36 Report of State Board of Horticulture. 



APRIL MEETING, 1912. 



Grants Pass, Oregon, April 7, 1912. 



To the Honorable the State Board of Horticulture: 



I respectfully submit my semi-annual report for the third 

 district. All fruit trees in my district have gone through 

 the winter in fine shape. We have not had any severe cold 

 the past winter nor warm spells to quicken the sap of the 

 trees followed by sudden fall of temperature, hence have had 

 no injury from that source. 



Our winter rains have not been normal, but during March 

 we had two heavy showers, and conditions were such that 

 the soil absorbed all that feil which made good plowing for 

 getting orchards in condition. 



The indications now are that all kinds of fruit trees will 

 bloom very heavily and if no late injurious frosts are had 

 the fruit crop will be very large ; in fact, should all the bloom 

 set it will necessitate much labor to thin down, so as to not 

 overburden the trees, and make good-sized fruit. Nearly all 

 growers in the Valley have their smudge pots and oil on hand, 

 prepared to fire in the event of dangerous frosts occurring. 



February was comparatively a dry month this season and 

 made conditions easy to do the necessary spraying for scale. 

 I have noted that spraying has been more universal all over 

 the district the past winter than I have ever seen before. 

 Then, too, the growers are doing their spraying more 

 thoroughly. Experience has taught them that to get the best 

 results it must be done carefully, and every twig on a tree 

 sprayed to destroy the scale. 



Tree planting the past winter has been heavy, but not to 

 the extent of the previous winter. As usual, the apple and 

 pear are planted largely. Peaches are being planted in 

 Douglas and Josephine counties, yet not to the extent in 

 acreage that the apple and pear are. Many large orchards 

 are planted to these fruits for the purpose of sub-dividing in 

 small tracts. Where the land is adapted to the apple and 

 pear no doubt these small tracts will become valuable, pro- 

 viding the buyers cultivate and bestow the necessary labor of 

 pruning, spraying, etc. I have noted many acres planted on 

 soils that I fear will be a disappointment to the planters 

 when the bearing age arrives. I know many of our eastern 

 friends think any kind of Oregon dirt will grow apples and 

 pears with success. My Observation is that the land cannot 

 be too good to grow the best apples and pears on. In fact, 



