Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-11-24
PRACTICAL IRRIGATION
In ROGUE RIVER VALLEY
(Medford Mail Tribune

Every fruit grower as we'll as q,
cry farmer in the Rogue river yal,a.
should realize the advantage os !.
rigation.
1t makes no difference how en-.
cessful the non-irrigated orchard !.
or how prosperous the dry farm h..
been, irrigation increases the sra
cess of the one and the prosneri,,
of the other.
Irrigation is a form of crop in
surance against failure. Pronarl,
applied, 1t not only increases N.
yield, but renders the return %,
tain. It overcomes the season.
deficiencies and multiplies the soil,
productiveness.
Most OF the more successful or.
chards in the valley, those that yala
year in and year out, which have
good crops in an off year like tho
present, are irrigated orchards
Those that are not would make
more favorable showing If they were
There are few soils more fertile
few climates more advantageous for
fruit and produce production thar
that enjoyed in the Rogue river val.
ley. But to realize these possibili.
ties irrigation Is an essential.
1t Is perhaps unfortunate that r..
rigation is not absolutely necessary
here, that good crops and money
making yields can often be secured
without irrigation, and are thus 50.
cured. 1t makes the soil cultlyator
slow to admit the necessity and value
of water. He can and does make
money without irrigation, but he
would make more with it.
The Rogue river valley must de.
pend upon intensive cultivation. The
tiller of the soil must get the most
out Of 1t. He must make ten acres
yield as much as ten times the guam
tity Of scratched land elsewhere. To
do this, he must have water.
Farmers and fruit growers are
slow to grasp the situation. Coop
GRAFTON seems to be minus quantity
with them. They do nothing to i'm
prove the situation. Many who have
water flowing past their doors refuse
to use it, not only injuring them
selves thereby, but the valley also.
Growers in each section should
unite. While the young orchards
are coming into bearing some kind
of crop can be raised to make the
place self sustaining. IT is in the
choice of such crop and in the
marketing of the output that cooper
alton Is essential.
In order to market any such sub
~sidiary crop, it is essential to be able
to ship in quantity. Community CO.
operation supplies this desired guam
tity, no matter what the crop is,
whether of vegetables. potatoes,
beans, strawberries or other fruit.
For over year The Mail Tribune
has been clamoring for a public
market for the benefit of both pro-
ducers and consumers. AS result
the city council will establish such
an institution. But the farmers
themselves have taken no part In the
agitation, and have been powerles'
to take effective part, because they
did not cooperate and were not or
ganized, They have to sell theil
crops in catch-as- s-catch-can fashion
for the same reason.
Farmers and fruit growers, Ike
every one else, must work out theil
own salvation. To reap the mos
from their soil opportunities, the!
must irrigate, and to harvest thei
products most successfully the!
must cooperate. Upon the wa
they solve these problems depend
not only their own success but tn
future of the valley.
If there is a magic word to unlocl
the door of prosperity to the produc
er, 1t is "irrigate." and II there
another to enable him to reap the re
suit OF his industry, it is cooperate
And yet how few of our producer
pay any attention to either. An
yet until these facts are grasped, tn
balance OF trade will be against VI
and It will cost us more to live tina
we make.