The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1905-12-07

had suffered noticeabIy from the
cold. coo
A 49, year.o old orchard Of 66O trees
was found located on shallow lime
stone soil covered with a dense,
heavy growth of blue grass. The san
.Tose scale had wrought havoc in the
neiohhorhood. but it had been kept
under control in his orchard by
spraying. AS result, not tree ID
the whole block was killed by cold.
Across the road from this orchard
waa another. located on similar SOIL
and also in sod, but IN which Inf
scale had not been controlled. Inc
story is told in two words-entireiy
dead. L.l
Another instance is c ted in which
nm orchard was sprayed IN the spring
of 1902 Cor the control Of the scale,
with the exception Of three rows
through the middle, which we're over
| looked. AS a result, the scale IN
creased rapidly during this season on
these unsprayed trees, and they we're
also attacked by leaf curl, which
practically defoliated them lahat Inc
whole orchard was sprayed IN 1913,
nevertheless the trees had been sc
weakened by the leaf curl OF the pre-
ce1inp year that the good care given
them In 1903 was unavailing, aud ev'
erv tree In the three rows was killed,
while every tree on either sihe Of
them which had been sprayed came
through the winter sound, vigorous
and healthy.
A very simple, easy and very ehec'
tive method OF preventing winter Kill
ing Of peach trees was observed IN
the orchard of one grower just DO.
| fore winter set in this grover hauled
manure TO the orchard, but instead
of scattering 1t beneath the trees in
the usual way he banked very few
forkfuls Immediately around the stem
of the tree. When the supply OF man
ure ran out peat or Q rth wrs hauled
into the orchard and bank d around
the stem of the tree in the same man.
ner. The results from the use OF
these materials were unlioIm ana,
surprising as it may seem, every tree
that received this simple treatment
survived the winter without the least
injury from cold, while the few trees
and sections OF rows left here and
there unbanked and serving as
''checksn In the experiment died,
almost to a tree. Another orchard OF
some 500 trees little farther to the
west Of this orchard, which had re.
ceived the same high culture and
good care, with the exception OF the
simple banking process, was almost a
total loss. The trees In these or.
chards we extremely vigorous and
had made rank growth, which made
them peculiarly susceptible to injury
by freezing.
On the same farm trees on piece
of ground which was so stony that 1t
could not be cultivated, and which
was kept in blue grass sod, with a
heavy mulch of coarse material, such
as coin stalks, barnyard manure, etc. /,
about the stems according to the true
"sod and mulch method, came
through the winter without injury.
These Investigations bring out strik-
ingly the necessity of such continu-
ous and thorough cultural practices
In. the orchard as shall maintain the
trees at all times in vigorous,
healthy condition. The fertility and
vegetable matter of the soil must be
maintained by the addition Of man.
ure or the growing OF clover crops.
Spraying to control insect pests and
fungus diseases must be thorough and
unremittent. Trees on undrained or
very rich soil, trees weakened by over
bearing or by borers, all alike invite
winter injury. Glover crops and
mulches protect the ground from deer
freezing and resultant winter injury.
Sod serves the same purpose. Bank
ing up the trunks with few shovel
fuls OF manure or earth apears to
have marked favorable influence.