12 Report State Board of Horticulture. 



this spring, if we have favorable weather through blooming 

 time, we will surely have a bountiful crop of nearly all kinds 

 of fruit this year. The impression certainly exists this is to 

 be a year of big fruit crops. , 



Each succeeding year in Oregon shows better general care 

 of the orchards, and although the past winter was a very 

 difficult one in which to accomplish the usual winter's work, 

 it was compensated for by the beautiful month of March 

 which allowed the work to be brought up to date. In many 

 sections the blooming season is nearly over for the early f ruits ; 

 in others it is just at hand, and with no reports of injury or 

 damage as yet. 



PROGRESS OF ORGANIZATION. 



A noticeable feature of the past winter has been the large 

 number of fruit growers' organizations which have been 

 formed. Almost every Community in which there is now any 

 activity in orchard-planting has its association, Many of these 

 associations will have but a small amount of fruit to market 

 for a year or two, but they will do splendid work in having 

 uniform methods of planting adopted; in guiding their mem- 

 bers in the selection of varieties, and in the purchase of all 

 kinds of supplies. And, of even more importance than any 

 of these, their members will acquire the habit of working 

 together and of subordinating individual preferences to the 

 will of the majority. 



THE GRAPE JUICE INDUSTRY. 



The year 1909 marked the beginning of what I believe will 

 grow to be a great industry, and that is the production of 

 grape juice on a commercial scale. The Concord grape is 

 superior to all others for the production of fine juice, and this 

 grape succeeds admirably on the foothills of Western Oregon. 

 Five thousand gallons of this justice that is the equal of any- 

 thing on the market is just now being bottled and distributed 

 to the trade, and is meeing with a ready sale. The Company 

 which made this juice paid from $35 to $40 per ton last season 

 for the grapes, and teil me they can pay $35 per ton the Com- 

 ing season and for the future if conditions are not materially 

 different. The grape industry has been slow of development 

 in Oregon because of the lack of a certain market; the local 

 markets were easily overstocked and other markets could not 

 be reached, but with a certain market and an attractive price 

 the industry will grow rapidly and can be increased enor- 

 mously. 



