| Show S Survey Shows Fruit Will be he Scarce Here This Year In 1931 a new disease was discovered attacking f 1 fruit r u I t trees In the United States It was called caned peach mosaic named from mosaic pattern of growth it created on the trees and fruit From 1931 to 1956 the disease caused more than 10 million worth of damage to peach orchards In this country In this time It ruined about peach trees The disease was found in Utah Colorado California Arizona New Mexico Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Okla Okla- homa Arkansas and Texas and in parts of Mexico A survey survey sur sur sur- vey of Moab valley vaney was made in 1936 and virtually every peach tree in the valley was found to be infected I Knowing the fatality of the tree disease fruit growers were told by the US U.S. Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture that they must remove their trees and replant A certain type of plum tree which carried the disease was also ordered re re- re- re moved As costly and time time- consuming as It was growers cooperated with the tree doc doc- tors In time all the infected trees were removed from Moab valley and replanted Last week the biannual survey survey survey sur sur- vey of the fruit orchards was completed by a a a- cooperative group from the Utah State Department of Agriculture Plant Pest Control Branch of the United States Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture and Grand County Their findings were most encouraging only encouraging only one case of peach mosaic was found in all trees Inspected It was removed The survey was conducted under direction direction direction tion of Earl Hutchings state supervising Inspector who was on the first peach mosaic survey m made de in the valley as ashe ashe ashe he has been every two years since 1936 Mr Hutchings admitted he wasn't popular here when the disease was first announced to the fruit tree owners owners however however however how how- ever he is gratified with the results that have proven peach mosaic can be ed He said the disease caused dwarf of trees and leaves and left the fruit deformed deformed deformed de de- de- de formed covered with dry corky spots and It tastes bitter bitter bitter bit bit- ter especially bottled In time the orchards would be destroyed destroyed destroyed de de- de- de by the disease In general Mr Hutchings said the survey party found the Moab Valley orchards in poor condition There Is much indication of ot frost damage some trees will be lost and many of the orchards show a lack of proper pruning and good orchard management He said indications ons were that there would be a water shortage this year Trees show the lack of proper irrigation irrigation Irrigation gation already He predicted there would be practically no peaches some apples apricots and pears In the valley this year The survey will be repeated In 30 days as a double check against the dreaded fruit disease di disease dl- dl sease he said |
