The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1911-12-14

HIS crop tHlS year ana is lOOkin
around Tor a reason for the Increase
Most OF them, however, are looking
in the wrong direction for the cause
Some think the pump was no good
others are sure the poison was n,
good. but have discovered LnaAaa;
as yet hat has even suggested tina
the man was deteriorating, and We
the fact remains, hat a very larg,
percentage of our growers have be
come o-ver-confident in the past two
or three years.
The codling moth runs in cycles
OF destructiveness-as do all other
insects. Some years it will be worse
"a good deal worse=than others.
Eight or line years ago the average
of the orchards of the state was two
to three worms to an apple. Two or
three years ago, as the result of a
combination of almost universal
spraying and certain u~nfavOrable eli
matte conditions, that number was re-
duced to the minimum. AT the same
time, the number OF %sprayings was
also reduced, the bands were left off.
the codling moth began to increase
IN numbers, and an exceptionally IA
Vorable season for their multiplica-
ton resulted in a heavy damage last
year. And yet, last year there we're
dozens of orchards in the state of
Utah that wen through the season
with a single spraying and one would
w to search sometime for a wormy
apple in the orchards. think, how
ever, that this lesson will have a good
effect in the end-better put on In
extra spray and work on the bands
when they do not appear to be doing
much good than to repeat the exper-
fence of the past season. There is
no profit in wormy apples and there
is no satisfaction in them either.
Pruning is just as essential as
spraying and another two or three
cents a bushel spent on the care of
the tree will yield big returns. One
of the chief reasons why we are able
to raise high priced apples is because
of our long days of summer sunshine
and yet if W. allow the wood growth
of our trees to become SO thick as
to shade a crop of apples, we might
as well plant trees in Ohio and
be done with it. The open headed tree
with plenty of sunlight, plenty of
air circulation carrying a small
enough crop of apples SO that the
tree can produce them to the stan
04Q OAZC, Ii Tie tlllC1GnL Tree. lu6I6 /
are almost as many methods of prun-
ing as there are men who prune, and
yet they all practically agree in re-
gard to the object sought. The ma
jor portion of the experienced west
tern o~rchardists. however, agree that
after the tree has been grown and the
properly formed and spread out,
as has been described to you by Sec
rotary MCPHERSON, one should be
with the pruning knife in the
winter time until the tree is in full
bearing. And, above all other things, I
after the 4th or 5th year, the tops {
Of the branches should not be cut
back unless there is to be a heavy
crop of apples the next season, and I
even in that case, it is far better to |
them on until the crop of APP
pies is set and assured and Their re- /
luce their length by sumner prun- [
ing work. There are thousands of S
orchards in this intermountain region t
n which an original branch has been |
headed back only to start three more l
ong water growths which have again 4
headed back, each one starting o
.wo or three more and SO on, until b
he top of the tree is a miniature v
,room, and a witch's broom at that. o
4 tree in that shape a only be [
snred by lenS and tedious effort One v
bird of this energy, however, ex- +
ended in starting the tree right will C
all this. The rule, then, on o
he young developing trees never to c
ut off a branch towards the top I'M t
ess you cut off the entire branch. I'M t.
il that tree is fruiting heavily, then Il
he excessive wood growth may be Il
educed a small amount at a time b
y summer pruning without disturb Il
ng the balance between the roots and u
OPP. In all pruning of course it il
aust be remembered that the fruit h
) borne on the short spurs next to Il
branches and that the lower down g
fruit is borne on the tree the CT
heaper and easier it can be handled fl
t picking time. 1t costs five times II
S much to pick a bushel of apples b
en- feet from the ground as it does h
D pick a busnel within reach, and al
hen you get much above ten feet, W
here is little profit in raising ap- h
les. &C
Irrigation is another of the west
rn problems. In this day we hear d.
good deal about raising orchards til
'ithout irrigation or with a very al
nall number of irrigations. 1t is N
robably true that many orchards ii
ave been over-irrigated in the past, ST
ue there will be still greater disap- fu
ointment in the future if we go to Ell
lie extreme and think we are going ca
!, raise fruit without irrigation wa bl
r.. 1t is easy enough to raise trees til
many orchards have BEEF raised lii
p to the bearing time with very 81
nall use of water, but when a al
'op of fruit a to be ripened right m
/ the very dryest time of the year
hen wood growth has practically
sased and otherwise the tree would ~
: using very little moisture, it will
2 found hat an orchard requires
much water as any other crop and b.
the water is short at that time a