Arizona republican., 1909-09-15
INSPECTION OF THE
 SOUTH SIDE GROVES TERRITORIAL ENToMoLoeIsT IS LOOKING FOR CITRUS
 PESTS. Expresses His Satisfaction at the Conditions Obtaining in Most
 of the Orchards.

pr. A. w. Morrill, territorial entomo- logist. arrived in Mesa and, in com pany with J. H. Fleming of Phoenix, made a careful inspection of the local conditions in both the bearing orange trees and the newly planted trees with the primary object of determin-. ing whether there are any signs or pests of any kind. The investigation has not been concluded nor will 1t be until another trip has been made to this place for the purpose of going over every grove, but it is safe to say that nothing serious has been discov- cred or the gentlemen would have been free to so express themselves. They were very optimistic in their ex- pression of the condition of the trees and report that the valley as whole will have at least a 50 per cent better crop than last year In this connec- ton 1t might be well to add that they also gave out the information that the California crop has been cut short on account of the prevalence of a drought in the fruit belt. While this has no bearing on the general conditions of the groves in the Salt River valley, the chances are that it will have a direct bearing on the market returns. and, after all. that is an important item in the orange business
 In regard to local conditions the gentlemen expressed themselves as very favorably impressed with the care being taken of some of the young orchards. and in this connection they mentioned the tract planted to oranges last season by J. l.. Waring, a mile south of the city limits and immedi- ately east of the northeast quarter of the Mcqueen section. However, the above mentioned gentlemen are not the first to call attention to the treatment of this grove. but it has come to be pointed out as one of the very best of the younger groves. If Mir. Waring continues to exercise the same care in the treatment of his trees in the future as he has in the past his experience will be of material benefit to all orange growers and pros pective orange growers from the fact that he will have earned the title of demonstrator. While the gentlemen were expressing themselves on the well kept grove they also pointed out a few of the ones that were not so we'll kept. The orange industry has come to be one of the recognized side lines of ranching in the valley and a few have begun to make 1t the main crop. Mesa last year saw more orange trees planted than ever before in it's history, and this season promises to be another one of increased acreage. It is highly important that every gov ernment man be given all the assist ance in making his investigations and determining the existence of a pest. The valley has been free from all the damaging attacks of pests of diff ferent kinds. but it is taking too long a chance to rest on the idea that it is impossible for an enemy of the orange to have a habitation in this section of the country. Because the trees have always been free from disease is the reason thae they should be kept free from it in the future. Eternal vigi- lance is the price of clean orange groves.