244 Report of State Board of Horticulture. 



miles into the suburbs that are already accustomed and adapted to the 

 industry, a combination of circumstances favorable to the greatest pros- 

 perity. It is not like flax fibre, sugar beets and other Industries, that 

 would require importation of coolies, or European peasantry for its success. 



The Willamette valley is happily situated to dispose of any quantity of 

 fresh strawberries, as our crop comes in after California supplies are 

 exhausted and before the northern markets can get home supplies. As 

 a matter of fact all middle and southern California is destitute of such 

 strawberries as can be grown in Western Oregon. The berry or vegetable 

 grown without irrigation surpasses in color, high natural fruit flavor, and 

 firmness any produced under water. This has been demonstrated so often 

 as to need no argument, and it can be safely asserted that this is naturally, 

 for excellence, the strawberry paradise of the world and we are fools 

 not to enter therein. 



Do not spend much time on pests and diseases, beyond reading the 

 bulletins and literature sent out by plant growers. The strawberry is 

 most free from pests, blight, rust, mildew, diseases, etc., of any fruit that 

 grows. I get packages of plants from the East regularly inspected and 

 pronounced free from pests by some state board of horticulture that are 

 regularly full of crown borers, but they always disappear under one season 

 of our climate and editorial elbow grease. 



But do not imagine you can succeed in strawberry growing without 

 patient concentration upon the fundamentals and details of the business. 

 First come the soil conditions, of infinite variety, and most profitable of 

 all to be mastered, even to sending samples to the government experiment 

 station for analysis. 



Have the land rich. Plow the land in the fall and then work only a 

 few inches of the surface in the spring; or plow in the spring and make 

 the ground solid by rolling or the tramping of horses. One secret of 

 success is to have "solid bottom," no large cavities nor very loose soil. 



Out of ten to twenty new varieties tested each year, purchased of the 

 best originators and specialists in the East, I find but few varieties of 

 any permanent value. I have sought the qualities we are most badly in 

 need of here in Western Oregon — color, acidity, flavor, and my notes taken 

 from- my experimental grounds commend the following new kinds: 



Oregon Ideal. Already described as best for commercial canning. 



Clark's Seedling. Best only on sandy soil. 



Joe. Bright red, large conical fruit, mild flavor, home-market berry. 



Lloyds. Dark red, long, flat fruit, early and acid. Excellent home 

 garden variety. 



Kansas. Very red, round, blunt-nosed shape, high degree of acidity^ 

 early and good medium size. Will prove a good shipper. 



Double Cropper. Perfect cone shape, acid, dark glossy red, very early» 

 good shipper. 



Du Maurier (French). Self stemming, fine creamy flesh, mild, finest 

 table berry. 



