The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-02-03


county there were about 500 barrels
of spray made by the growers at a
saving of at least $500 per barrel OF
81 900 for the growers of the county,
Sulphur is the principal and most ex-
pensive ingredient of the spray, and
Notwithstanding the fact it has adj
vanced very materially in price this
year, the commercial sulphur-lime
spray is selling for dollar cheaper
than last year. This means saving
of about $1,000 to the growers this
year, if they should all buy the COM
mercial sulphur-lime Results: A saw
ing to the growers of $4,000 for the
two years.
Cherry Growing
We have, unquestionably one of the
most profitable cherry growing sec
tions in the United States. This office
has begun a work of awakening the
ranchers to the Importance of this
crop and of getting the varieties pro-
perly pollenized and the orchards suf-
ficiently fortified and cared for to
produce an abundant crop, advising
those planting new orchards as to the
best root stocks, varieties, polleniz-
ers and methods of growing cherries
successfully. This work has just be-
gun. 1t will take several years to
get the results we want, but we doubt
if any work has ever been started in
the county which will bring better re-
turns.
Blight
The blight has been a very serious
menace to the orchards of this county.
But we have suffered no more than
other orchard districts thruout the
state. A great deal of work has been
done in educating the farmers how to
properly fight this disease. We are
advising the changing Of our apples
which are susceptible TO blight to those
that are more or less immune; and the
growing of pears on stocks and roots
that are resistant to the disease. be-
lieve that an ounce of prevention is
worth pound of cure.
Summer Apples
A large portion of our district is
well suited for raising summer apples,
for which there has been an unlimited
demand. This Office has made quite
an extensive study as to the best apple
to recommend for these districts. We
hope in a few years to have our apple
crop practically marketed and out of
the way before the winter apples come
on.
Grape Industry !.
Our grape industry is still in its in
fancy. We can raise a high class
American grape and high class Eu-
ropean grape = something that no
other district that we know of in the
United States can do. The matter of
developing this industry along lines
that would be profitable is one that re-
quires great deal of study, thought
and common sense. In this, like all
other of our fruit problems, the grow
ers have already made many mistakes
in the past. 1t is our work to rectify
these mistakes as rapidly as possible;
to get the growers to set out the pro-
fitable varieties and grow them eco
nomically and at the same time get
maximum crop each year. IF my OBJ
servations are not far wrong, our
grape industry will be doubled ~
trebled within the next five years.
Strawberry Root Weevil
When strawberry districts like Hood
River, will "take off their hats" to
our Kennewick, Richland, Hartford and
White Bluffs districts and say "You
have the most favored spot in the
United States to grow strawberries"
it means that we are great deal more
blest along this line than we realize.
When our strawberries go on to the
market we have practically no COM
petition but ourselves, and we hope IN
the course of time to eliminate that.
We do have one serious menace to the
business, however, and that is the
strawberry root weevil which has done
so much damage to all strawberry Sec
tions in the Northwest. A great many
different methods have been tried to
control this pest-so far, they have all
proven a failure. This Office believes
that if "Black Leaf 40" nicotine spray
could be economically applied to this
pest, it would control it. The manu-
facturers of the "Black Leaf 40" have
kindly donated me all the material /
may need in carrying out demon
stration to see if we can control this
pest with nicotine spray. / expect to
begin this work this spring. Just what
the outcome will be, no one can fore
tell, except this, if it is successful, it
means the saving of crop that is now
bringing $4,000 to 100000 every
year and the increase of this crop to
two or three times that amount.
My work and methods are always
open to investigation. If there are any
who feel that am not keeping up to
the standard that it should be, would
be pleased to have them call on me and
we will go over the work in detail. If
they have methods to offer, whereby /
can improve the work, / shall only be
too glad to accept them.
Respectfully submitted,
LUKE POWELL,
Dist. Hort. Inspector.
Confirmation
The Meek One: My wife says I'm
"worm!"
The Friend. Whv don't Won retail