Arizona republican., 1907-01-11

finer pear orchard never grew in any country. It would be harmful rather than helpful to irrigate this orchard more frequently than once a month and should it get no water for sev- eral months 1t would not suffer ma terially. This of course in connection with some further details of cultivation, particularly of irrigation. The ditch system of irrigation is not approved. Some growers run a ditch alongside each row of trees, the trees in the first place not having been planted deep enough. The roots run to the water then stop or turn back again toward the trees. refusing to pass the ditch. Be- ing near the surface they dry out very rapidly after the irrigation and are shortly in need of water again. The Hall method for irrigating almost ev- erything, especially the orchard. is the flooding process. A border or ridge is thrown up in the center of the area between the tree rows and the orchard is then flooded. All the ground is sat- urated from one ridge to the next and at great depth. The roots having been planted deep, spread out all over this moistened area and have a large field to draw from not only for moisture but for other needs furnished by the soil. The planting however. should not be quite so deep in adobe soil as in the sandy loam.
 Speaking of water shortage MT. Hall said it was true that a great many trees had died for the want of water in this valley. but a great many more had been killed by the improper use of it. And many more If properly planted would have survived despite the water shortage.
 Another feature of the care of the orchard is worth while. The first two years after planting an orchard may be cultivated between the rows by the raising of melons or corn, but no grain for grain is poison to trees. requiring the same elements the trees do to feed upon. After two years the orchard should not be cultivated. or at least no crop should be raised. Alfalfa may be raised but when it is moved it should be permitted to lie on the ground and rot. An orchardist after two years should always add to rather than take from the natural elements of soil strength on which his trees depend. The idea of permitting the alfalfa to rot is first to reenrich the soil and secondly, acting as a mulch it prevents in large measure the drying out of the soil and makes less Irrigation water necessary. In the Hall orchard the sour clover and fox tail is now just sprouting.
 A disc will be run through the or chard and the surface cut up and loosened. The clover and fox tail in two or three months will have died down and formed a mulch. This after the thorough soaking by irrigation fin the spring will retain moisture suffi- cient to carry the orchard nearly all summer if really necessary. though of course it should have it's occasional irrigation. And that is all the cultiva- ton the orchard gets after its second year. just its annual disking. and it is now a pretty clean looking orchard at that. The trouble with the horticul- turists is they have been making too much hard work for themselves, ex- pending too much energy when with a proper planting and a little pruning, about all an orchard needs is a good deal of letting alone.
  Bros. have been very successful. They have not over exerted in the pushing of the business for in past years con- ditions were not the best but this IS all changed now and with the question of water supply settled and their own knowledge of how to grow things in this valley they expect to do a great deal of good both for themselves and for the entire valley. A carload of trees recently sold is expected here about the middle of next month and in another year with the experiments of this season as to varieties they exepct to do a large business also in the sell ing of berry and small fruit plants. There is no reason why these should not be a success as the conditions seem to be all that is desirable for the right varieties.
 A little run over the farm is a most interesting way to spend an hour or two, for anybody who cares for plant life, or fruit culture. About the first thing one runs into is an asparagus bed of three acres. How this plant grows in this valley is we'll known to the wise and would make a story of iAItAA- AN iAaS ONCiA q 6iOtiN SOdANt Oi profit to the Halls and others and in the future will be to many other grow CTS. It requires but small care after it is once planted and Tn season it is a wonderful revenue producer owing to its rapid growth and quality. It grows while you wait.
 | Next come the grape vines. a line the Halls are just entering on exten- sively for the once broad acres of vine yards in this valley must be replanted at once. They expect to put out 10000 cuttings this season of the well known California varieties, Mission. Muscat and Thompsons seedless. But one eastern variety is known to prosper well here and the name of that even is not known but the Halls have a supply of cuttings from the only productive vines here.
 Next come the experimental beds of Arizona Everbearing. Brandywine and Mitchell's strawberries. In another year they expect to have thousands of these plants to sell.
 Of the general treatment of the pear orchard a description has been given. The bearing orchard contains 1900 trees of the Kiefer. Garber. Duchess and Bartlett varieties and experiments are being conducted with a hundred I atI lyfp Ac ha