Irrigation of Orchards in Eastern Oregon. 115 



and still the tree shows distress diiriiio; a drought, or wlien the fruit is not 

 of satisfactory size or quality, and the trees have been {)roperly pruned 

 and thinned, it is best to secure irrigation to aid the natural supply of 

 moisture. Experienced growers soon learn to recognize the signs of dis 

 tress in a tree suffering for moisture: Small leaves, short and thin wood 

 growth. Sometimes trees which make a good wood growth will fail to bear 

 fruit from a failure of moisture when the fruit buds should develop. A 

 j)revention of this is of course irrigation applied in advance of the need. 



A supi)ly of water is invaluable in many localities during the first season 

 after planting an orchard. Trees set in the early spring will start and 

 make a fine growth for a few months, but as the season advauces the leaves 

 will wither and fall off. The roots cunnot penetrate during the first season 

 to a depth that will insure the life of the tree. A little attention at this 

 time w^ill insure the welfare of the tree. The first summer of a young 

 orchard is a trying one. Too maich care and attention cannot be given it. 

 There is always a disposition at first to use too much water; and to the 

 unwise use of water are due the evils that have been charged against 

 irrigation. The claim that irrigated fruit is lacking in flavor was based 

 on the fact that some growers chose to produce monstrous, insipid fruit 

 by excessive irrigation. Many concluded that all irrigated fruit was 

 necessarily poor and failed to supply the needed water to trees, and gath- 

 ered only small, unmarketable fruit because the natural rainfall failed to 

 supply the needed moisture to develop first-grade fruit. It is now conceded 

 that the highest quality, including flavor as well as size, can be secured 

 only by adequate moisture; it matters not in what manner it reaches the 

 roots of the tree. 



JUDD GEER, 

 Commissioner for Fifth District. 



1 



