Letter of Transmittal. 



in Oregon very recently which called attention in a forcible 

 manner to the weakness of the present law in this respect. 

 The alfalfa weevil has become a very serious pest in Utah 

 and Wyoming 1 , and it is highly desirable that its further spread 

 be prevented by the stopping of shipments of alfalfa from 

 infected districts into clean territory, but it was found that 

 Oregon has no law whereby such importations can be pro- 

 hibited, and our growers must run the risk of this infestation 

 until such a quarantine law can be provided. The law pro- 

 posed by the board is based on the national law and the best 

 provisions of such State laws as are now in force. 



2. Providing State Inspector for Portland. — All local 

 inspection is now done by county inspectors paid by their 

 respective counties, but the geography of Oregon is such that 

 the work required in Portland and Multnomah County is out 

 of all proportion to that of any other point. All importations 

 of nursery Stocks and fruits from foreign countries are entered 

 here, and this business has grown to such proportions that 

 it alone is sufficient to keep one man constantly employed. 

 This branch of the work should be done by the State, and we 

 respectfully ask that the board be given sufficient funds to 

 employ a suitable man for this work. The county, as here- 

 tofore, will continue to take care of the market and local tree 

 inspection. 



3. Authority for Additional Inspectors. — In some of the 

 large fruit-growing counties additional help is needed for short 

 seasons of the year, and county courts should have definite 

 authority to appoint such, where needed, and when requested 

 by the horticultural commissioner for the district. 



4. Authority for County Inspectors to Enter Upon Private 

 Property in the Pursuit of Their Duties. — Certain cases have 

 arisen where inspectors have been warned that they would 

 enter upon private property at their peril, and it is important 

 that they be fully protected in this respect. 



A few other minor changes are suggested. 



You will note from the following reports that the value of 

 the fruit crop for the present year has reached the handsome 

 total of over $7,100,000, in spite of the low prices at which 

 the bulk of the crop has been sold. The appended semiannual 

 reports of the commissioners and secretary show in detail the 

 work that has been accomplished and how the funds have 

 been expended, and I respectfully call your attention to them 

 for further details. 



W. K. Newell, 

 President State Board of Horticulture. 



