BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 11 



killed to the suow line. On the low lauds maiiy walnut, pear and apple planta- 

 tions, whicli liad ^^•itllstood forty years of climatic vicissitude, were very badly 

 decimated. On the hüls, ho>A'ever, the permanent injury was, I thiuk the eveut 

 will disclo.se. ne.iiliirihle. althou^h to the consecjuent lowered vitality of the trees 

 is attriliuted the iinusually late drop of surplus prunes. It is likely that, with 

 thorough tilhifie and judicious pruniug, in the near future, this injury will 

 prove to be of only temporary effect. In the light of the experience afforded 

 by this freeze, it behooves the prospective planter to look well to drainage 

 conditions. Trees will not ripen their wood sufficieutly to withstaud the liard 

 Winter weather we occasionally have, if the water table Stands too near the 

 surface, late in the season. 



As a natural eonse;iuence of the freeze, the walnut and apple crops on lowland 

 situations were greatly reduced. Loganberries, on the lower levels, wherever 

 they had been trellised, were also killed to the snow line. Fortunately for the 

 currant berry crop, a large acreage of vines had been left untrellised to promote 

 tippiug. Blackcaps seem to have suffered but little, and strawberries. being 

 protected by the snow. were unscathed. 



Prune men experienced another setback, due to a suecession of rains which 

 continued, almost uninterruptedly, throughout the entlre drying season, causing 

 great loss from Cracking, and unwillingness of help to pick under the climatic 

 conditions. It is probable that fully one-third of the crop was lost on account 

 of these handicaps. The crop which was saved was very unsatisfactory as to 

 size and quality. The set of prunes in the spring had been phenomenal. Instead 

 of shedding the excess in June or early July^ as the Italian usually does, the 

 entire crop hung on until into August. The result was an unusually small size 

 for those that were left on the trees. Moreover, development of sugar late in 

 the season was hindered through lack of sunshine. This condition not only 

 contributed to the smalluess of size, but produced a fruit lacking the süperb 

 quality for which the Oregon prune is justly famous. Prices also have been 

 disappointing to most growers. This was the year when many growers concluded 

 thej' would not seil early for fear some neighbor who held off might get a better 

 price later. Those who sold in July, on the theory that it is always best to 

 accept a good price when it is offered. have no reason to regret their foresight. 



The two leading prune counties in the first district are Washington and 

 Yamhill. In Washington County there are 936 acres in bearing, and 419 acres 

 not bearing ; total 1,355 acres. In Yamhill County there are 2,217 acres in bear- 

 ing, and 1,410 acres not bearing; total 3,627 acres. Acreage of prunes in 

 Multnomah, Columbia, Clatsop and Tillamook counties is of small extent. Clack- 

 amas County plantings are not large in the aggregate. Apples, as a commercial 

 proposition, cut but a small figure in all these counties. The loganberry, however, 

 is enticing planters in all the counties. 



There are thirteen fruit and vegetable canneries in my district. distributed 

 by counties as follows : Tillamook one. Clatsop two. Multnomah three, Clackamas 

 one, Washington two, and Yamhill four. All are in private hands. None of 

 the farmers cooperative canneries, started with such high hopes ten years ago, 

 are now controlled l)y the grower. This is history repeating itself. It takes, as 

 a rule, twenty years for the taste of these experiments to disappear from the 

 public mouth. and the memory of them from the public mind. It is to be 

 hoped. nevertheless, that some wisdom born of experience may attend the 

 recrudesence of the cooperative idea ten years hence. 



Conditions as to orchard diseases and pests are fair. The intelligent grower, 

 who is in the fruit growing business for revenue, understands that systematic 

 spraying is a necessary factor of success, and acts accordingly, with satisfying 

 results. The horticultural inspector of Multnomah county, appointed by the 

 commissioner of this district. is doing a great amount of work in inspection of 

 uursery stock and potatoes Coming into the State through its principal gateway. 



