The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1928-09-27
ORCHARD DEMONSTRATION
PLOTS VISITED

ORCHARD DEMONSTRATION
PLOTS VISITED
The eight orchard demonstration
plots which were started last win
ter in the various communities of
the county, have been visited dur
ing the week, by M. D. Armstrong,
extension specialist in Horticul
ture and the county agent. The
owner in each case has been con-
fered with as to his idea of the
practices outlined, and requests
made for any changes or additions
to the plot. All of the plots are
in good condition. Some better
than others, because of the fact
that they were in better condition
to start with. Plots which were
quite badly run down at the be-
ginning Of the season are show
ling considerable Improvement. The
Ip1ot in the orchard of II. N. And
lerson, 1-2 miles south of Ken
newick, consisting of delicious and
winesaps will harvest a fair crop
this year. Strong winds at pollina-
j ton time apparently affected pol
Ilination on some of these trees,
but apples which did set made a
lcrop of good quality. Mr.. Ander-
so nwhen visited some time ago,
strongly commended the system of
pruning outlined by Mr.. Arm
strong during the winter pruning
demonstration meeting.
The plot in the orchard man.
aged by M. II. Kershaw harvest
led a good crop of Jonathans and
will have a good crop of Winesaps.
Mr.. Kershaw was quite enthusiasts
lite over the system of pruning
outlined by Mr.. Armstrong. Tbs
orchard has a good cover crop of
vetch and is one of the orchards in
the Highlands which, by main
tanning it's organic matter in the
soil has shown good results with
the comparatively low water sup
|ply for the Highland section. This
|orchard is in very good condition.
1 The demonstration plot in the
orchard Of John Erickson at Rich
land and has also yielded a very
good crop this year, the Jonathans
being especially heavy, and of
good quality. Fertilization with
manure was recommended here
last winter, and this was carried
out it is probable that the appli-
cation of some form Of nitrates to
a few individual trees will be fol-
lowed out this winter.
! The orchard demonstration plot
of Roy Henson of Benton City
! shows good growth, an excellent
crop of Jonathans, also Romes and
a good crop ow Winesaps. Cover
crop is rather poor in this orchard
land the seeding of new cover
|crop has been recommended there.
Several Of the trees in this or
chard show root and crown rot
which is due to winter injury as
far as we know. To counterfeit
this, Mr.. Armstrong recommended
1.-THE barring of the crown and base
of the roots by thinning out OF
the soil to depth Of 8 to 10 inch
es Immediately about the trunk OF
the tree and leaving the crown ex-
posed for one summer, and then
filling this area with crushed Gin
ders and gravel. This type of In
jury usually shows up on The
heavier type of soil, and orchard
lists having this type should watch
this particular form of injury, u.s.
ually indicated first by a weaken
ed condition of the entire tree
shown through it's light green Leaf
surface and general lack of leaves
and fruit.
The plot on. the farm of J. d
Sutton at Prosser, although fer.
tilted with nitartes very early II
the spring last year, still shows
Hack Of vigor. Most of the cover
crop has worn out in this orchard
and the orchard on the whole
shows the need of good cover
: lcrop again. The further fertiliza-
ttion of this plot with nitrates was
recommended. Crop here was only
fair, due largely to frost. About
the same thing could be said Of
the plot on the D. C. Bum orchard
east of Prosser, although the soil
conditions here were better and