Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-10-20
The Guardian Of
0regOn'S Orchards

20. H. Barnhill in Sunset Magazine.)
When the pear blight had burned
up a half million pear trees in the
San Joaquin Valley and was begin
ming similar work of determination
in the Sacramento Valley the federal
government sent out a young man
named O'Gara to aid in checking the
devastating conflagration. This was
done so successfully that the pear in
dustra of the Sacramento and adjoin-
ing valleys was saved and continues
to this day very profitable pursuit.
BY this time, however (190O, the
incendiary blight germs had made
their way up into southern Oregon
and were playing sad havoc with the
pear and apple orchards of the Rogue
River Valley. Proceeding thither,
Professor O'Gara put in two strenu-
Gus years battling with blight, gain
ing complete control over this arch
enemy of fruit trees in the worlds
premier pear district.
The Oregon orchardists who had
thus had their trees saved did not
take kindly to the governments or
0Oi . LII ~ bol " LlONC On W OJnOl
localities, desiring that he remain in
their midst and keep the upper hand
of the pestiferous pear blight. In
order to accomplish this, Jackson
county created the office of patholo-
gist and entomologist, fixing the sal
airy at $4,000. This looked good to
Professor O'Gara, who was tired of
the continual travelling which his gov
ernment work necessitated, and also
, because he had fallen in love with
the climate and people of sunny
southern Oregon. For three years
he has held the above named office,
| greatly to the profit and satisfaction
of the Rogue river horticulturists.
While the waging of a continuous
campaign against blight in one hun
dred square miles of orchard is a
mans size job, it didn't begin to alb
sorb all of O'Gara's superabundant
energy. Looking around for a new
field of conquest, it was found in the
domain of Jack Frost. The easy
going Oregonians were accustomed to
having thir merry monarch take
heavy toll from their orchards every
| twice in a while. O'Gara got busy
d SNSJclu VI
heating which is the most effective
and economical in the United States
The first 10000 heaters which the
growers proposed buying were priced
by agents at an average cost of about
80 cents each. O'Gara investigated
the matter thoroughly and found thai
pots meeting all requirements coulC
be made to order and delivered fol
l91a cents-a saving of $4,000
Fuel oil containing a large percent
age of non-inflammable asphaltun
had been priced at 8 " cents in ca
lots. After conducting eXhaustiv,
tests and taking the matter up will
the oil companies, O'Gara found tha
the best and cheapest fuel for or
chard heating was a distillate o
about 20 degrees test, from whicl
the useless asphaltum had been re
moved. This could be delivered il
tank cars for cents a gallon
saving of another SIS, 900.
The first attacks of Jack Eros
caught many of the orchardists nap
ping. Since the damage is usual
done in the latter part of the night
it is not always possible for the fruit
| grower 10 tell Ine udy before WndJ I
expect along the line of low tempera
lures. Although Professor O'Gar
began his meteorological observa
tions in the Rogue River Valley il
1908, it was not until March, 1911
that he succeeded in having estat
lished at Medford a United State
Weather Bureau station. Throug
his efforts, six local co-operativ
weather stations were also estat
lished in order to perfect a system O
frost forecasting which is said to b
the most accurate in this or any othe
country. During the past five year
not a single error has been made
either as to the low temperatur
which would occur or the time whe
| it would be necessary for the oil
chardists to begin firing. The fore
casts are sent by telephone in sue
way that every farmer may receiv
them promptly. During the pas
| spring a temperature of 22 degree
was successfully combated, the ten
perature being raised 10 degrees.