Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-10-20

Every disease. pest and problem
which confronts the Rogue river
fruit grower is given attention by
the versatile and indefatigable
O'Gara. He is bundle OF boundless
energy and enthusiasm and there is
no harder worker in the state. Like
Edison, he finds six hours out of "a
all he can spare for sleep. With
four salaried assistants and 60 vol
unteers he wages unceasing and eff
fective warfare against every fungus
and insect pest that preys upon the
pomological products of his district
A direct descendant of a feudal
Irish monarch whose kingdom lay
along the shores of Lake Cara, Sligo
county, Ireland, born Al years ago
on Nebraska homestead near Col
eridge, Cedar county, P. ]. O'Gara
began his college career with total
capital of So, studying two years in
the University of South Dakota. then
four years in the University of Ne
braska, specializing in botany, path
ology and bacteriology. During these
four years, although earning his
board and other expenses, an aver
age grade of SO per cent was made
and in class of over two hundred
O'Gara was the only one upon whom
was conferred an honorary member
ship in the Sigma Xi for original
scientific research. He is a member
of the Phytopathological Society of
America, the Botanical and Biological
societies of Washington, the National
Geographic Society and the Washing
ton Academy of Science. He is also
a Fellow OF the American Association
for the Advancement of Science. Pro-
fessor O'Gara has contributed arti-
cles to Sunset, The Strand, Technical
World, Electrical World, Science and
other scientific journals and is the
author of a number of horticultural
bulletins, as we'll as technical papers
on plant physiology and pathology.
He was chosen by DR.. L. II. Bailey of
Cornell University to assist in the
preparation of the New American Cy-
clopedia of Horticulture. He is also
on the editorial staff of the Cyclope-
dia of Horticulture of the Pacific
Northwest. In his offices there is a
completely indeXed reference library
of 10000 books and bulletins.
, Professor O'Gara is quite a lin.
guist, being familiar with German
} French, Spanish, Italian and Latin
He is an expert telegrapher, wire
less enthusiast and an electrical en-.
: gineer, having built three electrical
power plants. He thoroughly enjoys
} good ball game, either in the field
or on the bleachers. He has trav.
2 eled in Europe, Africa, Canada, Mex
leo and every state in the Union
sometimes covering $4,000 to 10000
miles in a single year. No wonder
he grew tired of timetables and Pull
mans
In 1906 Professor O'Gara married
. Miss Belle Sloan, daughter of Profes
: sor 7. j. Sloan of the University o
q South Dakota, and she has since beel
r his chief lieutenant, having charg
e of the office and sectarial work
d Over the pathologist's desk hangs
t picture of one who has been to hin
: a veritable patron saint: Professo
I Charles f. Bessey, president of tn
n American Association for the Ad
: vancement of Science, teacher of bot
n any for As years-30 years in tn
a University of Nebraska-who refuse
to accept chair in Harvard Univers
" ity or to be laid on the shelf by
J. Carnegie pension.
, Since taking charge of his preser
- office, Professor O'Gara has turne
down offers from land companie
who wished to engage his. services {
= salaries as high as $4,000. Whe
" asked why he chose to remain in h
: present place at a much smaller sa
- ary, he replied: Because | like II
- climate and people here and enjC
;. my work. l do not work for none
!, that would be slavery"
g Questioned as to mis- opinion of IL
y fruit industry, he remarked
# consider Rogue river pear orchal
g splendid investment. Pears can
r profitably produced for 81 a bo
s and prices have always average
, considerably higher than that"