The War on 'Black Spot' in Washington Orchards
A state horticulturist investigates the mysterious apple tree disease threatening the region's fruit crops.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
State Horticulturist A. Van Holderbeke is confident that he has discovered the cause and cure for the dreaded black spot, or apple tree anthracnose, the scourge of orchards which is commonly supposed to be incurable. He has issued a pamphlet to the orchardists of the state dealing extensively with the disease. Mr. Van Holderbeke asserts that the disease arises from an excess of nitrates causing a ferment of the crude sap, brought on by improper conditions such as planting trees too deep, overly rich soils, or poor drainage. As a cure, he recommends eliminating these conditions and suggests that while Bordeaux mixture is a standard fungicide, no spray adheres long enough to provide a permanent fix. He urges farmers to look to the way forest trees in the Northwest grow—naturally, with roots just beneath the surface—as the ideal model for cultivation.
“Nature sets the true example, it being noticeable that the roots of forest trees of the northwest run along just beneath the surface.”
Orchard health remains the lifeblood of Walla Walla’s economy. Van Holderbeke’s 1903 struggle against anthracnose echoes today’s ongoing research into climate-driven agricultural stressors and sustainable soil management in the Pacific Northwest.
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