White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-05-22
PRODUCING FANCY APPLES
DISCUSSED OVER RADIO

"The State of Washington has a
world wide reputation tor lts produc-
ton of high-grade, fancy apples, and
at the same time ranks first among
the states in amount produced each
year said DR.. F. D. Head, head of
the departmtnt of plant pathology at
the State College Of Washington, in
recent radio talk over X F A l..
This reputation for production Of
high class fruit is based largely on
the output Of the central irrigated
valleys, the principal commercial
apple section Of the state. 1t is
natural to ask, why this superiority
Of Washington-grown fruit, and
whether the present standard of
quality will probably be maintained.
Commercial quality in apples is
little more than skin deep. That is,
the skin must be highly colored for
the variety, and free from all blem-
ishes. First attention is given to
external appearance, and only second
airy emphasis to that beauty which is
more than skin deep. Possibly the
modern standard extra fancy or
fancy as applied to apples represents
a somewhat artificial standard rather
than real quality.
lowering quality are either the result
of unfavorable environment during
growth or storage or inroads Of
insect pests or fungous or bac-
tcrial parasites. In some parts Of
the United States the Opinion
prevails that Pacific Northwest grow
ers are able to combat more effectively
the orchard troubles than orchardists
of many other sections. This is not
the fact. Cosmetics may produce the
skin you love to touch, but the blush
Of real health is of greater appeal. In
Washington apples it is not the result
Of superior methods employed by
apple beauty doctors, in applying as
cosmetics their, fungicides and insec-
ticides, but represents, rather, the red
blood Of health. !.
"The best Commercial apple sections
for the Northwest have fertile soil,
a controlled water supply, abundant
sunshine, and freedom from many of
the serious fungous diseases which
directly affect the fruit in many other
parts Of the world. Insect pests are
generally less numerous, also. Com
mercial apple districta in Washington
are deserts in the eyes of the pro-
fessional plant doctor as compared
to orchards of the various apple dis
tricts east of the Rockies.
"This freedom of our important
apple producing sections from many
ct the serious diseases is emphasized
by recent list of the most important
diseases in the United States,
only 8 of the "a Of which are of suffi-
Gent consequence to demand attention
of orchardists in our central irrigated
valleys, while half the prevalent disea-
ses do not directly affect the fruit
Such trouble as apple scab. bitter rot
black rot, blotch, rust, fruit spot and
sooty blotch, all fungous diseases
which mar, deform or destroy fruit by
direct attack, are either: entirely absent
from our commercial apple district, or
in one or two cases, present in traces
only, and are therefore of no COM
mercial consequence. If all these
troubles were prevalent in Washing
ton. would it be easy to produce fancy
apples? Would our growers produce
any better fruit than Virginia, New
| York or the Ozarks? This immunity
: from so many diseases is one of the
priceless assets of the Wenatchee and
Yckima districts Of Washington.
"There are two main reasons for
the absence of certain fungous disea.
ses from any orchard section: l; be-
cause they have not been introduced
from other sections in which they are
prayo1ent. and . necaY,cA of climatic