Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-12-23
Fourth Instalment

thah uhucl II iA5hNAOh' AAN w.
dency to apply too much water is
especially the great fault with be-
ginners In irrigation. To irrigate
properly and scientifically, one
should know soil conditions, soil
depths and drainage. Another In,-
portant factor is a knowledge Of the
duty OF water; by this It is to be
understood the amount OF water
which should be used to produce the
best results. The Rogue river val
ley is so situated that minimum
amount OF irrigation should be used
in certain we'll defined districts, OF
perhaps I might say, very smah
areas. Generally, pears can be well
grown without any irrigation what
ever; and with good cultivation and
proper soil treatment, apples will be
able to get along fairly well with
much less water than Is generally
supposed. It is we'll known that the
destruction of the pears by blight
In the San Joaquin valley In Cali
fornia, was due as much to maintain
ing too vigorous growth by irri-
cation as II was through lack OF the
important detail knowledge Of fight
Ing II scientifically. Not only were
the orchards lost, but valuable soils
were practically ruined by over-irri-
cation.
It is a we'll settled fact that irri-
cation is to be practiced more or less
generally In the Rogue river valley,
but wish to sound this note Of
warning in regard to the matter Of
OVERRIDING II. II is doubtful II the
heavy, black, sticky soils OF the val
ley floor are at all benefited by irri-
cation; ] might say that It has been
proven that they may be injured.
In the eastern states It Is very
common practice to SOW crop Of
COW peas, sorghum, or, sometimes,
even Indian corn in the late spring.
This is done to take up the surplus
moisture OF the soil from the trees
which has tendency to check luxu-
riant growth and hence acts to check
pear blight. II must be understood,
however, tha the above practice
would not be at all advisable in most
Pacific coast districts where there
Is shortage Of soil moisture There
are localities, however, where Il may
become necessary to make use OF
cover crops In this way. The use OF
cover crops on the Pacific coast
should be for a wholly different pur-
pose; namely, to add fertility to the
soil as well MS to change It's physical
condition, in fact, the use Of cover
crops may be considered to serve the
same purpose as stable manure in
making the sail more easily titled
and rendering II into better condl-
tlon for giving up plant food Cover
crops OF vtech or COW peas OF course,
add nitrogen to the soil, and, from
this standpoint, II is perhaps bet
ter that these ligumlnous plants
should be used in preference to rye
or any OF the grains or grasses. On
some soils such cover crops as rye
or wheat do not give the best re-
suits, especially on the sticky soils,
II usually takes great deal Of labor
TO produce good soil mulch after
turning under crop Of rye.
The rule in the pear orchards of
the eastern states has been to keep
the trees In half-starved condition
for fear blight would destroy them.
Orchard treatment OF this kind nat
urally renders the fruit less luscious
and with n distinctly poorer flavor
than fruit grown under good culti-
walton. While | would advise q good
deal OF caution In producing too
vigorous or sappy tree when there
Is serious danger Of destruction by
blight | would not advise the pear
and apple growers Of the Pacific
coast 70 staye or undcrcultiyate or
Nndcrprune their trees but do
mean 20 say that they should proc-
tice moderation In all these things
This is especially true IN districts
whoro the blight IS new to them,
aud whore they are not thoroughly
acquainted with the methods OF Grad
icating Il from their orchards and
keeping Il under control Pear
blight Is so different from all other
orchard diseases, which respond SO
readily to spray treatments, that II
has been the general rule for whole
communities and even states to lose
all their orchards before being
brought to u realization OF the necos-
sity for studying the disease care
fully and obeying TO the letter the