Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-10-26
NO FRUIT INSPECTOR
YET APPOINTED
Deferred Until November Term
of County Court-Stop Sale
of Diseas sed Fruit.

| OOunUy COmmlsslODer y. j.. Logan
was in Grants Pass Saturday from
his home near Waldo as was also Com
missioner NJ. A. Wertz from his saw.
mill near Leland and they and Judge
Jewell held an informal meeting to
consider the advisability of appoint.
ing county fruit inspector as peti-
toned for by the fruit growers and
recommended by State horticultural
Commissioner A. II. Carson. After
discussion of the matter it was de.
cided to postpone action on the fruit
growers petition until the adjourned
term of court on November IL, there
being question as to whether the
appointment would be legal if such
made at called session of the court.
1t Is very much against the wishes
of the fruit growers that an inspector
could not be appointed at once as the
most affective destruction of anthrac-
nose can only be made late in October
and early in Novebmer when the Fall
crop Of spores of this fungus is ripe
and ready to be blown by the winds
aud carried by birds and other means
to healthy trees. 1t is also imperative
that spraying be done in November
for San Jose scale. The anthracnose
or canker, is spreading and is now
found in fully half the orchards in
Josephine county. This disease is as
deadly to tree life as cancer is to
human life and when once it gets on
the limbs and trunk of fruit tree it
kills the bark and wood, spreading
until the tree is dead. It is disease
easily eradicated if spray Of vitrol
is used at the proper seeason of the
year and in the right manner. The
San Jose scale is equally as deadly to
fruit trees but more slow in its de.
struction. 1t is found, more or less,
in every orchard in the country and
this present season it has more rapid
ly spread than; i9sany previous year
since it first made s1ts appearance in
Rogue River Valley. This pest alone
= etfoyed apples and pears this season
to the value Of fully $50, 900 In this
county. 1t is carried from orchard
to orchard by the wind, birds, bees,
stock and others. To eradicate scale
the trees must be thoroughly sprayed
with Bordeaux mixture in Novem-
Der and then again in February and
then during the Summer months
The Goblin moth does not make its ap-
pearance until the fruit begins to set
and then is the time and no delay
must be made to so thoroughly drench
the young fruit with solution of
arsenste of lead that it will poison
the worm that matches from the moth
egg so soon as it starts to burrow into
the little apple or pear
1t is the determination of the pro-
gressive fruit growers and the bust
ness men of the county TO have the
same rigor applied in enforcing the
state law for eradicating the fruit tree
pests as is used in stopping epidemics
Of smallpox and other contagious aud
infectious diseases and for the sup
preston of disease creating places, or
for removing a dangerous fire men
ace. This will be the last year
that scaly, wormy or otherwise di-
seased fruit will be allowed to be
sold in Josephine county and the
farmer who does not spray his trees
will have to lose his fruit And resi-
dent and non-resident tree owners
will have to spray or cut down their
trees. That this drastic method for
dealing with the pests is a necessity
is conceded by all who are posted on
the fruit industry for it is certain
that were there no spraying done for
the next five years that by the end of
that period not fruit tree would be
alive in this county and fruit would
have to be shipped in to supply the
local trade.