760 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



have planted considerable acreage of P. Barry and Forelle; however, 

 these latter varieties are not yet in bearing commercially. I do not 

 mean to say that the other varieties grown in the valley are not good ; 

 as a matter of fact they are excellent, nevertheless the market demand 

 does not warrant the multiplication of varieties. In the seven com- 

 mercial varieties mentioned it would be just as well to omit the Clair- 

 geau, which in no way compares with the excellence of the other 

 varieties. The great pear districts of the Pacific coast, so far as the 

 future of the pear industry is concerned, will be southern Oregon 

 (Rogue River Valley) and California, principally the great Sacramento 

 Valley and its tributary districts. In this natural pear belt any one 

 or all of the commercial varieties of pears may be grown; that is to say, 



Fig. 4 00. — Bearing branches of Bartlett 

 pears. Gore orchard, Medford, Oregon. 

 (Original.) 



hundreds of varieties. But pear growers must not fall into the error 

 of planting too many varieties, as has been the case in commercial 

 apple growing throughout the entire Northwest. Not long ago a horti- 

 culturist, waxing enthusiastic over the excellent quality of the pear as 

 grown in this district (Rogue River Valley), said that the pear growers 

 were making a mistake in not growing at least 100 varieties. View- 

 ing the pear situation from the apple standpoint, especially consider- 

 ing market conditions, it would ])e financial suicide for any district to 

 grow commercially more than six or ciglit vai'ieties. If there is any 

 doubt in the matter of too many varieties it would l)e well for the 

 reader to secure a copy of a paper written by Mr. AV. F. Gwin, man- 

 ager Northwest Fri'it Exehnn^^'e, Portlnnd, Orc.rcn, entitl?d "AVh-^t 



