Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-12-16

alton is just as necessary. In 4.
east 1t Is not an uncommon prase.
to permit pear and apple orchard, !,
grow In sod when 1t Is evident tA,,
the blight is getting beyond con,,.
Everyone knows that lack OF cule,
alton induces surface evaporo,,.
from the soil, and trees are thus MAJ.
to grow more slowly because OF l,a
of moisture, and hence, even w.,
susceptible varieties of pears and i
pies do not blight badly because a.
vegetative vigor is lacking. The \.
cessity for cultivation as well as 4.
method to be used varies so sres,h
in the Pacific coast orchards that n
is impossible to make any gener
rule. Each soil type requires dlif~
ent treatment to the end that M
moisture be retained during M
growing season Of the trees. Som.
of the moist deep soils in the Sacr.
mento river districts and perhaps h
a few spots in the Rogue river val
ley retain their moisture so well I'm,
pears get along very we'll for yen
or so without cultivation. On m,
other hand, practically all Of II,
lands in these districts need thorouS
cultivation to bring them up to any,
thing like normal and to mature mi
crops.
The matter Of fertilization Is an
important one, especially where aru
crops have been taken for seven
successive years from an orchah
However, It Is known that nltroge,
Gus fertilizers, such as stable manur
as we'll as commercial fertilizers ccn.
tanning large amounts Of readrb
available nitrates, tend to produx
luxuriant growth, and hence trees q
stimulated blight more serloust
than those not fertilized. Fertllhs
must be used In moderate amounts
There Is no advantage in using an el.
cess of potash to make the trees mon
hardy and thus more resistant b
blight. The fondest hopes Of SON.
would-be experimenters have bea
blasted by trying to prevent bllgh
injury through the use Of potash h
the form Of muriate and sulphaa
It Is the same old story, the bllgh
must be controlled by having nt
hold-overs present during the 1,
: fection period. I have seen arv
e commercial orchards practically ruiz
o ed in one year where potash was usel
o as a preventive against blight, n
: avoid using II for any other purpos
: than adding fertility to the soil
q The whole subject Of irrigation
e so broad that 1t will only be al;
y cussed here in It's connection wit
J. the control and eradication Of pc,
u blight. While irrigation can not
X considered in the same light as rain
s. fall, since II Is merely water apple
U to the root system, 1t Is, nevertA'
- less, important to understand
d thoroughly, especially In connectla
+ with blight control. It has Bee
y pointed out that periods OF raIr
II weather during the spring and SUI
1t mer produce, what has been teTms
+ infection periods, through the We
'e ting OF the trees and thus permittll
i a spread OF the infection throu!
+ infected trees, and making It %
l. sible for the germs to be more rea
lie ily distributed over a considersS
le area in any district. The war
q muggy weather such as we find COL
lie mon in the east following raj
p periods further tend to Influence
1t spread OF infection. Irrigation
Se no way induces any OF the above co
IN ditlons. but. on the other hand
" effect Is noted In the tendency
NJ the trees to push very rapidly uno
Sc normal water supply and TO
come sappy and less resistant
81 blight. n Is woll, therefore, to n'
Us this in mind, and TO apply no m'
IN water than Is actually necessary
TO the production OF the crop or
le maintaining OF healthy condu
ne in the tree. IN cases where
lg rious infection has made itse'
tn parent, the water should be lmn
e. diately turned off and kept
Mt until the blight Is under control
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