REPORT OF CHAS. A. PARK, PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONER OF THE 



SECOND DISTRICT 



To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture : 



I herewith submit my report t'or the term endins December. 1920, as Com- 

 missioner of the Secoud Horticultural District of the State of Oregon, which 

 district comprises the couuties of Laue, Liun, Marion, Lincohi, Bentou and 

 Polk, a section of the Northern part of the Willamette Valley together with a 

 portion of the country lying l)etween the Willamette Valley and the Pacific 

 Coa.st. This di.strict is a part of the mistland of Oregon, where one of the 

 greatest economic assets is tlie rain that falls upon us in fine mists — the mists 

 tliat make possible the wonderful crops of hay. grain and fruits — mists that 

 Cover our mountains with forest trees so that \ve liave more Standing timber 

 than any other State in the Union — mists tliat produce such beautiful coloring to 

 our landscape — mists that veil the mountaiu from the lofty crown down the 

 graceful s\Aeep to the valley l)elow, adorned as a bride awaiting the coming of 

 her bridgeroom, symbolic of opportunity inviting worthy, sturdy, industrious 

 and tlirifty families to come in and malve beautiful, prosperous and contented 

 homes. 



During tlie past two years the fruit growers have passed through a period 

 of unprecedented conditions, a period in wliich we were in war. Then foUowed 

 the close of the war and the readjustment of economic activities. During the 

 period of war the prices of fruit soared high. The growers never before 

 enjoyed such prices. Now that readjustment is at hand, prices of every 

 commotlity are on the decline. At present tliere is little or no market for any 

 farm product. The losses due to shrinkage in prices fall upon all liandlers of 

 fruit products, but it seems to fall most lieavily upon the farmer. Nevertheless 

 the farmer is not discouraged or dismayed. He is bending liis Shoulder to the 

 storm and pressing forward. People must eat and the farmer must produce. 



The countj' fruit inspection in this district has been hampered during the 

 past two years. Lane and Marion counties are the only counties in this district 

 which have regulär county fruit insi^ectors. At present it is necessary to use 

 the inspectors of these counties to do the necessary insiiection work in their 

 neighboring counties. Tlius far we have been able to do the work in a way, 

 but not in a satisfactorj- way. 



The marketing of fruit is one of the principal problems the producer has to 

 meet. Fortunately many new plants for taking care of tlie fruit products have 

 been built during the past two years, which feature lias given the grower a 

 market near at hand. Several of these plants or factories liave conducted a 

 uationwide advertising campaign and have thus placed the name of Oregon 

 fruit products in every household in the United States. Tliere have been many 

 cooperative plants which were organized to care for small localities. Some of 

 these were successful and of otliers we are sorry we caiinot make such good 

 report. Nevertheless the idea lias come to stay and with the successful experi- 

 ence of the fruit growers of California as a guide many of the growers of Oregon 

 liave organized a cooperative association to care for and market tlie products 

 they produce. The conception of tliis cooperative Organization is large enough 

 to take in the whole State of Oregon and to handle all the products produced by 

 growers. Very encouraging progress has been made during its first years' 

 Operation and we trust that we may make flattering reports concerning its 

 accomplishment in the near future. 



The last Legislature made it incumbent upon the County Assessors to list 

 the acreage planted to the various kinds of fruits and uuts. The report for the 

 year 1920 of the State Tax Commission of Oregon gives us the foUowing 

 tabulation : 



