16 Report of State Board of Horticulture. 



APRIL MEETING, 1908 



Gaston,, Oregon, March 31, 1908. 

 To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture: 



At the present writing Nature seems to be doing her best to insure 

 the fruit grower a bountiful crop. Weather conditions are very 

 favorable, and unless some abnormal change occurs, all well-cared- 

 for trees and plants shonld set a full crop. The element of chance 

 will then be largely removed and the result will depend upon the 

 skill and care of the grower. I am glad to say that the growers are 

 as a rule very much better prepared to give this care than ever" before. 

 The profitable crops of the past few years have enabled growers to 

 equip themselves with proper apparatus, and the awakened interest 

 all along the line has resulted in increased knowledge, and determi- 

 nation to succeed. 



Very large areas of all kinds of fruits have ]>een set out during 

 the season, and the increase of production will be immense in a very 

 few years. In the Eogue Eiver Valley around Medford apples and 

 pears comprise the principal plantings ; apples at Hood River and in 

 the Grande Eonde Valley. One of the very noticeable things is the 

 great number of Tokay and other European grapes being planted 

 aroimd Grants Pass, where the success of Commissioner Carson in 

 this line has been the stimulating cause. The Umpqua country is 

 increasing its acreage of all kinds of fruits, especially peaches. 



In the Willamette Valley the striking increase is In cherry and 

 walnut planting, and of small fruits for canning purposes. The 

 erection of five canning plants in the State last year and the 

 assurance of several more the coming season have great I v stimulated 

 interest in that line, and there is no donbt that the near future will 

 see us rivaling California in that line. 



In Eastern Oregon great quantities of peaches, apricots and 

 cherries have been planted around The Dalles, and a new fruit region 

 of great promise is being developed on the irrigated lands of Umatilla 

 County around Hermiston, Echo and Irrigon. 



A larger number of fruit growers' meetings have been held in 

 various parts of the State this past winter than ever before, and 

 certainly considerable good has been accomplished thereby. 



The 1907 edition of our Board Eeport was long since exhausted 

 and Secretary Williamson estimates that he has received nearly one 

 thousand requests for copies that he has been unable to fill. This 

 shows conclusively the need of sucli a volume and emphasizes the 

 necessity of our using great care in its preparation. 



W. K. Kewell, 

 Commissioner at Large. 



