80 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE, 



land. The ditch covers twenty-five thousand acres of land 

 apparently susceptible of high cultivation. Another ditch is 

 being put in which Avill cover forty thousand acres when com- 

 pleted. Possibilities not dreamed of for Eastern Oregon would 

 come with the development of this vast tract of land. The- 

 culture of fruit should play no insignificant part. 



A few months lateral visited the valleys of Eagle and Pine,, 

 and some scattering orchards that lay along my route. We 

 found some good orcliards at Medical Springs. Pine Valley 

 has an altitude of three thousand feet. There are a good many 

 young orchards. Ax)ples and j^ears excel all other fruits in 

 quality and quantity. The growers find a good market for 

 their surplus in the neighboring mining camps. Their great 

 distance from a shipping point would hamper the industry if 

 fruit was produced in large quantities. Eagle Valley is a 

 veritable little paradise for the fruitgrower. The soil is won- 

 derfully prolific, and the condition for irrigating ideal. All 

 kinds of fruit suited to our climate mature to perfection. It 

 partakes of the nature of the Snake River fruit lands. The 

 valley is small, and every available spot under cultivation. 

 A specimen of their apples which I saw this year measured 

 seventeen and one-half inches. 



The Milton fruit district is probably the best-known of any 

 portion of my district, and deservedly so. I visited some 

 progressive orchardists in this vicinity. In no j)art of my 

 district do grapes mature so perfectly ; even the Flaming 

 Tokay, the Muscat, and Muscatel, may be grown here. All 

 of the deciduous fruits thrive, and may be grown with profit. 

 It is likewise a convenient shipping point. There are many 

 thousand acres in this portion of the Walla Walla Valley 

 awaiting the progressive orchardist. The nurseries I found 

 here were clean and in excellent condition. This section has 

 been much troubled with both the San Jose scale and codling- 

 moth. Many of the orchardists have made a determined and 

 intelligent eff'ort to keep their orchards clean, with most 

 gratifying results, but there are still only too many who are 

 grossly careless. 



Wallowa County has little of what might properly be called 

 fruit land, however, I saw some very nice orchards, and there 

 is a ready market at home for more than they can produce. 

 Apples, pears, prunes, and plums, of hardy varieties do well 

 along the foothills. The Imuaha Valley in the extreme eastern 

 part of the county has. the Snake River climate, and produces 



