The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-03-21
water than with It. Hood River had
rainfall OF 81 inches which he

ness ABOUT ten years. Ills tfeos were
but nine years old and until this year
had borne few apples. He was willing
to accept Mr. Mason's statement
about not irrigating his trees until
they got to be IL OIL IA years old, at
ter ithat he was quite sure the gentle
man would change his tune.
Mr.. Mason In answer to Mr.. Sproat,
CALCULATED that bis trees we're grow
ing all the apples at pI resent that he
wanted them to. He didn't want his
orchard to look as II 1t was composed
of weeping willows bowed down with
fruit. He thought hnyone who grew
apples In this way was greedy. As to
growing strawberries without irriga-
tion he bad grown very fine berries
without water, but admitted that 1t
was necessary to irrigate in order to
make commercial success Of the ber.
ry business.
J. L. Carter found that irrigation
improved the fruit. Had noticed this
in the Grand Ronde valley before he
came Il. Hood River. There was every
rea son to think that the moderate use
OF water was beneficial and grew bet
ter apples. He did not think MIR.
Mason had had time enough to make
thorough test.
The next topic for discussion was
"'Overcuitivation," on which E. l..
Smith was asked to speak. Mr. Smith
opened his remarks by saying that be
had been informed that several mem
bers of the society we're present who
bad said they would tear any argu
ment on this subject to pieces, SO he
was prepared but not afraid. Bis dis
sertation was along the line that by q
constant cultivation and agitation Of
he soil, without planting cover crop
at certain PERIODS, II became exhaust
ed of the natural elements necessary
to retain iss sustaining qualities.
That in other words the humus or
pr opagating properties Of the soil
gradually became lost, making 1t nec-
esary to use artificial fertilizers 1t
had been found that In Maine where
exhaustive tests had been made that
10 continuous crops Of apples without
fertilization depleted an acre tof soil
to the extent Of 1900 pounds OF pot
ash, 1,600 paunds Of nitrogen and 300
pounds Of phosporous, which latter
we're the lite giving elements to suc-
cessfui apple culture. The chemistry
of the atmosphere and the chemistry
| of the soil we're constantly at war
with each other seeking to mako the
com bination that nature calls for. Ii
was natural for the ground to be Gov
cred with vegetation which Retained,
under tkvse circumstances, the pot.
ash, the nitrogen and the phospoIi IL
acid. BY planting cover crop that
would remain f,r i've OF six months
in the year and then be plowed under
the soil would be restored to its nat
ural condition and woul1 not beoom,
ex hausted so quickly. Otherwise 1t wal
necessary to use artificial fertilizers
In his opinion the best cover cIop Il
plant was vetch. Another conclusion
that he had arrived at was that the
soil had nothing to do with colorine
apples. For long time he hac
thought that 1t had and.so had 9th
ers, but be was now convinced that
it was done by the sun. On tn coas'
where they had cloudy weather applel
had no color; hero, and elsewhere
where there was abundant sunshin,
they we're highly colored.
| At the conclusion Of MT. Smith
talk Mr.. Mason said that he was rh
one alluded to by MIR. Smith VIII
would tear. him to pieces, but that II
the main he found nothing t.
object to. In Mr.. Smiths statement
aud said he also was convinced tina
the soil had nothing to do with color
ing fruit.
It was admitted by several, after
discussion, that trees we're being sc
too close together and that 1t woul
be better to place them farther apart
II. III. Wallace was called upon {
respond to "Problems OF a Movie
Fruit Grower" Mr.. Wallace state
that he did not come to the meetin
to give information but to get 1t. IL
said be would like to know from som
! Of the experienced fruit growers wha
! the best method was OF cultivating a
orchard from the time 1t was tw
. years old until it came into bearing
> In answer j, Porter said that he ha
2 found the best reults from plowinl
using the disk, and spring tooth hal
row, This kept dust mulch OF abou
four inches and retained the mois,
n
ure.
8 Mr.. Staten thought q crop of Glove
. between, and six feet away from tf
trees, so they could be cultivated
was also good method.
a Mr.. Davidson remarked that he WI
i glad to know this and felt repaid Il
Q coming to the meeting az he had bee
employing another method. He ali
o said that he was glad to hear M
;; Smith, who had admitted In Il
q meantime that little water might
}. good thing. come to that conclusit
u for he had begun to think be was
:, teet
"a A discussion took place on the u
l. OF lime, Mr.. Smith saying that
y Thought the best way to use 1t was a
q Stacked and Mr.. ,Castner that he +,
u been informed by Prof. Cor.leley tn
81 it should be used unslacked. M
ae Castner also stated that he was ha
ing test made at the Oh egon Agl
er cultural college OF the Niagara spr
and had been informed By. MIR. Cord
p ley that former tests that had be
rs made showed it to be fully equal
ID the Rex. In his exper 'menats he b.
~ discovered that the best proportio
O. to use 1t in we're one to nine or o
lt to ten. Had also found that unle
lime and salt were added to keep it
8 solution that most Of the sulph
'it came out in using the first half Of t
OF barrel.
j. The last number on the progrs
GO was vigilance the Price Of Eterr
ed Good Fruit Mr.. Tucker was
or signed this subject and told how NJ
ne essary 1t was to keep the orchard u
ne der constant surveillance to get
best results.
nd
he The winds of March have no teri
Ia to the user Of DeWitt's Carboliz
'st Witch Hazel Salve. 1t quickly be
o chapel and cracked skin. Good t,
- L l. l.. h. 4. A..