin involved in a local
knifing. They were not Mexican Nationals he said. A check of
police records revealed one was and the other wasn't. One local
police agency said it seldom has trouble with Mexicans Nationals
because if they don't behave the Mexican government won't allow
them to return. This is a break down in communications when
the local pear growers haven't been able to educate local people
as to the definition of the name, "Mexican National."
One man leaving the labor camp lunch said he and his wife
had often talked of picking local pears to add a little money to
their budget. He has the impression the fruit industry doesn't
want local people picking, even men. There, perhaps, is a more
serious breakdown in communications for the pear growers.
Perhaps more local men would pick if they felt they would be
welcome in local orchards. Some, whom we know personally,
already do pick.
Dr. C. A. Manthai, director
laboratory at Ames, Iowa, spoke
in getting results of new research
veterinarian in the field. His
bulletin to inform them as to
laboratory, he said. Research news is circulated to the federal
veterinarians in each state who must get it out to the private
practice veterinarians, he said.
Why has one county been able to isolate and identify foothills
abortion in beef animals when a neighboring county has not?
Dr. Manthei didn't know. This is a break down in communica
tions, he said.
He felt keenly that the general public still does not know the
difference between a vegetarian and a veterinarian. He sympha
thized with a reporter's desire to get news on local problems in
animal health. However, the local veterinarian probably doesn't
know he has a problem of epidemic proportions until the federal
veterinarian in his state has informed him, he said.
The veterinarian has a difficult time justifying his small animal
practice to the public. Saving a pet's life or health does not
seem so important balanced on the scales of comparable life
values. But, man has always had pets. He seems to need them
for his emotional stability.
"Furthermore, I would never raise any child without any pet,
be it bird, cat or dog," the head of research veterinarians said
with a twinkle in his eye. "A child needs something he can
confide in."
The public probably has a varied picture of the veterinarian
depending on their contact with him. To some he is a man in
a starched white coat who performs minor surgery on a pet cat
or dog then "charges too much." Or, he may be a man who
rattles up a country lane at midnight to care for an ailing cow.
But, whatever your impression
human. During the Friday night convention at the Rogue Valley
Country club there was a goodly cross-section of personalities.
One elderly veterinarian told us how he drove by buggy, then
rode horseback lo local orchards to care for draft horses then
spent a good share of the night scraping and bushing the "Big
Stickv" mud off his horse's flanks. He rode horseback to Gold
Hill to stand on a cracker box
took him most of the night. And
of other boys through veterinary
A young veterinarian told us how he was a smoke-jumper to
put himself through school. A wife of a young vet complained
her husband "has practically wall to wall carpeting in his plane
while I have the same darned
He apparently uses his plane
veterinarian across the table
through dinner.
I'ndoubtedly there were dozens more human interest stories
in the room if we had had time to ferret them out. The stories
told from the speakers' table were good. too. but we can't print
them.
Ed Snyder. o( the Portland
and Snyder had a point on communications, too. Newspapers
naven t convinces even a small part of tne public that considera
ble effort goes into publishing a newspaper. The wave of a
magic wand won't get a publicity story into print after deadline
time, especially, but the public doesn't know this and still expects
the impossible, he noted.
We have walked through miles of orchards, driven hundreds
of miles on cattle tours, visited dairy barns, poultry ranches and
berry farms. How many of these people have visited our "farm"
or "on-hard" where ideas sprout words, rows of words become
sentences and other ideas depending on how each reader sees
those words and sentences? And (or our labor we are sure to
get a few raspberries, but seldom any orchids.
c 4
Chat
COWLEY
Farm Editor
were trying to solve when they
fruit labor camp on Table Rock rd.
problem the communications in
contribute to the news far too
migrant labor and the contract
labor camp. He came here in
other improvements.
"Green Card Mexicans" those
citizenship papers. These come
of the national animals disease
of the communications problem
in veterinary medicine to the
laboratory staff gets a regular
what is going on in their own
of him is he is very, very
to pull some horses' teeth which
he put his sons and a number
school.
old furniture in the living room
for his practice as did a fellow-
from him. They talked flying all
public relations firm of Goodrich
I 'i '-t
BUDDING Mrs. Ora Meadows. Talent, is ond leafing.
shown budding in some cherry trees in the signs of bacterial canker, but so far appear
Culbertson orchard on Old Stage rd. Culbert- tolerant of it.
son and OSU horticulturists feel the trees have has planted
made an unusually good growth for their sec- tolerant.
GIRL AND CHERRIES Susie Berry, daughter of County Agent
Don Berry and Mrs. Berry stands beside a sweet cherry tree
on acreage owned by Paul Culbertson on South Stage rd. to
show size of the young trees. They include Lamida, MacMars
and Corums.
Local Orchardists Plant
New Sweet Cherry Varieties
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
The Rogue valley could have
a new fruit industry cherries
if recent plantings of sweet
encrnes continue to show good
growth and disease resistance.
Paul Culbertson and Ernest
Hamilton are two fruit growers
who feel sweet cherries could
make a comeback in the valley
after the Albino cherry virus
which wiped out whole orchards
started about 1945. Prior to that
this county had about 70 acres
of sweet cherries. The virus
swept the valley for 20 years.
Culbertson has BOO trees on
12 acres on the Old Stage rd.
Hamilton has 30 trees represent
ing seven different new vari
eties on one third o( an acre
on his home place on Table
Rock rd.
Hamilton's varieties include
S9-15, OSC 11)7, Corum, OSC 304, jg season making this a more
OSC 212, OSC 197 and Esperan. I attractive situation for pickers.
Hamilton has a wait and see j This would help the pear grow
attitude. He may plant a few Crs by having a supply of pick-
commerciai trees later, ne saiu,
but "will not go too strong." All
of these varieties are gumosis
resistant and virus - tree, Ham
ilton noted.
Culbertson is raising Lamida,
MacMars and Corums; ail on
F12-1 root stock. The root stock
is bacterial canker tolerant.
The three varieties are resist
ant to albino cherry virus.
Lamida is a Lambert cross,
a black type of cherry. Mac
Mar and Corum are Royal
Anne type cherries, lighter
red. Corum is a pollenizer.
Culbertson, a pear grower, is
proud of the fact that his trees
are believed to be the first Mac
Mar commercial planting in the
U.S.
His trees have made a good
growth. This summer is their
second leaf. He expects cherries
on them next year and a good
crop in 1965.
Swine Research Set
For Session Agenda
CORVALLIS Oregon Slate
university research on swine.
' nutrition and breeding prac
i tices will be reported today at
the fifth annual OSU Swine
Day. The program began at 9
a.m. in Withycombe Hall on
campus.
In their reports to Oregon's
swine indlistrv. OSU researh.
; ers will show' how thoir find-
ings relate to the number of
pigs farrowed and raised,
growth rate, feed efficiency
and carcass merit all factors
determining profitable swine
operations.
4
He has an ideal soil for cherry
trees. It is well-drained, warm,
deep, free-working sandy loan.
It has been levelled so as not
to remove too much of the top
soil. Soil is one big valley prob
lem. Too much of it is wet,
sticky clay. This means poor
drainage. Cherry trees are more
apt to be damaged from poor
water drainage than apples and
pears.
Culbertson feels strongly that
raising cherries may be at least
a partial solution to dwindling
incomes from pears. Cherries
come on the market before
pears about June 15, which
means more pickers available.
Sour cherries come about July 1. 1
Some early apples like Graven- j
steins coming off about early
August and following up cher-
rj0s would also extend the nick-
BATTERY
SPECIALS
IIAMWS OP
Oft THI
lOCAL BftANCH
ItfMw Mw liu Iticiat
"'"M
S"'"d North.est Jfmfiyti!! I7 W 4'h II
1,77 We &f ASSOCIATION f
Some of the trees are showing
The F12-1 rootstock Culbertson
is considered bacterial canker
Spray For Mites
Before Oct. 15
A spray should be applied
to pear trees (particularly
Bartlett and Cornice) before
Oct. 15 for blister mite con
trol if any blister mile injury
to fruit or foilage was noted
this year, according to Dr.
Peter Wesligard, of Southern
Oregon branch experiment
station and Dr. C. B. Cordy,
Jackson County Extension
agent.
Thirty pounds of wettable
sulfur per ace or 6 pounds
per 100 gallons, gives com
mercial control.
Somewhat better control is
obtained by mixing 20 pounds
of wettable sulfur with
10 gallons lime sulfur per
acre in an air blast sprayer
or 4 pounds wettable sul
fur and 2 gallons lime sulfur
per 100 gallons in a hose rig.
Fifteen pounds of polysulp
hide per acre or 3 pounds per
100 gallons may be used in
place of the lime sulfur in
the above mixture.
This is strictly a blister
mite spray.
crs already here when the pear
season starts. Some early apples
are being planted here.
However, Culbertson figures
sizeable cherry orchard blocks
would make mechanical har
vesting feasible thus eliminat
ing the problems of a haphazard
picker supply. Very little change
would be required in present
fruit packing houses to handle
cherries, he feels.'
STOCKMEN
FEED PELLETS
Your coarse or unpalatable
roughage will make a bate
for a modern balanced ration
rhat you can feed with little
labor and no wastage. The
increased meat or milk pro
duccd will give you maxi
mum returns on a small cash,
investment.
MORTON
MILLING CO.
500 Ross Lane, Medford
AS MUCH AS
20 OFF
SAVINOS
773-8239