Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-11-27
FRUIT MEETING
WAS A HUMMER
Growers Should Always Know Price
TO be Paid Them Before
Fruit is Shipped. :.

The Rogue River Fruit Exchange
meeting held in the opera house last
saturday afternoon was a successful
affair in many ways. To begin with,
ne finest exhibit Of apples ever seen
anywhere was on the stage; in the
second place. the Exchange gave a
few minutes to Judge Geo. II. Dur
ham OF the Commercial Club, and
the judge turned exhorter for the
time being and talked fifteen people
into joining that excellent organi-
zation; and in the third place Pro-
fessor p. ]. O'Gara was on hand and
gave a most interesting talk to our
fruit growers.
Prof. O'Gara began his talk by
referring to the exhibit that had
been brought in, and said that he
had seen apple shows all over. had
seen bigger apples but had never
seen forty boxes OF such perfect ap-
ples picked in so short a time before
but he knew that was an easy matter
here because all of our apples are
good
For several years past. the pro-
lessor has devoted a great deal OF
attention to pear blight and has
made study of that disease in Ore
gon. California, throughout the
South and in the East. So for 1t
has not made a great deal of head
way in this state but has made its
appearance and therefore II our or
chardists are to keep 1t from follow
ing the steps of other states who
have lost practically all of their best
NOT be allowed 10 get a
.'t. is on,y
relative name. 1t is a vegetabl,
organism so minute that II $4,000
OF them were placed end to end they
would not make an inch. II attacks
pears, apples and ounces. Tn,
plant is a low order OF bacterli
and on account of its smallness car
not be seen until 1t has gotten wei
into its work.
The professor described at length
how trees become infected with II
from hower-visiting insects, sal
suckers and pruning tools not beinI
properly cleansed. He urged or
chardists not to wait for spring e
get rid OF 1t but to cut 1t out nov
and whenever It makes its appear
ance.
In the spring the first indication
OF pear blight may be noticed by thu
blossoms appearing wilted, the twig
or leaves turning black. The tree
should be so grown that there will
be no fruit spurs on the trunk o
body. and under no circumstance
should sprouts be allowed to grow
out from the roots as much OF tn,
Infection comes that way. He als'
advised that nursery stock be use'
grown on Keefer or Winter Nelli
roots as they are both very resistant
A popularity Of pear blight is tina
It will not attack a tree that is no
thrifty. Trees that are inclined 4
blight should be supplied with nitro
genous foods very sparingly. II
also advised orchardists to go sloV
about manuring pear orchards an,
Spitzenberg apples; also TO be care
ful not 20 over-prune trees subject L
blight. Pear blight can not b
treated by spraying the disease mus
be cut out.
! Inasmuch as practically all pea
blight is taken into the trees by In
sects, and mostly flower visiting In
sects. many persons are apt to cor
clude that bees should not be keI
in orchards. but this is mistake
and the professor advised all ol
chardists TO keep bees as this is tn
best means OF securing cross pollir
alton. r