The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-03-13

their trees do not turn out to be the
varieties they thought they had plant,
ed; but when one has good root,
trunk and head, 1t is possible to nut
the right varieties on the limbs by
budding, or top grating with compare.
lively little loss, il this is done before
the trees grow too large, and we are
glad to note that our orchardists are
availing themselves of the opportunity
to do this The question of sprayinS
is fully covered by Prof. Cordley,
whose experiments and experiences
nave materially assisted in enabling
the Hood River growers to save SO
large percentage of their apples from
the ravages of the dreaded Goblin
moth, and other insects and diseases.
Ii the right varieties are planted in
proper locations, and the trees well cared
for up to the fruiting age, then the
most interesting and delicate part of
the work of apple growing begins.
Ihere are three prominent qualities
that are against all apples, even of the
best varieties, viz, wormy or infected
fruit, poor color, and undersize. The
question of worms and diseases are
covered by the operation of proper
spraying, the color is affected by the
exposure of the orchard, the manner
in which the tree has been pruned
allows the sunshine to reach the
fruit, or is prevented from reaching
1t on account of too much foliage. the
quality of the soil and the moisture
III the ground, and the size is effected
by the quantity the trees are allowed
to bear.
In this locality the general tend
ency Of the trees is to overbear, and
ifallowed to do so the crop is reduced
in value on account of undersize, and
the following seasons crop is injured,
II not ruined, by the inability of the
trees to mature an overload and form
fruit spurs for another crop. Ninety
six large apples fills standard box,
and it takes from l75 to 250 Az and s
tr. apples to fill box, besides, nobody
wants to buy the latter size, and every
body who handles apples wants to buy
the former size. Then why grow $50
apples where 96 should have grown,
when the latter are worth by far the
most money, find ready sale, and allow
your trees to mature buds for another
seasons crop. Yes, have your trees
thined out if there are too many limbs
and then hire somebody else to super
intend the thinning of the apples, for it
is truthfully said that no man can prop
erly thin his own fruit. There is an
other advantage in thinning which is
where two or more apples touch each
other on the tree, they are to provide
a spot on each where the larYa of the
Goblin moth can enter without par
taking of the ration provided for him
through the spraying nozzle, and all
of the apples touching each other are
pretty sure to be wormy and not fit for
market.
The old theory that irrigated fruit
will not ship has been proven err
roneous, for it has been positively de-
monstrated in Hood River valley that
the orchards and the fruit on some loca-
tions are benefited to very large ex-
tent by reasonable amount of irrigation
say once in July, twice in August and
once in September, more or less accord
ing to location. Trees that have not
had sufficient moisture cannot mature
as much fruit properly as they can if the
moisture is supplied in the proper
quantity. For the first few light crops
trees do not need irrigation, but when
the load runs up to five boxes of apples
or more to the tree, water must be APP
piled to the top of the ground, unless
there is strong sub-irrigation.