The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-03
COUNTY BUREAU
GIVES RESULTS
OF FRUIT TOUR
The Investigations Made in Orch
ards to See Value of Raising
Are Explained.

Cambridge, H., Aug. 3.-The
Henry county farm bureau has is
sued report giving the results of
than 100 people Fast week. The re-
port is:
Over 100 people gathered at the
Geneseo park on July 20 to go on
the orchard tour to Leslie Smiths
orchards. Two orchards of Mr..
Smiths were first visited. Much
interest was shown and large
number of questions asked how
such fine apples could be raised in
Illinois
In the first orchard visited, four
pounds of nitrate of soda was ap-
piled per tree. Here the leaf spurs
were about six to eight inches long,
showing a large growth due to the
application of nitrogen. In this
orchard not an apple could be
found On the ground.
The next orchard visited was a
neighbours, where no spraying was
done Here apples covered the
ground and the ones that were on
the trees were either wormy or
very small in size.
At the third orchard visited every
one took a seat on the ground and
refreshed themselves with apples
and cider
z. Z. burst, who is now with the
Illinois Agricultural association in
the marketing department of the
fruit and vegetable department, was
introduced by Assistant Advisor o.
w Holmes.
Mr.. burst brought out the point
showing that Illinois is a better
fruit state than is thought by most
people The country around Car
bOndale controlled the early apple
market of the Missippi valley. Cal
hOun, Pike and Adams counties are
noted for the best quality of late
apples in the United States. Even
in this section OF The state we can
reasonably expect four apple crops
out of five with the proper care, |
and that is enough, for the trees !
should have a rest.
All over the state spraying rings |
are being organized, such as the !
one organized by Mr.. Smith, where |
eight to ten farmers go together |
and hire one man to do all the !
work to spray their orchards This !
does not take the farmer from the |
corn field. a few years ago we |
could raise fruit without any care, |
but now. due to the increase of in
5ects, diseases. etc, spraying must
be done if any fruit is to be har-
vested. Instances were cited where
$4,000 could be realized off a small
if properly handled.
Mr.. burst then went into the
end. Previous to Febru-
iry, no state marketing organiza-
ion for fruits was in existence. but |
Is the demand for this organization
vas very evident the Illinois Agri-
cultural association hired Mr.. burst
o look after this department. AS
lie was very well acquainted in the
rult and vegetable counties and
with the local organization, fruit
vas put on the market by April.
The plan used in the fruit and
vegetable department is almost
IDENTICAL with the plan of the Unit
ID States Grain Growers. Inc. Due
o the local fruit and vegetable or
5anizations the rapidity in the de-
'elopment of this department was
obtained. Mr.. burst warned the
'eople that it would take much
onger for the grain to be handled
it was done on a larger
Gale
Professor Brock of the Univer-
ity of Illinois said that the most
important things in handling a good
richard was to spray, prune, fer
ilize and cultivate. Spraying is
he most important of them all,
nd in fact no good apples can be
aised unless you spray. Mr.. Brock
id not go into detail about spray
1g. for all of this can be obtained
4 circular No. PIP, published by
he experiment station The time
D prune trees is whenever a man
as time, or, as the old saying
oes. whenever mans knife is
harp"
In this part of the state three
prays are almost essential. First,
lie dormant, previous to appear
nee of leaves: second, calyx, or
hen 80 per cent of the petals have
lllen off, and third, the coddIing
10Th spray, which comes about the