The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1906-03-12

Parker Earle, who was already
widely known as an authority on hor-
t%iculture, met J.. ]. Hagerman, who
built the Pecos Valley railroad to
Roswell, and came by request of Mr..
Hagerman to study the possibilities
of fruit growing in the Pecos Valley.
There was hen a small orchard on the
old Chisum place, and a few other
apple trees in The valley. Mr.. Earle
studied the situation as an expert.
and finding an entire absence of the
pests which beset o~rchardists in all
humid sections, advised and superin-
tended the setting out of h great
five hundred acre apple orchard, nov
the most widely known, boasted and
pictured feature of the Pecos Valley.
1t required courage upon the part of
Mr.. Hagerman, but his confidence in
the wisdom and Judgment of Mr..
Earle weighed more than his doubts
and fears and the risk of losing his
money. The success of this old ven-
ture is the foundation of the fruit
industry in the valley.
Capital, brains. faith courage and
industry won the first great victory.
Since that capital and labor have
reaped sure returns in the spread
and development of the fruit indus
try. Brains are of course necessary
even in following a good example,
but not much courage is required in
pursuing a well beaten path, and
demonstration faith into
realization.
Last year, When the crop was be-
low the average, the Hagerman~ or
chard returned to it's owner about
one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars. But the yield in value to the
Pecos Valley in general has been and
will be greater tina the money re-
ceived by the owner.
And now, coming back to the orig
inal subject, how many of us appre-
ciate the fact, that, while the Pecos
Valley owes perhaps more to J. J..
Hagerman than any other single indi-
vidual for its development, we also
owe a debt that cannot be paid in
to Parker Earle, who still is
lending us the wealth of his expe-
rience and devoting his trained pow
ers of mind to the preservation of
the orchards which have become the
valuable of all our possessions.
AS before stated, Mr. Earle found
twelve years ago an entire absence
of fungus growths, blight and insect
or mar the perfect fruit of the
Pecos Valley. With the single ex-
ception of the codIing moth, this RS
mains true today. The fruit growers
been warned in time. the legis-
the county officials. the Com
mercial Club and the citizens have
moved, a county board of h%orticultu-
raj commissioners (of which Mr..
Earle is the leading spirit) has beer
and within a few days the
work of spraying all the orchards in
Chaves county will commence.
"sWithin two years without spray
says Mr.. Earle, "the Pecos Val
Iey's reputation for growing the fin
est apples In the United States would
be ruined. and even should the moths |
md resultant wormy apples be after
ward abated. 1t would require years
to re-establish the reputation of Pc
cos Valley fruit"
The California horticultural board
IS making experiments with an insect
destroyer of the codling moth, and
perhaps within a few years this
means of fighting the pest may be
AVAILABLE. While spending a part of
he past winter in California. Mr..
Earle upon his own motion a. a sci