REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTIRE . 39 



must confess, I have not visited at all, and Columbia and 

 Clatsop only a very few localities. The other counties have 

 been fairly well covered, that is, in the main orchard districts. 



A large number of letters have been received, asking in- 

 formation of various kinds, all of which have been answered 

 to the best of my ability. So many inquiries in regard to 

 spraying were constantly being received by all the members 

 of the board that, in April, President Smith suggested the 

 issuing of a special spray calendar. Secretary Dosch under- 

 took the task and published a small bulletin, giving complete, 

 up-to-date formulas for making, and full directions for apply- 

 ing, all the best remedies. This filled a long-felt want and 

 met with a heart}" reception, the edition of five thousand copies 

 being soon exhausted. During the past eighteen months T 

 have visited five hundred and twenty-five orchards, containing 

 seventy-three hundred and ninety-foui* acres, divided as fol- 

 lows : Twenty-two hundred and thirty -four acres of apples, 

 thirty-eight hundred and eighty-eight prunes, and twelve hun- 

 dred and seventy-two miscellaneous — comprising pears, cher- 

 ries, peaches, nuts, etc. The principal fruit of the district 

 is, of course, the Italian prune. This variety comprises four- 

 fifths of the prune acreage and brings in more money than 

 any other single fruit. Other varieties of prunes are the Pe- 

 tite (which this year has been so unprofitable on account of 

 its small size), the Silver (a fine fruit, but not profitable be- 

 cause the tree is so tender and short lived), and the Willam- 

 ette — a promising prune of the Italian type, whose merits are 

 just now beginning to be recognized. Small fruits and 

 berries, grown for the local markets, bring in a large sum 

 of money — much greater than is generally recognized. 



Nut culture is slowly but surely coming to the front as a 

 branch of horticulture. It has been proven that such varie- 

 ties of soft-shelled walnuts as Mayette, Francjuette, and Paris- 

 ienne, Languedoc almonds, and many varieties of chestnuts, 

 can be successfully and profitably grown in Western Oregon. 

 Two large plantings of walnuts have been made, one of sev- 

 enty acres by Mr. Thos. Prince, of Dundee; and one of twenty 

 acres by Mr. Chas. E. Ladd, at Oak Hill Farm, near North 

 Yamhill. One man near Portland sold over $50 worth of 

 chestnuts this year from a few trees along the driveway from 

 his gate. 



The saddest thing observed is the state of the apple industry 

 in Western Oregon. The Willamette Valley, once so famous 

 for its magnificent apples, is now scarcely recognized by the 



