The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-08-22
ORR FRUIT INTERESTS.

Tia success which has attended the
shipment of small fruits this year from
Western Washington will doubtless re-
suit in giving a new and lasting impe-
tus to branch of pomology which for
a time seemed in danger Of falling into
"inocuous disuetude," as President
Cleveland said of the principle Of civil
service reform, which principle, by the
way. Mr.. Cleveland seems to consider
applicable only to Democratic officials.
But to return to the fruit industry, for
the raising of fruit in Washington may
fairly be termed an industry, and one
which, properly nourished and pro-
tected, should become one of the great
est in the state The chief danger that
threatens 1t is the introduction and
spread of insect pests and diseases, and
the chief fostering it requires is protec-
ton from these through the eXertiOns
of state authorities, aided and encour-
aged in every possible way by all per-
sons engaged in the business of fruit
raising. The conditions in this state
and in Oregon are so similar that THE
ISLANDER takes pleasure in publishing
and heartily commencing the following
excellent editorial on the subject from
the Portland OregOnian:
1.-THE horticultural board has labored
zealously and continuously since its
creation to protect the orchards of this
state from the invasion of pests, but it
has not been successful, owing partly to
a lack of means to carry on as vigorous
a campaign as was necessary, and in
part to the failure of the owners of fruit
trees to cooperate in the work, or to
appreciate the extent of the danger.
The Goblin moth, the wOolly aphis
and the San Jose scale have been spread
through our orchards by the careless
ness and Ignorance Of the Orchardists
Trees have been imported and set out
without being inspected or sprayed,
and orchards in which the pests have
found Judgement have been neglected
until they have become thoroughly in
tested with the insects and a constant
menace to every orchard in the state
There are great many small orchards,
planted many years ago and owned by
men who do not make a business of
growing fruit Such orchards as these
have been neglected for years. Neither
the pillow nor the pruning-knife has
been near them for long time. These
little orchards are literally Overrun with
the pests. The large orchards of recent
planting, the ones that really constitute
the basis of the fruit industry, are near
ly all in the hands of intelligent and
practical men who are making a bust
ness of fruit culture. These men second
the efforts of the horticultural board to
fight the pests. The board should be
given the power to 60 through the
state with AK and brand and raze to the
ground and consume with fire every
one of these neglected and pest-infested
trees, whether in a little orchard back
of a farmhouse or in the yard of a viii
lage residence. They are Of little value
and are standing menace to good or
chards and should be abated as dan
gerous nuisance. The board also should
have enough money to maintain an eff
fectual quarantine against trees and
fruit from other states and to keep one
or more inspectors constantly in the
field i'll this state, endowed with power
to require owners or importers Of trees
and dealers in fruit to observe proper
regulations. Fruit is coming forward
as one of the substitutes for wheat, and
the industry should be fostered and
protected. This can best be done by
the horticultural board, clothed with
power to adopt proper regulations and
given sufficient means to enforce
them.n