]4S SIXTEENTH BIENNIAL REPORT 



must be considered. Salem, perhaps, Claims just title to location, as most of the 

 orchards are situated oii good roads close to the capital city. 



Size 



As to size, there is a certain economical vmit generally considered between 

 25 and 40 acres. That is perhaps the most satisfactory acreage to handle, all 

 things being considered. Yamhill and Dundee are in favor for this Position. 

 Hovvever, with the tractors and Community dryers Coming to the fore, perhaps 

 larger units will become more populär, in which case Creswell and the Polk 

 County Hills across from Salem should be considered. 



Composite Orchard 



Thus, if we could visualize a composite of the best orchards in the State, 

 choosing from Day's Creek, Riddle, Myrtle Creek, Winston, Eugene, Creswell, 

 Salem, Dallas, Sheridan, Yamhill, Dundee, Forest Grove, and Estacada, I think 

 that any one in this room would be willing to pay $2,500 cash per acre for it 

 providiug it had for a manager a Johns, Weaver, Scarborough, Paulus, Elliott, 

 Zimmerman or Reuter. 



Such an orchard would have deep hill soll, free, rieh and easy to handle; 

 trees would be large and healthy, with plenty of vigorous young fruiting wood 

 free from heart rot, moss, lichens, or scale, and spraying, fertilizing and pruning 

 practices would function band in band. It would be located near a good, live 

 town, with social, educational and banking alvantages and would contain suffi- 

 eieut acreage to be operated economically. At the end of each year the bins would 

 eontain two tons of 30-40's per acre. However, they used to say in Douglas 

 County that it is hard to please a fruit inspector. 



THE FIG IN OREGON 

 By B. R. Amend, Portland, Oregon 



It is safe to say that no deciduous tree grown in the semi-tropic and temperate 

 zones will adapt itself to a wider ränge of climate and soils than the flg. 



Figs can be used for such a variety of purposes, namely : Drying, canning, 

 preserving and in the fresh state and for home uses, that a wide ränge is open 

 for their successful exploitation, the Ficus Carica, or common fig, is but one of 

 more than one hundred species of the fig family which, from the earliest of 

 ancient times has in its varying forms been accorded not only a place of impor- 

 tance but honor and reverence. 



Biblical records mention the fig as clothing, as food, as medicine, and in the 

 matter of clothing were it still "the fashion to wear 'em" the fig leaf would be 

 particularly enhanced in value a fact due to infinite variety of its patterns, 

 two leaves, even on the same tree, never being found exactly alike, featuring 

 "exclusive designs". In the matter of food values according to scientific 

 analysis, the fig has no equal, the only other fruits approaching the fig and these 

 vital esseutials are the data and the prune. 



All animals and insects are in love with the fig. Dogs, chickens, snakes and 

 bees have been known to eat them. 



The first figs introduced in the United States were brought, as nearly as can 

 be determiued, by the Spanish padres from Mexico in the year 1769. They were 

 planted at the San Diego Mission. 



We must admit that if it were not for Italian, Austrian and Syrian people, 

 who so in love with the native fig of their home country, were kind enough to 

 bring it with them to the sunny clime of Oregon, we would still be in the dark 

 as to the varieties that grow and ripen their fruit here. 



