Report of State Board of Horticulture. 19 



NEW LEGISLATION. 



In new legislation but little is needed, but a few points re- 

 quire attention. The first is the regulations of the sale of 

 spraying materials. The purchaser is entirely at the mercy 

 of the dealer in the purchase of spraying materials, particu- 

 larly in ready-made articles, which are so commonly used. 

 An act should be passed requiring the manufacturer of any 

 prepared spraj' material to label sam.e plainly, showing the 

 ingredients, and per cent of purity and strength of same, 

 and giving the State chemist authority to make tests of same 

 and conduct prosecutions when necessary. Spraying is ex- 

 pensive, disagreeable work, and it is an outrage on the or- 

 chardist to have it all wasted because of worthless materials. 



Orchardists now use large quantities of commercial fertil- 

 izers, and here again they are subjected to loss by dishonest 

 manufacturers. The State should pass a fertilizing bill reg- 

 ulating the sale of all commercial fertilizers. 



MARKING FRUIT PACKAGES. 



It would greatly facilitate the work of the fruit inspector in 

 the markets if an act were passed requiring every grower and 

 .packer of fruit to stamp each package or box plainly with the 

 name of the variety of fruit and his own name and address. 

 The grower or shipper of diseased fruit could not then disown 

 responsibility. 



COUNTY HORTICULTURE SOCIETIES. 



Realizing the great benefit of organized co-operative effort 

 in all lines, the Board has, during the past two years, lent all 

 the assistance in its power to the work of the State Horticul- 

 tural Society in establishing local societies in every fruit- 

 growing center in Oregon. These societies will be of incal- 

 culable benefit, first accomplishing the work of cleaning up 

 infested trees, then directing wisely the planting of new 

 fruits, and growing gradually into permanent incorporated 

 unions for the puri^ose of packing and shipping fruits. 



The splendid success of the unions at Hood River, Ashland, 

 Medford, and other places, are good object lessons, and the 

 industry will be on a much more satisfactory basis when 



