Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-03-20
FRUIT GROWERS HOLD
INTERESTING MEETING
Appoints Committee to Confer
With County Court in Regard
to Fruit Inspection.

The meeting of fruit growers that
was held at the Court House last
Saturday afternoon while only small
in attendance was one of the most
lively and profitable fruit growers
meetings ever held in this city. The
IA orchardists who were present
were able by discussion Of several
of the principal problems of their in
dustry to gain many helpful ideas.
President j. II. Robinson, of the
Fruit Growers Association being sb-
sent by reason of sickness Secretary
Charles Meserve called the meeting to
order aud presided.
The first matter up for consideration
was that of labelling fruit boxes.
Heretofore the Association has had
their brand printed ON the box shocks
ut the box factory but these printed
boxes have miscarried in their pur-
pose and while they were a good
means of advertising the fine fruits of
Rogue River Valley they also enabled
dishonest or careless persons to sell in.
ferior fruit as first class. To stop
this injury to the reputation Of the
Association it was decided TO no longer
use printed boxes but to get litho-
graphed labels that will only be
pasted onto the boxes when they are
packed and ready for loading in the
car. The design for combination
label that could be used on both ap.
pie and pear boxes was submitted by
Secretary Meserve. The reason for
using q combination label is that the
expense for labels is considerable, the
engraving Of the plate costing about
sis and the printing Of the labels
about $40 per 1000. II a separate label
was used for Newton and Spitzen.
burg apples and for the various kinds
OF pears a separate plate would have
to be engraved for the printing Of
each set of labels. This would make
the labels cost more for this year than
If composite label were used, but
the latter would not be so effective in
advertising the special kind Of fruit
the box might contain. The secretary
was authorized to secure d,signs for
separate labels for Spitzenbu and
Newton apples and for pears to be
submitted at the next meeting of the
Association on March 2S.
A general discussion on winter and
summer spraying was had. There
being no fixed date for the first spray.
iny for Goblin moth, that being regu-
lated by the development of the moth,
and as a number of the orchardists
were too late with their first spraying
last spring and consequently had
many wormy apples. it was decided
to have observations made this spring
as to the development of the moth and
the time to spray and that notice be
given all fruit growers as TO tue date
on which the first spraying must be
. done AT the unanimous request of
all present. II. @. Batehsm consented
to do the work OF observing the de-
velopment of the Goblin moth for this
spring and to furnish the Association
with the date when the orchardists =
must do their first spraying. Mr..
Bateham but recently arrived in
Grants Pass from Hood River, where
he was one of the leading orchsrdist,
and uurserymen of that famous fruit
district, aud he is an authority OF
state reputation on ali that pertains
TO fruit pests. Mr.. Bstehsm hai
bought a 60-acre tract of land a0c
will become a Rogue River fruit
grower.
, The threa atened invasion Of peal
blight was dicussed and while the
q opinion was unanimous that the
blight was the worst pest that hat
= invsoed Rogue River Valley yet &c
8 very large is the profit in pear
3 that il would pay the orchardists O.
. the valley to make the most siren
a uous effort to eradicate it and Il
;. prevent its further introduction. s,
!. far as can be learned but three lots o
4 pear trees in Josephine county hsv
"a been attacked by the blight. Tb
- diseased trees were burned and
!. strict watch of all pear trees in tn
"a county will be kept 30 that II tn
ia pest again appears it can be at ono
\. exterminated. To enable the oi
:. ohardists to readily recognize tn
=, blight, Secretary Meserve bad
n. branch from a diseased pear tree thi
:. was found in Eismann Bros. orchar
, at the meeting for inspection. II
> blight is 30 different ffom suthracDoi
=. and other pests that when once fru
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