the extensive acreage in fruits other than apples, 



J 



It was nry privilege during my stay at Corvallis to spend parts of two days 



travelling with C, 0, Rawlirgs whom some will remenber as the former Extension Fruit 

 Specialist in New Pkmpshire who now has a similar position in Oregon, Distances are 

 so great there that in order to attend some fruit meetings he has to travel by air- 

 plane • 



Leaving Corvallis our next, objective was Medford — the center of the pear 

 industry in Oregon, 



V/hile the normal annual rainfall in the Medford area is 18 inches a consider- 

 able portion of the year's total must have fallen while we were there. Regardless of 

 the rain, I was able to obtain much information relative to the pear industry at tiie 

 Medford Agricultural Experiment Station, 



The principle varieties of pears grown in Oregon are Bartlett, Bosc and Anjou, 

 They are planted 25' x 25' and the average production is around 300 packed boxes per 

 acre, 



YiTith an average rainfall of l8 inches, irrigation is a necessity and the 

 growers pay i)8,25 per acre per year for the water. Cultivation with cover crops is 

 the usual method of soil management. 



Freezing temperatures is one of the principle hazzards of pear grovfing in 

 this area. Consequently, every pear orchard is equipped with smudge pots. In some 

 years it is necessary to smudge as many as ten times between the first of March and 

 the first of June, 



Considering the fact that the same varieties of pears can be grown in New 

 England without smudge pots, irrigation, or cultivation one cannot help but wonder 

 vfhy more pears are not grown in New England when Oregon growers can raise them at 

 a profit with the handicaps that they have, and in addition, ship them three thousand 

 miles to market, 



— 0, C, Roberts 



-^SHHBHKHHHHHHHBHHi-iHHHiHHHHHHHHKHHHHHKHHHHHHHHHHS- 



RULES FOR SAFE TRACTOR OPERATION 



Tractors can be dangerous and cause serious accidents if safety measures are 

 not employed. Why take chances? The National Safety Council has established a set 

 of rules as a guide for safe tractor operation. They are worth reading and adopting, 



A farm tractor is capable of doing its labor saving farm chore only with an 

 alert, live operator in the seat. The National Safety Council gives us a set of 

 rules which if followed will avoid accidents and save lives, 



1, Be sure the gear shift lever is in neutral before cranking the engine, 



2, Always engage the clutch gently , especially when going up a hill or pulling 

 out of a ditch, 



3, When driving on highways, or to and from fields, be sure that both wheels are 

 braked simultaneously when making an emergency stop, 



h% Always ride on the seat or stand on platform of tractor. Never ride on draw- 

 bar of tractor or drairm implement. 



I 



