Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-11-27

ever, it is in nearly every case due to
lack of moisture rather than to the
soil. The sheltered condition of the
country, due to the protecting mount
ain ridges is one featurewhich goes to
make this an ideal fruit country Civ
ing it climate of mildness, free from
chilling winds or destructive storms.
In the old quiet days, before the
whistle of the locomotive was heard
in the land, the fruit of southern Ore
gon, though generally a neglected
crop, was of high quality, unsurpass-
able in any country or climate. Apples
were the principal fruit crop and,
though pruning and cultivation were
the exception rather than the rule,
they were uniformly sound and of
flavor unexcelled. A wormy apple in
those days would have been a curiosity
indeed and some of the apple trees
produced specimens of truly mammoth
proportions. But soon after the rail
road was built, the pests stole into the
country. brought in by shipments of
fruit and young trees, and the Goblin
moth, scale, and kindred parasitic
creatures found luxuriant pasture in
the southern Oregon orchards. The
orchard owners were unused to pests,
knew little of the methods of resisting
them and generally were Indifferent
in the matter. AS result, most of
the old orchards of the country be-
came badly infected. Then also, soon
after the construction Of the railroad
and the advertisement Of the fact that
southern Oregon was an ideal fruit
country, many rushed blindly into the
fruit business Many acres Of orchard
were set out to be afterwards neglect
ed and allowed to die for want of
care. Ill-advised wsrk in this line
and the foothold gained by the fruit
pests, gave the fruit industry in Ore
on set back from which it has even
9'A Hol iuill .itNuNtItu'
A few practical orchardists, how
ever, seeking and finding the true
solution to each problem which
vexes the fruit grower, have pointed
the way to success, and this way,
once,found is being followed by the
fruit growers in numbers which are
ever ON the increase, so that the fruit
industry has taken on new life and is
growing healthfully.
As an example of the successful
small orchard and Of the possibilities
in the fruit business which are dor.
mant in southern Oregon, no better
example may be found than the place
Of r. d. Lawson Of Grants Pass,
whose place. though not large, is in
many ways model OF the successful
fruit farm. Mr.. LAwsons place is
located in the outskirts Of Grants
Pass about mile almost due west Of
the towns center. 1t is almost an
ideal place for home, situated as II
is almost in the center Of the little
valley where the Rogue river bottom,
narrow above and below, spreads out
here TO width Of several miles.
The land Of this particular vicinity
was never in cultivation until long
after the railroad came in. II was
covered with brush and timber and
was not highly thought Of by the
earlier settlers. The soil is sandy
loan. At first sight it might appear
even too sandy but It is marvelously
productive. Mr. Lawson's place con
tains 80 acres, but Of this 40 acres
have been recently acquired, so that
bis operations in the line Of fruit
growing have been confined to 10
acre tract and on this he has worked
marvels.
Mr. Lawson's opsmtions in the fruit
industry have been ON modest scale
as regards az reage, but the small area
Of land. TO be titled has permitted