Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-08-17
ROGUE RIVER FAMOUS
FOR ITS FINE MELONS
Perfect Conditions for Growing
But Pest 10 Killing the
the Watermelons.

TIP. Lee. who for several years past
has handled the greater part of the
melon crop Of Rogue river valley will
begin shipping melons next week to
Portland and other northern markets.
He will also ship tomatoes making
up mixed cars of watermelons, canta-
loupes, cassabas and tomatoes.
Mr.. Lee is very much discouraged
over the melon shipments as the water
melon vines are dying in such num-
.bers that the crop will be almost a
failure. Some fields will not produce
melon all the vines having died,
while in others the disease is doing
but lite damage. In few patches
on new land at distance from the
old land the vines have not been
affected with this disease, which is
known as watermelon wilt. This
disease is . vegetable spore so small
that it takes strong microscope to
render them visible to the eye.
The disease was brought here some
five years ago on watermelon seed i'm
ported from the Southern states, where
it has been prevalent from years and
caused great loss to melon growers.
The spores live in the soil and attack
the roots of the vine aud ON getting
within the skin and into the sap vines
Of the vines they multiply in countless
millions in a few hours and choke the
circulation Of sap causing the vine to
wilt as though the root had been out
of hence the name of the disease.
The vine will die within "a hours
after the spores have entered Its cir
culation.
This disease made serious havoc
with the Rogue River Valley water
melon crop last, but does not attack
oautalopes, cassabas or other kinds of
vines. On the request Of the Courier
Prof. A. B. Cordley. entomologist at
the State Agriculture College. came
to Grants Pass during the melon sea.
son last year and examined the in
fected fields. Prof Cordley recog-
nized the disease at once and said 80
far as known there was no sure way of
eradicating the disease by spraying
or similar means. The Department
Of Agriculture had tried many meth
DDS but anything that would kill the
spores also killed the vines. Prof.
Cordley says that the only certain
way of exterminating the disease is
not to plant watermelons for at least
three years on infected land and by
that time The spores will all have
starved to death for they do not at
tack other plants. But If there is
infected land within five miles, or
even further, of melon field it is
liable to get the disease for the spores
are carried on the feet Of birds or ami.
mails or even insects. A person walk
ing from one field to another or the
wheels of vehicle would carry the
spores and innoculate healthy melon
patch. AS to whether the disease
will ever be exterminated in Rogue
River Valley is not likely unless it
were possible to prohibit melon grow
ing for the next three years. There
will be farmers who will think their
land free of the disease and others
who will grow few melons in their
gardens to keep the disease from be-
ing entirely starved out. Rougue
River Valley watermelons have
famous reputation in the markets of
the north and bring prices that make
their growing one of the most profit
able industries of this county. The
warm, sandy bottoms along Rogue
river and Applegate river are especial
ly adapted to watermelons aud in no
section of the United States can more
melons and larger and finer flavor be
grown than on this land. AS Rogue
river cantaloupes aud cassabas have rs
fine reputation as the watermel.
ons, farmers will have to grow them
only. Experts concede that Rogue