70 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



this time than they did a few years ago. They learn a 

 great deal by experience and a good many learn from their 

 neighbors. 



In the last two years I have visited five hundred and eighty- 

 one orchards. I have not visited all the orchards in my dis- 

 trict but have made it a point to visit the principal orchards, 

 and especially those that were affected with the San Jose 

 scale and other insects. 



That there is a growing interest in horticulture is mani- 

 fested by the number of letters received pertaining to that 

 subject ; the number which I have received being two hundred 

 and seventeen in the last two years, from different parts of 

 the country. 



As to the acreage of fruit in my district, it is very hard to 

 get at, as there is a large acreage in small orchards that I 

 have not visited at all, but I should judge there is approxi- 

 matelv four thousand to five thousand acres in fruit. About 

 seventy-five per cent, of this is in Wasco County. 



The variety of fruit grown in my district is about sixty 

 per cent, in apples, about twenty per cent, in prunes, 

 about ten per cent, in peaches, and about ten per cent, in 

 other varieties, such as pears, cherries, and grapes, as every 

 locality has different varieties of fruit. 



I should judge there is not over twenty per cent, of the 

 land in fruit that is suitable to fruit. In my district there is 

 a large amount of land lying along the Columbia River that 

 would raise excellent peaches and grapes. There is also a 

 large amount of land in the foothills of the Cascade Range ,. 

 and in the foothills of the Blue Mountains on the west side, 

 in Morrow and Crook counties, that would raise excellent 

 apples for commercial purposes. There is a large j)ercentage 

 of land suitable to apple growing that is not yet taken up on 

 account of it being too far from transportation. 



There are fruitgrowers in some of the localities who raise 

 fruit only for home use, and they are not taking as good care 

 of their orchards as those who are growing fruit for the market. 

 In all parts of my district, where there is fruit raised for com- 

 mercial purposes, they are taking better care of their orchards 

 than when they raise it only for home consumption. 



I find it is very poor policy to let an orchard run down. 

 Last year there was a very small fruit crop, and in some 

 localities no fruit at all, and they have taken hardly any care 

 of their orchards. 



