APPENDIX. 175 



could be sold, but the market for apples in that form was only local, and aw 

 ■we had reached the point of no market, many orchards were suffered to be- 

 come stock lots, and unfortunately left for fifteen to twenty years to become 

 the nurseries and breedinj; jrround for every insect that preys upon neglected 

 fruit and fruit trees. These, where alive and still neglected, ought either to 

 receive thorough pruning, cleansing, manuring and general care, or should 

 be grubbed up and consumed by fire, root and branch. The latter, as a rule, 

 would be best economy. 



The use of good fruit has. from the changing habits of society, become an 

 important product in all markets, so that many land owners of limited acre- 

 age can make fruitgrowing a reliable as well as delightful occupation. I 

 am not in favor of anyone making fruitgrowing a sole dependence. Ten 

 acres I consider large enough for a family orchard, but I would always wish 

 such a family to have ten acres more, so that butter, milk, eggs and poultry 

 could be produced, and a light team kept. On this second ten acres, nut- 

 bearing trees could and should be j)lanted — the kinds planted [selected for 

 their value as wood whenever possible. 



FOREST INTEREST. 



The people of Oregon are blest with forest resources of immense value, of 

 ■which (while they are waiting for the lumber demand which is surely com- 

 ing), they can not be too careful to protect from fire — money spent that is as 

 wisely invested as in the protection of city property. The home market for 

 lumber in the United States has never paid for the use of the land on which 

 the trees grew. The quantity of land in states like those of New England, 

 tiew York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin which is 

 left to these respective states by owners rather than pay taxes on it after 

 the timber of God's planting has been cut off, is proof that up to'this time 

 there has been no income from the land on which the trees grew; and only 

 •where they have been cut and taken to market by most economical methods, 

 lias there been encouraging profit in that business. Over half of the area of 

 ^Vestern Oregon is yet in forest or wood land, the timber on which has 

 averaged one hundred years of growth. The most recent estimate is nine 

 thousand feet, board measure, per acre on wood land. Cut it today and put 

 it into the world's markets by the most economical methods known, and, 

 after paying cost for labor and encouraging profit for capital used, tell me, 

 Avho can, how much would be left to pay taxes on that land at present rates 

 on $2.50 valuation? 



The writer and his wife were recipients of three hundred and twenty 

 acres each as pioneers to Oregon. Their chosen locations did not contain 

 three acres of timber of size small enough for building purposes. It was 

 fceautiful land for stock-growing purposes. We thought we would have to 

 plant tree seeds. Grass fires stopped in 1846, and in ISoO^young firs of na- 

 ture's sowing began to show above the grass on the broken lands. There is 

 MOW thirty or more acres of timber from forty to fifty years' growth. Two 

 ^'ears ago my wife sold the wood growing on eight acres of the oldest by the 

 tfiord, and realized $200 for the wood grown on eight acres in forty-eight 



