Appendix. 183 



easy to handle. Provided you plant the right varieties there is much 

 less uncertainty as to crop than with the prune, apple and cherry, and 

 the longevity of the walnut tree is unknown — it certainly exceeds that 

 of the fruits mentioned. 



I believe the walnut industry will prove a large and profitable one 

 for Oregon, but in buying trees and nuts be sure you know what you 

 are getting and that the seller is absolutely reliable. 



THE OREGON PRUNE. 



By L. M. Gilbert. 



The fruit, now commercially known as the "Oregon" prune, was 

 formerly called the Italian. Mr. Seth Luelling, in 1848, planted, near 

 Milwaukie, Oregon, the first commercial orchard of this variety. The 

 fruit was greatly admired for its fine flavor, good shipping qualities, and 

 as a dried product. Within a few years it had become quite generally 

 distributed over Western Oregon, pl'oving its adaptability to our climatic 

 conditions. 



About thirty years after the planting of Mr. Luelling's orchard, a 

 great wave of prune-tree planting swept over the Northwest. Not only 

 Western Oregon and Washington, but portions of the eastern parts of 

 these States, and Idaho as well, participated in the movement. A heavy 

 crop of Italian prunes in 1898, put the prune growers in possession of a 

 supply for which there was no adequate demand. No advertising hal 

 been done by the producer; the quality of the fruit was not known to the 

 trade; the name, Italian prune, suggested little to overcome the general 

 aversion for prunes which had followed the importation of Turkish 

 prunes a few years previous. These imported prunes were brought in 

 hogsheads. They were small — merely skin and bone — but vigorous, if 

 one may give credence to the statement that some of them were able 

 to crawl about. Our prunes were shipped in bags to large Eastern 

 dealers, who packed the fruit under their own brands, or resold in 

 bags to the retail trade. The unattractive appearance of the fruit 

 when offered to consumers fostered no demand. Men who were i itev- 

 ested in the production of prunes saw before the close of this year's 

 business that new lines must be followed if they would win. Loi-al 

 packing houses were established in the various orchard centers, ani 

 efforts were made to advertise "Oregon" prunes. It was a hard straggle, 

 owing to lack of concerted action. Finally the small package — the eig'"t 

 and ten-pound box — faced and packed with fancy fruit, found to be 

 popular, and has done more than all other agencies combined to bring 

 the "Oregon" prune to market. 



The largest body of prune orchards in the Northwest is found in the 

 red hills south of Salem; about 3,000 acres have been set to tiees. 



