The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-12-02
LOCAL STATION
BENEFIT TOLD
CITY AND VALLEY MEETINGS HELD
Talks by Director and Representatives Of
Oregon Stetion Tend to Change
Sentiment.

that orchardists might be supplied with
correct data concerning the benefit of
the local branch of the Oregon expert
ment station II is now believed will
save the station for the community.
Because of Misunderstanding between
numerous growers and the stations
representatives. menacing opposition
had sprung up and the proposed appro-
priation of $1,000 by the county for
next years maintenance of the institu-
tion hes been attacked.
The meetings, the last of which was
held Saturday evening at Pine Grove
hall under the auspices of the Pine
Grove grange, we're attended by A. B.
Cordiey, director of the Oregon station,
Prof. c. !. Lewis, R. W. Allen and Le-
Roy Childs.
Director Cordley explained the rela-
tions of the branch station to Hood
River county. He told the growers
thst - fer % the moin institution it.
self, Vss concerned, at mattered little
a. to whether the horticultural branch
vas located in Hood River or In some
other community, but he pointed out
the benefits that would accrue to local
psopls because of its maintenance.
Director Cordley diagnosed the trou-
blss Of the station in it's relations with
growers. He declared that Hood River
county should make an appropriation
for the purchase Of . plot of ground 10
b. used parmsnsaaly for an experiment.
farm, citing the good york resulting
from such aetisn in Sherman county.
Heretofore ID has been customary for
the representatives of the station at
york here on orchard problems to con-
duct their tests in orchards scattered
over q vide area. Growers, whose
tracts vsrs not chosen, have become
jealous. The representatives, too, have
been sabjset 10 call st any time. These
Waits to inspect orchards have hsmp-
cred than in their work Of experi-
msnting to determine tho cause and
cure Of diseases.
By the display Of q set Of charts
Pref. Lewis showed the value of eapef-
imental work Of past years. In the
year 1907 the Oregon Agricultural Col
leRs working in conjunction with the
United States Department Of AgrieHl-
tsrs I'd ade q soil survey OF Wasco eoun-
ty's fruit lands, Hood River county ct
that tims having been q portion Of
Waseo. Il was found that much of the
fruit land vas badly lacking in nitro
sen. Gyovsrs we're urged to make up
this deficiency by use of cover crops or
the use Of oom msreial fertilizers.
However, the orchardists did not heed
the advies, and a. 4 result the effects
have bssn more apparent than any local
orehardist hes com pretended.
I l.. ~ -
ofehardists have failed to note the de-
cYeasins size of the leaves, while the
differences 10 noted at once by o man
accustomed to visit the region OF inter-
vsls of sin months or year. The hor-
ticultursl expert showed by charts the
bsnehts derived from experiments With
commercial fertilizers, nitrstes OF coda.
on the ranch Of n. Drsgseth for the
past three years. The quantity Of sp-
Piles where the fsrtiliser hsd been used
vas made to increase loo per cent
over untrsatsd tracts. The cost per
tree reached 20 cents, OF two cents per
bot. Similar results have bssn OBJ
tsined by other orchardists by the per-
sistent use Of cover crops to restore
nitrogen to the coil.
Mr.. Allen, Z soil and irrigation exa
pert, Who for the pest several yesrs
hes been stationed Ut Hermiston, de-
clsres that he knows Of no place where
the rsnchers are So ignorant about irri-
CATION ~ in Hood River. Before they
get full results from the systems in
use, he says, ii will be necessary to
rotsts the use of their wstsr as in other
places. He dsclsres that the distribu-
tion system prevailing would have to
be changed.
Until few years ago ranchers never
used cover crops, and although much
water went to waste down the irriga-
tion bitches, but little was ever used
on orchard tracts. There we're schools
of growers who preached the non-use
Of water, declaring that it impaired
the quality of the fruit. o
Mr.. Allen said that he had examined
some soils in parts of the valley that,
because of lacd of irrigation and be-
cause of the persistent CLEAN cultiva-
tion followed. showed but three per
cent moisture, no more than could be
found in the dust of road. He adj
vised the rotation of cover crops and
clean cultivation.
"Where the orchard land is constant
ly planted in cover crops aud kept
heavily irrigated, there is danger Of
producing too much wood growth and
thus cutting down the production of
fruit"
MIR. Childs, who is in charge of the
branch station, attended the meetings
and told of the experiments carried on
for the control of leaf roller and hop
pers... Mr.. ChiIds says that spray has
now been found to control this pest,
which in the last few years has been
constantly increasing.
The Oregon agricultural roen met
last Fridw night at the Commercial
club to discuss the stations problems
with business men. about SO of whom
were present.