26 Report of State Board of Horticulture. 



power to appoint, but none to pay insiDectors. What we need 

 is an inspector in every considerable fruit growing county of 

 the state, whose duty shall be to see that the quarantine regu- 

 lations of the board are enforced. 



The inspectors would be required to devote only a small 

 portion of their time to the work of inspection and their com- 

 pensation would be nominal. An additional $1,500 yearly, 

 with authority to pay inspectors, would lessen the traveling- 

 expenses of the commissioners, would guard the principal 

 points of domestic consumption, and of import and export, 

 would lessen the liability of the introduction of new diseases 

 and insect pests, would give the consumer sound, healthy fruit, 

 would encourage and compel our orchardists to practice best 

 known methods and prevent the utter demoralization of the 

 markets by a flood of diseased infested fruits, fit only for the 

 crematorium. There has been a marked improvement in fruit 

 culture during the past two years. The scientist is no longer 

 ridiculed, and doubt has been followed by conviction as to the 

 utility of modern methods. The spray pump has become 

 universal in all commercial orchards, and small motors relieve 

 the weary arms at half the former expense for spraying. 



The experiment stations, the farmers' institutes, the board 

 of horticulture, and especially the press, have been carrying 

 on an educational work invaluable to the fruit grower. 



A survey of the state has been made by the commissioners, 

 and nine tenths of the lands of Oregon adapted to the growth 

 of fruits are yet unoccupied by orchards. Careful estimates 

 of the market value of our fruit products for the past two 

 years show that they exceed $4,000,000, and the area of our 

 orchards is rapidly increasing. An industry of this magni- 

 tude, an industry that subdivides large holdings of land and 

 enhances its value from $20 to $500 per acre, that builds num- 

 berless homes, and contributes so greatly to the comfort of all 

 our people, an industry of almost unlimited possibilities, is 

 indeed worthy of the care and support of the state. 



E. L. SMITH, 

 Commissioner at Large. 



Hood River, Oregon, December, 1902. 



