Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-01-27
Advice on Choosing Frnits for Or
chards.

lecture on Principles of Fruit Grow
ing" in the short course.
"A large percentage of the or
chards planted will never be of COM
mercial value, owing to the fact that
their locations are unsuitable" he
continued. I'm choosing orchards
there are many points to consider,
such as climate, altitude, exposure,
soils, transportation facilities, the
eype of people, and the possibilities
for expansion of the industry.
THE factors of climate influence
ing fruit growing are extreme tenn
perature, the length of the growing
season, the suddenness with which
the summer or fall weather termi-
mates and freezing weather begins,
the rainfall, the amount of heat in
the fall months during the ripening
period, the percentage of sunshine,
and the presence of frosts. The eli
matte factors, as far as the Pacific
coast is concerned, are the real de-
termining factors. Others are to a
certain degree subordinate.
THE soil plays an important part,
the main factors being good depth
and good air drainage. Soil that is
not at least four feet deep without
encountering undesirable substrata,
such as hard rock, coarse gravel, or
cement gravel, is undesirable. Care
full examination and borings should
be made of both the surface and
sub-surface soils. One should salts
fly himself not alone as to the sur
face drainage, as seepage waters are
often present in our mountainous
valleys.
Soil fertility is an important item.
Too much stress is placed on mere
analysis generally. 1t shows us
whether or not the soil is deficient
in certain elements, or whether they
are present but unfortunately it can
not tell us how available the plant
food is in the soil. The natural
character of the soil is more impor-
tant than the analysis. Without
good climatic conditions, success can
not be hoped for.
Pears succeed on heavier soils
than other fruit. Apples do we'll on
wide range of soils, from the clay
loans to the silt and sandy loans.
Prunes seem to do we'll on any soil
that is we'll drained; peaches on
either silly loan or well-drained clay
loans. Cherries succeed on the
lighter clay loans, and nuts on any
soil that is deep and well drained.
The exposure of the site is an i'm
portant point Most of the southern
exposures of western and southern
Oregon are thin and unadapted to
fruits. Where the ground is good
however, fruits on southern expos
ures are early, if they are free from
frosts. Northern exposures general
ly are the less frosty, but are late
in maturing. Eastern exposures are
undesirable in frost regions.
"On the Pacific coast the altitude
bears an important relation to fruit
growing. A range of few hundred
feet often determines the adaptable
ity belt for certain kind of fruit
About the limit of commercial fruit
growing in the Pacific northwest is
5000 feet elevation.
The more railroads in a fruit
growing community the better
Eventually the fruit crop o fthe Pa
cific coast will be extremely large
and will need good transportation ia
cilities.
THE type of people among whom
grower settles is important to hil
success. Fortunately most of thu
people of the Pacific coast are yer!
progressive and will adopt new meth
ods readily. In some regions of the
country, however, people are yer!
conservative, so that it is hard t.
enforce good horticultural laws.
The possibilities of the expansion
of the business are important. Frui
buyers like to come where they cal
get trainloads, rather than seek ou
small. isolated sections.
Foolish comparisons are ofteI
made between the irrigated and non
irrigated sections. Good fruit can b,
grown on either and lots of none,
made, provided natural condition.
are right. On the contrary, fortunes
can be lost in either if the condi
tions are unfavorable."