The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1907-06-26
BULLETIN IS ISSUED
BY PROF. FISHER
AN ORCHARD STUDY OF THE BIT
TER ROOT VALLEY--HE VISITS
MANY RANCHES So lNFOR.
rlATlON VALUABLE To
FRUlTGROWERS.

Bozeman, June 2l.--The United
States experiment station here is
about to issue a bulletin by Prof. X.
w. Fisher, entitled An Orchard
Study of the Bitter Root Valley"
The bulletin is the result of a ranch
to-ranch visitation made by Professor
Fisher among the fruitgrowers last
season, supplemented by report on
last years yield, gathered later. AS
much of the advice and conclusions OF
this bulletin are still available for use
this year, the bulletin may be called
unusually prompt in appearance. The
station bulleting are often necessarily
held for sume time after they are first
written, for further investigation or
for checking up OF results, and con-
sid rable delay otter occurs between
the gathering of material and its IS
suance in published form. In this
case there is no such delay.
The purpose of this bulletin is TO
summarize the experience in all the
most vital matters of apple culture of
all the commercial fruitgrowers of the
Bitter Root valley. Professor Fisher
spent month last fall talking with
the fruitgrowers, one by one, asking
specific questions and securing in gen
eral the most courteous treatment and
full replies. These questions had to
do primarily with the matter of Choos-
ing the best varities for Montana con-
ditions and determining the best
methods of culture. Incidentally, also,
the most effective methods of pruning
and grating are discussed, and also
the best method of packing ard mar
keting the frait
Professor Fishers investigation
makes it quite clear that, as far as the
Bitter Root valley is concerned, the
Mcintosh and Alexander apples are
most decidedly preferable to other va
rieties, though the Wealthy is good
third. Other varieties fall distinctly
i out of their class, according to the ex
perei ce Of the growers. The most
profita BILE single crops recorded, how
ever, are of the TransCendent crabs,
which are likely to be an exceedingly
proftab BILE crop as long as they can be
kept free from worms.
AS to meth, DIS OF cultivation, there
has been decided differences as to the
most profitable, but Professor Fisher S
Investigations, make it clear that clean
cultivation, with perhaps the frequent
ploughing under of some cover crop
ike clover Is the most pTOHldUlS uSln-
! cd for any soil, and beyond COMPARISON
the best for the lighter bench land
soil. Orchards that receive no cultiva-
tion do not pay at all, according to
Professor Fishers figures.
During the process of experimental
ton with the different varieties of
apples in thr state many orchards
have been planted with inferior sorts.
r &c iflp Il /
the trees are not more than 10 years
old, to transform them by the process
of grating into more valuable trees.
Full directions for this method are
given, with explanatory diagi ans.
AT the end of the bulletin Professor
Fish gives the rules adopted in re-
gard to the packing and marketing of
apes by the H pod River Fruit
growers association. These rules,
Professor Fisher SAYS, are equally ap-
plicable here in Montana, and he
recommends them to the attention of
the fruitgrowers.