184 Appendix. 



These orchards were planted in lots of ten acres and sold very largely 

 to non-residents, a few of whom came on to this great prune land of 

 piomise to work out their fortunes. They built dryers when the crops 

 demanded, and since paying for these and other improvements, have 

 been buying adjoining lots. Owing to the varied business opportunities 

 to be seen throughout the country at large, non-resident owners of 

 orchards have been able to invest, to better advantage, nearer home. 

 These lots have changed hands at prices ranging from $100 to $200 per 

 acre — less than one-half the value they will represent when our "Oregon" 

 prune has been fully advertised, and the prune growers in general are ex- 

 clusively associated in unions, with one central selling agency to do 

 business. Producers of fruits are gradually becoming aware of the 

 fact that one-half the business of the producer is to know the ma^•ket 

 and how to reach the best. 



Orchardists who plow deep and early, and cultivate the soil while it 

 is yet pliable, before dry weather sets in, get the best returns. There is 

 no greater mistake than to delay cultivation until the ground has 

 become dry. It is impossible to bring back the moisture required. A 

 number of growers are sowing vetch — about one bushel per acre— 

 among their trees. The best time to seed to vetch is immediately fol- 

 lowing the close of the season's cultivation in August. The crop grows 

 all winter, storing up plant food to be made available to the trees the 

 following season, when it is plowed under as a soiling crop. The neces- 

 sity of supplying some means of fertilization to orchard soil must have 

 early recognition if our valley trees are to continue to thrive as in 

 the past. 



There has been quite a revival of prune-tree planting in this district 

 in the past four years. Owners frequently yield to the temptation to 

 plant too many trees to the acre. It seems, at the time, a waste of 

 land to set the nursery stock with spaces of twenty-five or thirty feet. 

 The planter of trees should look ahead a few years and see his bearing 

 tree, and give it room according to its strength. 



Young trees, as well as bearing orchards, should have vigorous culti- 

 vation. Five dollars per acre will give an orchard fine cultui'e; $1.25 

 is the customary price per acre for plowing, and 25 to 35 cents for 

 harrowing or floating. To plow in April, harrow twice before the first 

 of June, harrow and follow with float during June, and repeat the 

 treatment twice each of the two succeeding months, will give a fruit 

 crop all the cultivation and moisture required to produce the best. Care 

 must be taken that no part of the early season's work is done when the 

 ground is wet; and also to have the float follow the harrow during the 

 dry season, befoi-e the process of evaporation has robbed the trees of 

 their supply of moisture. 



The prune harvest begins from the 10th to 20th of September. Every 

 dryer has a supply of fruit boxes, which are scattered through the or- 

 chard at picking time. About 5 cents per bushel is paid for picking. 

 The fruit is ordinarily allowed time to ripen and drop from the trees; 



