Reports of R. H. Weber. 45 



REPORTS OF R. H. WEBER 



Commissioner for the Fourth District. 

 APRIL MEETING. 



The Dalles, Oregon, March 30, 1912. 



To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture: 



With the greatest precipitation ever recorded and the 

 blooming season much delayed, owing to the chilly weather 

 of March, thus greatly diminishing danger from damaging 

 frosts, fruit-growers are confronted with the finest prospects 

 for a crop in the history of the industry in this district. 



This time last year cherries, apricots and peaches as well 

 as soft-shell almonds were entirely through blooming, and the 

 fruit had set, while at this time these varieties are just break- 

 ing into bloom, making a difference of three weeks at least in 

 the blooming period, correspondingly reducing the chances 

 of injury by frosts, which seldom occur later than the lOth of 

 April in this section, and apples, pears, prunes and plums 

 which are just now beginning to show slight swelling of buds 

 are sure to make immense crops, as these will not be in bloom 

 for some days after the latest recorded date of damaging 

 late frost. 



Coupled with the prospects for a very heavy crop of all 

 kinds of fruit comes the promise of good prices. Buyers are 

 at this time busy interviewing growers and making satis- 

 factory offers, with the result that the cherry crop amounting 

 to considerable over 1,000 tons this year from present pros- 

 pects, has been contracted at very remunerative prices, the 

 same to be used entirely for maraschino, for which the cherries 

 of this district are specially adapted, owing to their extreme 

 firmness and uniform size, as well as the entire absence of 

 split fruit, which is never found in this district on account of 

 the entire absence of rains during the ripening season. 



Stimulated by the strong demand, and the ease with which 

 cherries can be grown around The Dalles, many thousands of 

 young trees are being planted this spring, mostly of the Royal 

 Ann variety, they being in extremely heavy demand for 

 canning and maraschino purposes, always commanding a price 

 leaving a good profit to the grower, and cash paid for every 

 load as fast as delivered at the factory, an item of considerable 

 importance to the grower, as it makes cherry-growing as 



