The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-08-01
DANGEROUS FRUIT PEST
Fire Blight Has Made Its Ap-
pearance In the Orchards
Of the Northwest
NO BLIGHT IN THIS COUNTY YET
And Growers Should Guard Care
fully Against 1t Securing
a Lodgment

T. s. Darlington, of Wenatchee, dis
trict fruit tree inspector, j. N. Piercy
county fruit tree inspector, and T.
Gagnon, of Wenatchee, photographer
and general good fellow, spent a pOr-
tion of Saturday looking over the or
chards in this vicinity. Mr.. Darling
ton depends upon his associate in
spectors to guard the orchard interests
OF the various counties in his district,
and makes the grand rounds at least
once a year.. This trip was for a
specific purpose, and that object one
that should awaken the interest and
cooperation OF every orchardist in the
county. The fruit grower is forever
lighting pests and diseases that fruit
trees seem to be heir to, and upon his
vigilence and willingness to use his
best efforts to keep his trees in a
healthy condition depends the degree
OF success he is to meet with in the
fruit growing industry. Just why
fruit trees should be susceptible to
the attacks of pests and diseases from
which forest trees and obnoxious
weeds are immune is beyond the un-
derstanding and explanation OF a lay
man, but the fact remains the same,
and when once innoculated ruin fol-
lows II corrective measures are not at
once taken. A new and insidious foe
to .rnit trees, at least new in eastern
Was gsngson, rs a devastating ailnaent
known 9s fire blight. Probably the
name is derived from the condition
the tree gets in when stricken, for
when the tree is affected the leaves
turn black, dry and shrivel up. Fire
blight is very dangerous foe to trees,
and does it's work quickly and ef-
fectively when it makes its appearance
in an orchard. Mr. Piercy stated that
damage to the extent of upward of a
million dollars has been suffered by
the fruit growers of the Yakima val
ley from this blight. Mr.. Darlington's s
chief mission to this county was to
ascertain if fire blight had made its
appearance among the Okanogan Or
chards. He found no signs of the
blight on his travels. In one orchard
it had made it's appearance, but
prompt and vigorous action had re-
moved all signs and the trees were
in perfect condition. He did not sug-
gest preventative, if an actual pre-
ventative is known, but urged the ne
cessity of exercising the greatest Wig
lance, and the immediate removal OF
all affected parts ii the blight makes
an appearance. This will prevent its
spread, and save the trees attacked
According to Mr.. Piercy the blight
first makes it's appearance on the fruit
sprigs and small branches, and by
Watchfulness it can be easily detected
and the diseased parts removed The
Pentlcton paper has had considerable
to say relative to fire blight in receny
issues, although no admission has been
made that it prevails in that vicinity
Mr.. Darlington has had correspond
ence with the chief fruit inspector a,
Penticton upon the subject, and when
he reached Oroville he was called up
by the British Columbia fruit inspector
and courteously invited to extend hi
trip to Penticton and look over the
orchards of that neighborhood. The
party was travelling by auto and left
for Penticton Saturday afternoon. II
was the intention after brief stay
at PentictOn, to return by the way OF
keremeos and the Sinlahekin valley
with the object Of inspecting fruit
trees in that valley and in the Sinla.
hekin valley from Palmer lake to Con.
conully.