Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-06-26

Willamette Valley longer than he ex-
pected while looking into the out
break of some new fruit pests in tho'e
districts One OF the-e is thrips an
enemy to pear trees that has made its
appearance in the Willamette Valley
and In California. This disease is ex-
cpeding the blight in thu d strnction
that it brings to the pear crop in the
Eastern states. 1t does not kill the
pest like tue blight but kills the
buds and prevents tue trees bearing
fruit. As yet no successful method
has been found of exterminating the
pest either by sprays or other means.
The experts Of the Agticu tural De
partment and Of the agricultural col
leges are confident that they will be
able 10 find means of combating
this new and viruleut pest
Prof. O'Gara is from Washington,
where he is a psthologist in the bu-
reau plant industry of the Department
of Agriculture, and his coming to
Grants Psas was at the request of
Secretary MeserVe, Of the Fruit
Growers Association, made to Prof.
M. b. Waite, superintendent of that
bareau. The special work Of its bu-
reau is that pertaining to diseases of
fruits and vegetables. This work is
divided into sections and patholo-
gist or entomoloigst is at the head of
each section. Prof. O'Gara has
charge of the fight that is being
waged all over the Unietd States
against the pear blight by the
Government. His work is in two
sections. One is to visit every pear
district and warn the growers Of the
great danger from the blight and tell
them how to prevent its introduc.
tiou and the other duty is to super.
wise the fight in districts where the
pest has made its appearance by
teaching the orchardists how TO iden-
tify the blight and the method OF ex.
terminating it. Prof. O'Gsra is con.
ceded to be one Of the ablest patholo-
gists in the Government service and
he is an authority of national stand
ing on many of the other fruit pests
as well ~ m near blight.
Springtime is the busiest time of
the year for Prof. O'Gars for 1t IL at
this season that pear blight does its
most destructive work and when its
infection and spread is the greatest
aud it il spreading over the United
States at such rapiu rate that not a
week goes by but what an urgent
request comes TO him for help from
some fruit district. 70 get over such
An immense territory requires every
day, even Sunday, of his time aud
though it WAS Il day of rest for other
people when he was here last Sunday
Prof O'Gara put in the day, accom-.
panied by Secretary Meserve, in ex-
aminiug pear orchards in the vicinity
of this city. The worst outbreak of
blight was found in r A. N. Rey.
mers orchard where the pear trees are
badly infected, At the time Prof.
O'Gara was here last February only
one If Mr.. Reymers' trees was affected
and 1t had bat one limb diseased. III,
now has cut out all the diseased top,
and by close vigilance can erndicat,
the disease If the infection is MOI
again brought in by insects or bird,
from other affected trees. The only
other orchards that blight has ap
peared in are Eismaun Bros, j. T
Morrison aud Robert Huck. Their,
are probably others in the county but
the owners not recognizing the di
sease have not reported their orchard,
infected, Secretary Meserve ha,
freshly out pear limbs at his offic,
that show the blight very distinctly
and fruit growers are asked 10 call anC
examine them SO they eau recogniz,
the disease should it get into their or
Chards
While the blight is the most dis
truotive of pear trees Of all the pest.
yet Prot O'Gara states that in an iso
lated valley like Rogue River Valley
orchards could be kept absolutely fire.,
OF the disease. But this would re
Quire the rigid enforcement of tn,
state pest laws that every lot of tree,
and plants received by freight, express
or mail be inspected aud If found di
seased destroyed. and also the rigiC
enforcement Of the law in the eSami
nation of every fruit tree in the val
ley and the compelling of owners t
keep them free of blight. Three year,
ago II was feared that the pear or
chsrds Of California were doomed {,
sure destruction by the blight, but 81
vigorous has the WAT against IN,
pest been carried on that whole dis
tricts sre now free Of blight. aud il 1,