The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-03-21
GROWERS HELD
SPIRITED MEETING
INTERESTING TOPICS DISCUSSED
Subject of Water or No Water Causes
Adherents of Irrigation to Pre-
sent Solid Front.


about $50 members we're present and
much interest was manifested. The
discussions we're lively and interest
ing and several topics we're quite
thoroughly canvassed. Secretary I.
H.lSproat. presided.
The first subject for discussion was
th. of irrigation or non irrigation
both of which had adherents. 1t was
apparent, however, that irrigationthad
more friends than did dry farming.
j. Porter star ted the bali rolling. MI.
Porter IL friend OF irrigation and
stated why. He was followed by Z.
L. Smith who did not think that
country where there was 81 inches of
rain needed much, IL any irrigation,
AID thought that better fruit could
be raised without the use OF water.
Ii. f. Davidson stated that be had
been in the valley for 10 or 16 years
and that his experience had been that
judioious use Of water was beneficial
10 the growing of the best fruit. lie
thought this was particularly the case
with old trees. As case in point he
cited the Struck orchard, the trees in
which are over 10 years old and the
profits derived having been for sever
al years, over 1000 an acre. He was
OF the opinion that water improved
both Inequality and keeping proper
ties of apples. That young trees, un.
der which the ground could be outi-
waited and the moisture kept In 1t,
probably did not require irrigation,
but when the trees got SO that 1t was
~ soil tn Vrtu ir-
rigation was absolutely necesasiy.
b. II. Tucker, who talked next, was
of the opinion that prevailing condi-
lions should be taken into .considera-
tion in the quest ion of iIrigating and
said he thought that moderate use
of water, when the trees needeel 1t,
| was most beneficial. He said that by
watching the trees carefully 1t was
possible to tell when they needed
water by the appearance of the foli-
age. When the leaves looked dry, grey
and dropping the trees needed water,
which, If judiciously applied, would
soon show its eneryating effect by the
fresh appearance of the leaves. They
would take new life, become green
and stand up, He had found that
seasons varied lin the amount OF
moisture retained in the ground and
had acted accordingly. Sometimes
be had irrigated but once In season
and in others he found it necesssi y
to irrigate as frequently as three
times. lie cautioned against flooding
and told the meeting 1t was the mod.
crate and not the extreme use Of wa.
ter that accomplished the most good.
It was j. L. PoorteI g opinion that
after tree got to be from 10 to IL
years old 1t could not be supplied
with suffiient moisture by cultiva-
tion and irrigation was absolutely
necessary.
| Murray Kay, who had been in com.
munication with the agricultural de-
partment at Washington, stated that
the department had been making an
investigation In regard to the effect
OF irrigation on fluIt trees and had
issued number of bulletins on the
subject. The conclusion arrived al
: by government experts WIS that the
moderate application of water wal
beneficial In every respect.
A. |. Mason, who was the greatest
exponent of not iIrigating at tht
meeting, said he wanted to answer
Mr.. Davidson's allusion to the sue
cess of the Struck orchard which b,
said was not due to the liberal use o.
water. but the fact that the trees in i
had never exhausted the natural ele
ments in the soil as they hal neve
been brought to their fullest bearing
capacity up to the time they had beer
top grated. In addition to this MIR
. Struck had manured the land yer!
heavily and used artificial fertilizers
> This was the secret Of bis success ant
not water. AS to his own orchard !
had never had drop of water on |
, and never would have any. He di,
:, not think it was necessary. When
came to keeping quality and flavor b
8 was 80 sure the non irrigated appl
was best keeper and as to flavor h
had been attending fruit meetings al
> over the Northwest for several year
> and had eaten apples from every soc
ltion of it. He thought his mouth wa
as good judge of the flavor of apple
as any he knew of and in his opinio
the non-irrigated apple had bette
flavor thau the irrigated A strange
who was present and said he was
tendertoot, engaged the attention {
the chairman and said he would lib
to know il 1t was necessary to irr
gate straw wbeIrits why 1t was not ais
necessary to iriigate apples. Mr.
Wm. Keir quickly arose and state
b that she was not member OF the 81
ciety but her husband was and thl
it was not necessary to irrigate be
les. She had eaten strawberries raise
in Michigan that had never been iri
gated and which we're finer than al
)r she had ever eaten at Hood River an
g. concluded by remarking "When
IL comes to fine favored srtawbeiri
8, you Hood Riverites don't know VIII
at they are." Mrs. Kerr received
IN storm of applause as she resumed b
seat.
- III. A. Wilson said that he had hel
ed plant the Struck orchard 20 yea
ago and that it had been cuitivat
and borne crop OF apples eve
year. tWater'' said he "is the Inf
blood of the land and everything
touches turns to gold"
A. G. Staten said that MIR. Masor
statement In regard to his explit
taste was, he thought, rather wide
the mark. lie didn't believe it pos
BILE fol- any one to tell the differen
between. irrigated and mon -irrigat
fruit by the taste and that the flaw
of the apple depended more on t
climate and soil than it did on t
matter OF irrigation.
II. L. Smith, who said he
shipped an exhibit Of apples to
:, Trans Mississippi exposition at On
'ai ha, on which he had received d
prize for quality and texture, a
statad that the fruit had mayer be