Report of Commissioner First District. 21 



in June. Early berries brought fine prices, and even during the 

 rush of the season, prices were well maintained. An average yield 

 oi well-cared for strawberries is 4,000 to 5,000 pounds per acre, 

 but frequently yields of 7,000 to 8,000 pounds are reported. As 

 an average price is close to 4 cents per pound, it will be seen that 

 the business is a profitable one. Mr. N. B. Harvey, of Milwaukie, 

 has five acres of Magoons that in 1903 yielded 36,000 pounds, and 

 1904 34,000 pounds, or a total of 70,000 pounds, which sold at 4 

 -cents per pound, or $2,800. The berries were so large and the yield 

 so good that he secured pickers at three-fourths of a cent per 

 pound, or $525 for the crop ; outlay for boxes and crates was $125, 

 making total expense, aside from his own labor, $650, leaving a 

 profit of $2,150 for the two years, or $215 per acre per year. 



Two canneries at Portland and one at Springbrook take care of 

 large cpiantities of small fruits of all kinds, and prevent an over- 

 stocked market and consequent loss. 



During the present year, 1904. the fruitgrowers in the vicinity 

 of Springbrook, Yamhill County, got together and organized a 

 co-operative canning company, and put up a canning plant costing 

 about $5,000, which, during the season, has canned several thou- 

 sand cases of berries, cherries, pears, and apples. This is a com- 

 mendable entei-prise, furnishing, as it does, a home market at good 

 prices for all the fruit grown in the vicinity, and at the same time 

 furnishing employment to a large number of women and girls. 

 Other communities, such as McMinnville, Forest Grove, and Canby 

 furnish equally as good an opportunity for the same enterprises. 



The season of 1904, while not the best for most fruits, was an 

 ideal one for cherries and grapes. The former particularly were 

 magnificent, and brought good prices. The grape is now one of the 

 regular fruit crops, and the growth of the industry keeps pace 

 with the demand. 



A list of the best established varieties, those most commonly 

 grown, of the different fruits, is given below. It will be under- 

 stood that this list is one of market varieties: 



Apples : Summer — Yellow Transparent, Red Astrachan, Early 

 Harvest. Fall — Gravenstein, Duchess, King, Waxen, Fameuse, 

 Wealthy. Winter — Spitzenburg, Baldwin, Yellow Newtown, John 

 41 than. Northern Spy, Ben Davis, Gano, Rome Beauty, Red Cheek 

 Pippin, Russet, and Winesap. 



