BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 19 



For the year 1920 \ve have a liglit crop with a very duU market witli rather 

 low prices ; this fact, with the very high prices for boxes, paper, arsenate and 

 other spray materials, as well as labor of a very inferior character, has unques- 

 tionahly run the cost of production to a figure that will leave the producer 

 nothiug for his year's work. 



The expected hard turn in finaneial affairs is gradually taking place and 

 values are shrinking very fast and while every person appeared to be wise to 

 this conditiou Coming, yet few failed to curtail their expenses in a manner 

 that would leave them a profit. 



It is to be hoped that every grower will anticipate further shrinkage in 

 general values of every commodity, which no matter how scarce or how short 

 a crop we have for the year 1921 this shrinkage is sure to affect the price of 

 fruits, so it is up to all growers of all kinds of fruits to curtail in matter of 

 expenses for the Coming year in order to make a profit. The same is true of 

 all commodities produced on the farm. 



The producers of the Pacific Northwest must bear in mind that freight rates 

 have risen 30 cents per box to all Missouri river points as well as intermediate 

 Points in the Middle West and 40 cents per box Chicago and New York, as well 

 as all intermediate points in the Middle states, this alone will curtail the use 

 of apples at least 25 per cent as against five years ago and should there be a 

 medium heavy crop in the United States the Coming year we may expect a very 

 low price. Hence, it is up to the producers to move very careful in matters 

 of expense for the Coming season. 



Since the publication of our last biennial report, there has appeared in 

 Malheur County in certain localities alfalfa weevil, which appears to be gradually 

 spreading over Malheur County. 



This pest has been working for the past four or five years in Southern Idaho 

 and during the past season many crops were badly damaged and in a few cases 

 totally destroyed. I am pleased to say that the State Board has done all that 

 seemed possible to do l)y quarantining against Idaho hay Coming into the State ; 

 also by having a careful survey made of the infected district in Malheur County 

 and quarantining against such districts. 



I am pleased to advise that I personally si^ent one week in that county 

 studying the habits of this pest; also in experimenting to find a method of 

 control. 



The Idaho people have determined the fact that spraying meadows with dry 

 arsenate of lead was a good control method ; however, only crude methods of 

 spreading the spray was resorted to as there is no machinery up to the present 

 time made for this purpose strietly. I shipped into the county a Niagara No. 2 

 Dusting machine and tried it out and found it possible to Cover 60 to 80 acres 

 per day with two men working with one team. The Niagara people have since 

 that time made some improvements on their machines to suit this kind of work 

 and it is to be hoped that same will meet all requirements. Experiments both in 

 Idaho and Oregon prove beyond a doubt that control methods are possible, 

 but so far as a positive extermination it is very doubtful. 



Taking into consideration general conditions in the Fifth District, the fruit 

 grower that knows his business and has taken care of his orchards will suffer 

 less in a general way by the shrinkage in values that is taking place during' 

 these reconstruction days than will the diversified agriculturalist. It is to be 

 hoped that any one contemplating the taking out of his orchards to use the 

 lands for other purposes will carefullj' study the contemplated change and 

 keep in mind the fact that orchard acreage has been steadily decreasing for 

 ten years, while acreages of all other crops promise to increase in the near 

 future very heavily. 



Yours very truly. 



H. H. WEATHERSPOON. 



