86 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



the retiring secretary and my confreres, feeling the field of operation is- 

 much larger and I can be of more service to the fruit interests of our state 

 as secretary than I possibly could as commissioner, with vastly increased 

 labors, the compensation being very near the same for either position. 



I therefore tender you herewith my resignation as commissioner for the 

 first district, assuring you of my highest esteem. 

 Cordially yours, 



HENRY E. DOSCH. 



Which resignation was accepted, and Mr. Wilbur K. New- 

 ell, of Dilley, Washington County, was appointed my successor 

 to fill the unexpired term. 



The first bulletin was issued May 6, 1899, on 



CARING FOR ORCHARDS. 



The season is at hand for the cultivation of, and caring for, 

 our fruit trees this summer. The small crop likely to be 

 gathered this fall, owing to the unseasonable climatic condi- 

 tions, will have a tendency to cause many growers to neglect 

 their trees when they need the utmost care and nursing. It 

 is very human to do our utmost when everything is flourish- 

 ing, and profits apparently large, to force matters ; and 

 equally human to drop everything when the reverse is the 

 case. In several of the reports issued through the press, and 

 leaflets by the United States Weather Bureau, it is stated 

 that the unseasonable cold wave in February had done little 

 or no damage. These reports are no doubt compiled from 

 the statements received from local observers and correspon- 

 dents throughout the state, and comming from such a source 

 and high authority as the United States Weather Bureau, are 

 presumed to be correct and reliable, and are very naturally 

 believed by the fruitgrowers. Advices received at this office, 

 however, from practical fruitgrowers and members of this 

 board from the various districts, are of a different nature, and 

 the damage done is becoming more and more apparent every 

 day, especially in the middle Willamette Valley and parts of 

 Eastern Oregon ; the Umpqua and Rogue River valleys 

 escaped without injury. We know now that thousands of 

 young prune trees have been killed on lands not adapted to 

 fruitraising, and thousands of others planted on more favor- 

 able land have been seriously injured, and, if neglected, many 

 will either die or become permanently crippled, and such 

 trees need our utmost care right now. 



The continued cold rain, which makes the fruit drop, 

 naturally tends to discouragement, and, in addition, neglect 



