REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 6/ 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



FIRST DISTRICT. 



FIRST SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT. 



The Dalles, Oregon, October 9, 1900. 



To the President and Members of the State Board of Horticulture : 



Since July 1 I have visited various portions of ray dis- 

 trict, and particularly such portions as have orchards infested 

 with the San Jose scale. This pest, so plentiful two and 

 three years ago, is rapidly disappearing from our fruit. There 

 was scarcely a shipment of fruit from this place this season 

 thus affected. Still, the scale is not all gone, and, what is 

 more or less singular, it has made its appearance to some ex- 

 tent in parts of the district where it has hitherto been unknown . 



The majority of the old orchardists seem now to better 

 understand the method of dealing with the scale, spraying 

 systematically with lime, sulphur and salt, and hence experi- 

 ence no further difficulty in ridding their trees of the pest. 

 A few exceptional cases are noted, liowever ; for example, 

 where the owners of some of the old orcliards have leased their 

 places and moved away. As the lessees occupy the premises 

 for but a one or two year period, they are, generally, some- 

 w^liat iudilferent in the matter of giving proper care to the trees. 

 Such orchards invariably suffer the dire consequences of neg- 

 lect in spraying, etc. 1 propose next year, however, to make 

 an example of some of these nonresidents, by seeing that the 

 law is promptly enforced, unless they give their fruit trees the 

 necessary care and attention to protect them from the ravages 

 of San Jose scale, codling moth, and so on. Several growers 

 sprayed this summer for the codling moth, but since the fruit 

 crop was so short, a great many did not spray who otherwise 

 would have done so. In my next quarter's report I expect to 

 give you in detail the results obtained by the various fruit- 

 growers from spraying. I would do so at this time, but it is 

 a little early to present a full statement of such results, 

 whereas, by waiting until the first of January, full particulars 

 may be procurable. 



The fruit crop, on the whole, did not come up to expecta 

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