IDBT'S TRAVELS - Chapter VI 



Puyallup, located in the western part of the State of ifashington is noted for 

 its production of small fxTiitp, Many new varieties of strawberries and raspberries 

 have been produced at the Agricultural Experiment Station at Puyal^.iip. IV-o of the 

 more noteworthy varieties are the Washington raspberry and the Norrhwest strawberry. 

 The average rainfall in this area is approxiiaately 30 inches. Ttie ninimum winter 

 temperature is about 15°F. The lowest minimum temperature ever recorded was 8° 

 belovj- zero. Due to the limited amount of rainfall, irrigation is a common practice. 



Strawberry growing is one of the principal agricultural enterprises in this 

 section. At the present time 75/) of the acreage is planted to iuarshall but the 

 acreage being planted to Northwest is increasing rapidly and this variety may 

 replace Marshall eventually. Ifiis shift in varieties is due, in part at least, to 

 the fact that Marshall is susceptible to three virus diseases while Worthwest is 

 resistant if not immune to them. As a result of the susceptibility of Marshall to 

 virus diseases the yi.eld per acre has been declining steadily. Formerly the 

 average production was 3-1/2 to k tons per acre whereas at the present time it is 

 less than 2 tons per acre. In terms of quarts the present yield is approximately 

 3000 as compared to 6000 or more a few years ago. At the prevailing price of 

 1^-1/2 cents per pound, the gross income from an acre of strawberries was around 

 .625. 



It is a common practice in this area for stravrberry growers to dust eveiy two 

 weeks vd.th parathion or BHC to control the aphids which spread the virus diseases, 



A considerable volume of the strawberry crop is frozen. Formerly, the practice 

 was to freeze the berries in barrels but the present trend is tovrards small packages 

 rather than barrels. The Northwest variety is particularly popular v/ith processors 

 for putting up a sliced pack. 



The Puyallup area is also noted for its raspberry production. The two 

 varieties commonly grovm are Washington and Willamette viith Vfeshington being the 

 more popular. 



The average yield for raspberries is around 7 > tons per acre or about 20,000 

 pints. The prevailing price vras 18 cents per pound which would give a gross income 

 of approximately ;ii)2500 per acre. The highest yield recorded for the Washington 

 variety Vfas 10.2 tons. At present the yield on V/ashington is on the decline due to 

 Western Yellovr rust disease and an unknovm trouble which is killing the plants in 

 some areas. Some root rot disease appears to be the cause of this difficulty. 



At the Puyallup Experiment Station the Vifashington variety was producing a 

 partial fall crop. Considerable breeding work is being done here. Y/ashington 309 

 and Washington 35U - an everbearer - are two new seedlings which show particular 

 promise , 



— 0, C. (Toby) Roberts 



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