Imperial Valley press., 1922-02-02
Pla,,1tt. Industry Bureau &: !. 81.
Roasted By Postleth1va;te
Address Chamber of Commerce Luncheon May Throw Lgh
on Local Date Experience and Create
a New Situation

The Bureau of Plant Industry Of the
Agricultural Department of the
United States was the subject of
scathing criticism at the Chamber Of
Commerce luncheon yesterday. R. H.
Postlethwaite, manager of the Men
al1her Date Gardens, was the first
speaker introduced by E. W. Judy as
chairman of the day.
"The American Date Industry as
Influenced by the Bureau of Plant In
dustry" was the subject of Mr.. Post
lthwaite's address.
The speaker said that only in one
particular is the Coachella valley
ahead of Imperial valley, and if it
had not been for mischievous meddling
by the Bureau of Plant Industry, that
difference would not exist at this
time. Mr.. Postlethwaite made no
apology for his servere criticism of
Bruce Drummond and DR.. Swindle of
the bureau. He said Mr.. Drummond is
trying to fill most difficult posi-
ton and that in the speakers opinion,
he is not scientifically qualified to
| do the work. ....
1t would seem that the government
authorities have been doing lot of
experimenting at a rather heavy loss
to date producers, according to the
speaker. A few years ago every
prospective grower was told to plant
seeds; the government distributed
large quantities of what was designat-
ed pedigreed seeds, which were plant
ed with every confidence on the part
of orchardists that the government
knew what it was doing and would
stand behind the. proposition.
Two year ago, Bruce Drummond
and DIR. Swindle proclaimed that seed
ing dates are no account, having no
commercial value. He said he had seen
denied that the facts will bear out the
charge made by the government au-
thorities. The Coachella growers have
demonstrated to their entire satisfac'
ton, he said, that the fruit when prop
erly grown has a good value and is
in demand by a discriminating pub.
| lie.
The trees must be properly spaced
and cultivated if best results are tt
be obtained. The date palm will moi
produce if crowded. He deplored the
fact that good trees have been des.
troyed both in Coachella and Imperia
valleys because Of :, the unqualified
statement of the government author,
itfcs that Seeding dates are not Of
commercial value. Today he had seer
fine, large trees being dug up on the
'Timkin lands.
Mr.. Postlethwaite told of the grow
crs' efforts to have. the Department
Of Agriculture serid aTtcommittee tc
Investigate the situation. For lone
time their request was ignorec
though numbers of affidavits were
submitted to the department which
purported to set forth the facts from
the producers STANDPOINT. However
Secretary Wallace has at last writer
that the subject will be gone into
thoroughly in an effort. to get a.
the facts. Riverside and Coachells
Chambers of Commerce have passed
strong resolutions asking for the in
vestigation, Brawley also passed sucf
resolutions and the growers and pack
crg speakinp yegtcrdayjat the luncheof
brought the matter before the III Cen.
tro Chamber of Commerce for otficla
action last eight. ~. :, :.
The difference bf opinion lies IL
the fact that the government. repre-,
fsentativcs hold that only Dcglet Noi
and one or two other varieties can Dc
grown with profit, while the Coachella
producers claim that there are mum,
Der of varieties that will do well II
properly distributed.
w. Il, Paul, president of the Coac-
tbalIa Date Growers association, gave
d most interesting talk on "lmpcrta,
jtion Of Offshoots. sFHe4 too, claimed
that the Industry had retarded by the