The Codlin Moth War: Hogs, Padded Poles, and a Walla Walla Grower's Doubts About Spraying

A Chat With W. S. Offner.

W. S. Offner, one of the leading fruit growers and shippers of the Walla Walla valley, was a caller at our office Saturday. In the course of an interesting conversation, Mr. Offner gave some general estimates on the fruit production of his section and its value during this year.

About 150 cars of apples have been shipped from Walla Walla valley and 150 cars of pears and prunes, valued at about $400 per car—a total of $120,000. In addition, 75 cars of vegetables were exported, valued at $25,000.

"This does not include shipments in smaller lots to points throughout the Inland Empire, the mining camps, etc., by freight and express," said Mr. Offner, "which, added to the above and including the value of dried fruits, etc., will increase the total income for orchard and garden products exported to about $250,000."

"We notice that you have not included peaches or apricots in your estimate," said a representative.

"Peaches are not as good a crop with us as the hardier varieties," replied Mr. Offner, "and this fruit is being displaced by apples, pears, etc., that are more certain and a less percentage of loss."

"Who were those who dried fruit this year?"

"J. P. McMinn cured about 5 cars prunes; Dr. Blalock, 6 or 7 cars; W. D. Smith, about 6 cars, and W. H. Gholson, 2 cars."

"The fruit-shipping firms of Walla Walla have all had a busy season this year, Mr. Offner, have they not?"

"Yes, indeed. Our firm's business amounted to in the neighborhood of $100,000, and the Walla Walla Fruit Produce Co., Dr. Blalock and others also made excellent records. Our firm operates not only in the Walla Walla valley, but in the other leading fruit sections of Eastern Washington. We shipped 30 cars of apples from Whitman county this fall."

"How is the potato supply in your valley?"

"Ridiculous as it may seem, we are actually shipping in from Yakima by the carload to supply our home demand. This is because last summer we sent out so many of the new crop and now find ourselves short."

His Opinion of Spraying.

In no part of the state did the leading growers carry on their operations of spraying more systematically than in Mr. Offner's valley.

"Did spraying accomplish what it should in your orchard?"

"No," he replied. "I am disappointed in the effects, particularly with codlin moth. I followed the directions in using the correct formulas and at the stated times, but it was not satisfactory. We had almost as many moths as ever."

"What are your conclusions?"

"I think there are no hard and fast rules for applying the spraying solution. On this point I agree with D. M. Shanks, of North Yakima. Horticultural authorities have been advising us to make application as soon as petals drop and when the calyx of fruit is in an upright position that will catch the arsenical combination. My observations lead me to conclude that this is too early. Last spring at that time it was cold and rainy, and the moth did not operate until the warm weather came, a month or six weeks later, so that the solution did not affect them."

"Have you lost faith in spraying?"

"By no means. I shall, however, watch the conditions, and spray later, when I note that the moth is active. This is the pest we have most to combat, and our energies should be particularly directed toward it. But I do not believe that spraying alone is all that should be done. In my gardening operations I use a cultivator between the rows to eradicate the weeds. Then the hoe comes into play for those the cultivator left. While after the hoe, the fingers get the balance. I expect to employ spraying, bandages around the tree trunks and either turn hogs in the orchard to eat the fallen fruit or have one or more men with wagons continually traveling through the orchard and picking it up. They will give each tree a gentle shake to cause wormy fruit to drop off. For the larger trees they will have a pole with a padded crotch at the end to be used in jarring the limbs.

"Dr. Blalock reports less wormy fruit in his orchard this year, which he attributes to the good work of the large band of hogs. In thinning I shall leave no two apples touching each other to afford a harbor for the moth."

"Will this not be rather expensive?"

"I believe the finer, better quality of fruit will justify it."

North-west Fruitgrowers Association.

Mr. Offner is treasurer of the Northwest Fruitgrowers' Association.