The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-03-17
WISDOM FOR ORCHARD MEN
State College Horriculturist Gives
Kindly Advice 20 Audience of
200 People at y. VI. c. A.

AS Yakima orchard owner HIM
self, Professor Thornber of the state
college took a special pleasure, he
declared, in addressing the couple
hundred or more men and women as
sembled in the Y. NJ. c. A. auditori-
UNI Thursday evening to get points
on spring work in the orchard. Real
estate men, it seems, are anxious to
make capital out of the fact that the
state college horticuIturist has de-
cided on this particular section for
his own orchard, one even going so
far as to offer to give him the land,
providing the land agent might have
the advertising benefit of the deal.
For this reason Professor Thornber
said that in speaking in other sec
lions of the state he did not empha-
size the fact that he was a Yakima
orchardist. Before beginning his
subject, he took moment to speak
of the attendance of Yakima ranch
ers at the recent short course at the
college, saying that this valley sent
larger delegation even than came
from the home section near Pullman
Setting Out an Orchard.
In setting out an orchard, Profess
sor Thornber advised always against
planting any but the particular kind
of trees one wanted with the posi-
Bile exception of Spitzenbergs when
under certain conditions when one
can not get just the strain one
wants, it is sometimes advisable to
plant Ben Davis and INN ediately
top-graft for the other variety. He
likes the low headed tree, believes in
heroic pruning. recommends planting
only an inch or two lower in the
ground than grown in the nursery
He told of man who had planted
his tree six inches lower and to
whom he could only suggest that he
dig up and replant the whole Of his
forty-acre orchard Some sort of a
cover crop which will preserve the
plant food and ada nitrogen to the
soil. also protect the roots in winter
is recommended. For highest nitro
gen value, he places the hairy vetch.
Protection from Frost.
The use of heaters to protect the
fruit crop against late spring frosts
has been experimental with success
fully and Professor Thornber be-
lieyes that by their use and that of
the thermal alarm clock, whereby a
thermometer placed in the lowest
part of the orchard shall communi-
cate to an electric appliance at the
head of mans bed the fact that the
temperature has descended to the
danger point. the buds can be saved
nine times out of ten. Apple bios
SONS. he said. will stand three de-
grees of frost, pears two and peaches
barely one. and that most of the late
spring damage is done by tempera-
lures around &c degrees. In reply
to a question he said that of peach
specimens submitted to him here he
had seen only three live buds,
though he had found no wood which
he would positively declare dead.
No Fear of Over Production.
Professor Thornber is convinced
that there is no danger of overpro-
duction of fruit in Washington, even
when the immense acreage just be-
ing set to orchard comes into bear
ing. He confessed that he had felt
apprehensions about the ability OF
the railroads to haul it to market,
but that on this trip he and Profess
sor Thatcher had taken the matter
up seriously with the railroad Off
cials on the special train. Estimat-
ing that it would require twenty
TRAINS of forty ears . dow IN oarrv