BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 13 



a jar covered with cloth and a bell jar placed over this so as to guard against 

 any possible Chance of the escape of a moth. Withiu a few weeks there was 

 hatched from these two tubers something like 300 worms and moths. This 

 merely serves to show at what a terrifie rate they multiply. 



Realizing the danger to the potato crop of the State, the State Board of 

 Horticultiire has placed a strict quarantine on potatoes from California. After 

 the quarantine first went into effect we condemned and sliipped back to 

 California a large number of shipments eutering this district. Klamath county 

 was one of the heaviest importers of California potatoes and the writer imme- 

 diately insisted that a fruit inspector be appointed (the county not having one) 

 to look after the potato shipments. There was considerable Opposition to this 

 liut the appointment was made. Considerable ill feeling was engendered by the 

 condemnations which followed the appointment of the first inspector but the 

 quarantine was rigidly enforced in spite of this. The result has been most 

 gratifying. for the motli has, to date, been kept out, and Klamath County has 

 rapidly come to the fore in the production of fine potatoes. 



Lake County is now also greatly increasing its potato acreage and should 

 become a big factor in that line of agriculture. Most of the lands being planted 

 to potatoes in Lake county have never been planted to them liefore and, if the 

 growers will use care and proper cultural methods, should become a leader in 

 the protluction of cleau seed. This is true because the ground lias not become 

 infected and every effort should be used to plant only good seed and properly 

 treated before plantiug. 



I have gone into this matter at some length merely to impress upon the 

 reader the necessity of safeguarding this industry. The potato ci-op of the 

 State runs into millions now and will greatly increase in the future so one can 

 readily imagine the enoi-mous loss to us all should the tuber moth gain a 

 foothold in Oregon. 



If the State Board of Horticulture should confine its activities solely to 

 this one phase and keep out the tuber moth it is well worth many many times 

 the money appropriated for the entire work of the Board. 



The dangers from diseases and insect pests increase as the plantings increase 

 and it is to be hoped that the great importance of the work of the State Board 

 of Horticulture is sufficiently understood so that a sufficient amount be appro- 

 priated to enable them to give most or all of their time to their work. 



In leaving the matter of potatoes I wish to leave the impression that the 

 potato tuber motli is a pi-esent and terrible menace to the state. This is 

 especially true to southern Oregon where the fence between California and 

 Oregon is only an imaginary line very close to valuable agricultural districts. 



After a slump of several years the fruit industry is again picking up. In 

 1919 and 1920 the fruit crops in the Third District have been very satisfactory 

 with generally good prices throughout. All kinds of fruits have brought good 

 prices and there is a generally optimistic tone ; in fact, orchard lands in 

 southern Oregon are gaining in value and are Coming into good demand. A 

 number of sales. some of them large ones, have taken place showing an increase 

 in confidence in fruit growing. 



Diseases have been kept well under control and the inspection has lieen as 

 efficient as could be expected under tlie circumstances affecting each county. 



Pear hlight has entered Douglas county, but the growers have taken prompt 

 hold and the disease is under control. I use tlie word "control" for I believe 

 that, where lilight has once obtained a foothold, it is practically an impossibility 

 to entirely eradicate it. The best that can be hoped for, until immune stock 

 is found. is to control it by efficient inspection and cleanups. 



A bad epidemic of bliglit visited the Rogue River Valley this spring and 

 caused considerable damage in spots. The reason for this appears to be the 

 unusual cool moist weather during blossoming periods and the condition of 



