The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-12-21
FARM, RANCH
and ORCHARD

y. II. Van Trump of Mt. Angel.
Ore, publishes a letter in tlse lasi
number of the Fruit Grower descrip.
tive and reminiscent of his exper i.
ences as fruit grower and orchardisi
that Is both interesting and entertain.
ing. Mr.. Van Trump writes as fol.
lows
During the past four years have
frequently made journeys far up into
the foothills to an elevation OF from
one to two thousand leet, and around
the pioneer homesteads, many oi
which were located in these elevated
sections, | have found some of the
grandest old cherry orchards that
have ever seen. Cherry trees have
stood here in the basaltic' boulders foI
more than fifty years, and have reach.
ed the proportions of good sized oaks,
often bearing as much as two hundred
gallons of cherries to the tree All OF
the finest old varieties are represented
Royal Anne, yellow Spanish, Gov.
Wood, etc. la the lower lands of the
valley, where the cherry orchards have
been recently planted, Black Republi-
can, Bing aud Royal Anne are general
favorites and grow to great perfec-
tion.
The Willamette valley is not so
successful in the production of fine
commercial apples as Hood River,
Rogue River aud other higher and
Grier valleys We b We a little too
much moisture and not quite suffi-
eient sunshine to develop the high
quality and appearance in the apple
reached by those more favored sec
tions.
However, Immediately adjacent to
the small streams tributary to the Will
lamette river, Baldwin orcha Dis are
producing fruit claimed to be equal to
the finest product of Hood River.
Another condition that renders the
production of No. / commercial
apple so difficult here is the apparent
impossibility OF controlling the cod
ling moth. | note what the Hon. E.
L. Smith says in reference to spray
ing, and that amy one can control the
codling moth who sprays intelligently
and diligently, but think that Mr..
Smith errs in judging all localities
according to he climatic conditions
that are present at his place.
'"Those who have sprayed longest
and most persistently in the Missis-
sippi valley have noted that the best
RESULTS from spraying are achieved
when the spring is dry and the insec-
tieides are more effectually retained
upon the foliage and fruit, while when
the spring is wet one the most vary
ing and uncertain results follow. Here
in the heart of the Willamette valley
the average spl ing is season of al
most continuous rainfall till the last
Of May or later. AS result spraying
has never been a marked success, and
those who advocate it are not enthu-
siastic.
'Last summer at st. Louis | met
an old friend who is an extensive or
chardist and bias been a persistent
sprayer for tea years President
Bobnett of the Missouri horticultural
society. | put him the question: !:
DO you believe spraying pays?'
lie replied Honestly, | have
tried to believe it, and have spent a
great deal of money spraying, but my
neighbor across the road who has
never sprayed has grown better fruit
than | have.
$50 it seems to me that conditions
everywhere vary and the wise Ecientis-
tic horticulturist viii take advantage
of every condition that is in his favor.
cit Is even so in regard to large or
small orchards, upon which subject |
see the Fruit Grower representative
has decided opinions and suggests
lesson to the large oIchardists of the
Middle West. 1t is no doubt true that
many planters in Missouri, Arkansas
and Kansas have planted too exten-
sively and have not given their or
chards the best of care. But | cannot
see that any method of culture would
have helped them the past three years.
The wisdom and industry of man is
poWerless against killing frosts, tor,
nados, foods aud Withering droughts.
"Eifteen years ago when | began to
plant an orchard IN Northwest Mis-
souri, | VAS a YOUTH of much enthu-
siasm and little practical experience;
but had just finished four years
course in the Missouri Agricultural
College and Xxi eriment station, SO
felt that with the best of counsel fail
uTe would be impossible.
"My trees grew grandly; they even
blossomed and bore few fine fruits.
And then came that terrible winter of
1898 My Elberta peaches and Japan
plums we're swept away or left linger-
ing invalids. My large planting of
Kiaffar paopc world narsiet in hIiuht
ing in spite of what the books and
hest authorities said, and in spite of
all my remedies applied fresh from
the Department of Vegetable Pathol-
ogy and 80 they continued to blight,
bat not to bear, even unto this day,
aud stand as a decaying monument to
my youthful wisdom (N.
''The plain fact is land it stands
without a shadow OF questioning by
any one who has stood upon the
ground), that the Northwest is fruit
country, pre-eminently so. "