The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-03-09
GROWERS HEAR
@. A. c. EXPERTS
HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTES DRAW
Three Successful Meetings Held in Valley
for Discussion of Orchard
Methods.

! BOl NRTlCuIlurdl SOlIGSe AZ OOFNdlllS,
The meetings were held in the Pine
Grove, Parkdale and Park Grange halls
on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday,
respectively, and they were all largely
attended.
The principal speakers at the insti-
tutes were Dean A. b. Cordey, Profs.
c. |. Lewis and Ii. f. Jackson, of 0.
A. T., and at each place Prof. W. H.
Lawrence, the new expert employed by
the Hood River Apple Growers Fellow
ship, and other local men spoke. A
special representative of The Glacier
was present at the Pine Grove meeting
and that session to which the Others
were similar, is reported here.
About 200 apple growers were pres
ent Monday for the meeting in the
grange hall at Pine Grove over which
A. |. Mason presided. George X.
Castner, fruit Inspector for Hood
River county, opened the meeting with
a brief outline of the duties of his
office. He emphasized that the grow
ers should educate themselves to rec.
ognize the ailments of their trees sc
that they could take immediate steps
to eradicate any diseases found in theiI
trees without waiting for the coming
of the fruit inspector. He said that
many times when a tree was not thriV.
ing the real cause of the trouble was
in the roots which being underground
do not always receive the full atten.
ton they should. He said that OTTER
the real cause of trouble showing il
the tops was an injury done the roots
by gophers or other animals or possibly
a case of mushroom root rot, disease
found here sometimes.
The next speaker was Prof. Lewis,
soil expert of the agricultural college
who spoke on orchard cultivation. Tie
urged the desirability of deep, wei
drained soils and stated that seepagC
water was often responsible for tree
troubles. He said that this and some
other kinds of lands could be proftablS
drained.
Different soils require various meth
DDS of cultivation and as there are sil
or seven distinct soils in this VALLEY
Prof. Lewis hesitated to state fxeC
rules. He advocated clean cultivation
varying details to suit climate and soil
Heavy soils need deep stirring t
keen them loose while the lighter vol
canic ash formations need some mack
ing and always a little scratching O,
top to preserve the mulch. Shallow
summer cultivation of not more thai
three inches was recommended for con
servation of moisture which is all-im
portanL as all food enters the tree il
solution.
The three important things for tn,
soil to contain are nitrogen, potasl
and phosphoric acid, and. according t
Prof. Lewis. the frst-named is tn,
weakest in Hood River. Potash is no
always in proper form to be of use t,
trees although a soil ANALYSIS will SHOW
its presence. Soil with continuous
clean cultivation is likely to get burneC
out and means must be used to keel
nm the fertility.
Prof. Lewis spoke at length on cove
crops as a good method to increase thu
fertility perhaps and the cheapest
These NAV be planted in the fail t,
grow during the dormant period of tn,
tree wear. A cover crop helps a ligh
as well as heavy soil, helps to con
serve moisture, furnishes plant foo,
and overcomes to a degree shortcom
ings in cultivation. Three classes O
cover crops are, first, those furnishini
nitrogen. such as the vetches, clovers
alfalfas, peas, etc. second, those fur
nishinp potasb. such as cow horn tur
nips, and third the crops which Civ
the soil more fibre and humus. such a
oats and rye.
The most important part Of cove
cropping is to put the crop in properl
and at the RIGHT time and turn it unde
at the RIGHT time in the proper man
ner. The crop should be drilled in dur
ing August or September to get tn
benefit of the early fall rains. lrriga
tion to start the crop is desirable an,
practicable. Planting with drill Sc
cures a much quicker growth and,
heavier and more even stand as it'll
of the seed is lost which NAV not ger
inmate with broadcast sowing. Tn
cron houId he Moved under when on
wonld naturally begin cultivation il
the snring If left in too late the Gro
takes moisture from trees and become
tough. A cover crop will do bette
each wear. Vetch is as good crop an
the hairy Vetch IS perhaps the haTdIeS
VARIETY, II should be mixed with rye
which acts as a nurse crop and hold
M the vetcb. Rive should be used i
greater proportion in the older OF
chards Cover crops are not necessar
to n voung orchard and are seIdor
used until the trees are from seven t
eleven Years old.
A volJnp orchard should not be cult
waited loo late in the summer and thu
overstimulated. Cultivation gives
live color to fruit while Iack of
will result in dropping.
7 In sneaking OF s6a1e crops Prot
{ Lewis said that these had given goo
results in irrigated sections wher