The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-04-01
Horticultural Notes
By F. WALDEN.

that section. The winter has damaged
nothing in the fruit line so far as l
could see. This is what might be eX-
pected, for there has been no cod
weather, the coolest in that valley
being ten above zero. The winter has
been mild all over the state and as
a result the fruit buds on all kinds
of fruit trees are in prime condition.
The most tender kinds are no eXcep-
ton. | examined many peach buds
and never found one dead. The same
is true of apricOtS and nectar mes. we
yet have to run the gauntlet OF the
spring frosts and no one can predict
what that may be. In some sections
the frosts wipe out the entire fruit
crop in certain years, while in the
same sections the crop will wholly es-
cape, or be only partially killed, other
years. Then there are some sections,
especially those on high points with
ample frost drainage, where there is
immunity from this damage. Upon
the whole the outlook for a good crop
of fruit in the state of Washington is
very good 1t is not safe to say there
will be big crop of peaches in east
ern Washington except in the immune
sections mentioned above.
Our fruit growers are learning the
benefit of frost drainage. 1t cuts
more important figure In the success
full raising of fruit than most of us
we're aware of till we learned by ex-
perience-that school in which fools
must learn and wise men may. The
winter has but little if any, influence
on the insects that ravage our orch
ards. But the summer does have
great influence on these pests. 1t is
we'll known that the codling moth is
much worse some seasons than others.
1t has been puzzle to the fruit grow
er to account for this difference and
as a result many guesses were made
and very naturally many of them were
wide of the mark. A common eXplana-
ton has been that the spraying ma
terial was better some years than 9TH
erS or that it was better applied or ap-
piled at better time. These things may
have bearing on this difference at
certain times. But it has been found
that one of the chief causes is eli
matte conditions. Prof. Woodwork, of
California, assisted by Prof. Clarke,
has shown conclusively that the tenn
perature at night has much to do with
the codling moth in laying it's eggs.
If the nights are cool and diSagreeable
the moth will not fly and, as a re-
suit, will not lay any eggs. Eldred
Jenne, of Pullman, in his careful study
of the codling moth in the orchards of
the Yakima valley, has established the
same thing, showing that the moth
does not fly when the temperature is
below sixty. l have more to say
about this young man and his admir-
able work done in the orchards but
not now.
The past summer the raVageS of the
cooling moth were worse in the Yaki-
ma valley, or at least in portions of
it, than ever known before. Those
who fought this insect, and fought it
intelligently and persistently, succeed
ed in having fairly clean fruit. Now,
another thing was noticeable in that
valley last year and that was that the
fruit colored better than was ever be-
fore known. Our Ben Davis in many
cases looked black on the trees. Was
there any come ction between the I'M
usual prevalence of that moth and the
excessive coloring of the apples? Only
this, Judge: The warm nights that
were favorable to the codling moth
coupIa6 with tho hot daVC oaVa oraa f.