

CJD 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



Gaston, Oregon, Jimuarv 1. 1909. 

 To the Honorable, the Legislative Assembly of Oregon: 



Gentlemen : In conformity with the statute which directs ♦'ho 

 Board of Horticulture to report hiennially to you, 1 herewith submit 

 my report of the work of the Board for the years 1907 and 1908. 



You are, of course, familiar in a general way with the object of the 

 Board and with the work that has been accomplished, and 1 need refer 

 to that only briefly, but I hope in a way that will show its imi^ortance 

 As originally organized, the district commissioners, five in number, 

 were the active working force, the president being merely a figure- 

 head who presided at meetings. Later the president was made an 

 active working member and in 1905 the present organization was 

 perfected; the work of the Board being supplemented by a force of 

 county inspectors. 



We have now a very efficient working force, having been extrcmelv 

 fortunate in securing the services of some of the best fruit growers 

 in the state as county inspectors. Without any desire to boast, but 

 merely for your correct information, I wish to call your attention to 

 the condition of the fruit industry in the State, past and present. The 

 United States and State census figures show for many years prior tJO 

 the year 1900, a steady decline in the value of the fruit crop in 

 Oregon. This condition was due to the tremendous increase of insect 

 pests and fungous diseases and the lack of loiowledge or incentive to 

 fight them. There was an over-supply of fruit for home use and the 

 condition of the fruit prevented its being marketed abroad, henee 

 the industry languished. Since the year 1900 the value of the crop 

 has steadily grown, increasing from one million, three hundred 

 thousand dollars in that year to over four million dollars at the present 

 •time. 



While, of course, not being so egotistical as to claim all the credit 

 for this, it is only fair to say that without the machinery of such an 

 organization as the State Board of Horticulture, it Avould have been 

 impossible to have accomplished it. A fact not generally recognized 

 is that the fruit industry, unlike many others, must depend very 

 CD largely upon a market outside of the State. Without a high standard, 

 and the means of attaining and enforcing such standard, it would 

 l)e impossible to reach these outside markets and the industry could 

 not enlarge. As it is now, a very large per cent of the crop goes 



