Report of M. O. Lownsdale. 19 



REPORT OF M. 0. LOWNSDALE 



Commissioner for First District. 



APRIL MEETING, 1909. 



Lafayette, Oregon, April 12, 1909. 



To the Honorahle State Board of Horticulture: 



Horticultural conditions in the first district of Oregon were 

 never so promising in many respects as at the present time. 

 There is a disposition to work for a distinct betterment of 

 orchard conditions. This disposition is wide spread and is 

 increasing in fervor and gives hope of clean orchards and 

 consequent thrift in the Willamette Valley in the very near 

 future. During the past year the battle for upholding the 

 law and of compelling negligent orchard owners to respect the 

 authority of the State board has been fought out. It had to 

 be fought out sooner or later and ample time had been given 

 for preparing and educating uninformed growers. When the 

 fight came the authorities were splendidly backed ud by the 

 Courts, and we are now able to send our inspectors afield with 

 füll confidence in their success. The leaven of thrift and 

 cleanliness is at work and on every hand is seen evidence of a 

 disposition to accept the inevitable and to rid the State of the 

 worst menaces to the fruit-growing industry. The effect of 

 this revolution in the dispositions and methods of owners of 

 cid orchards who have hitherto been obstructionists has been 

 to give a renewed confidence in the horticultural possibilities 

 of the western portion of our State. The Willamette Valley 

 has again come into her own — please God — never again to be 

 dispossessed. 



I have little to report about fruit prospects for the Dresent 

 year. It is too early to predict with any certainty. Present 

 conditions if continued will give a fair crop of all fruits with 

 the possible exception of apples. 



In the first district apple orchards are not showing a 

 heavy per cent of bloom. The district seems spotted — a füll 

 crop here and there, while in the same neighborhood orchards 

 will be bare. There may be a possible 40 per cent crop. 



The cherry crop will probably be large unless cold rains 

 intervene within the next two weeks. But the market outlook 

 for the cherry crop is not of the brightest, much of the canned 

 Output of last year being still unsold. Some cannery com- 



