CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 27 



as supervising horticulturist, with Professor Thornber as consulting 

 horticulturist. 



The company will avail itself of every facility to utilize all its by- 

 products. A large packing and warehouse will be built on the land 

 adjoining the electric railway company's tracks, and in connection the 

 company will operate a drying and canning plant, also cider and vinegar 

 works. 



When acquired by the Railway Land and Improvement Company, 

 the land was in poor condition because of lack of care. The company 

 spent thousands of dollars in pruning and cultivation during the last 

 few years, until to-day no orchard in the State of Washington is in 

 better condition. 



Here we have an example of a typical Oregon fruit-growing 

 enterprise. Now, we must remember that fruit in these regions 

 is not exempt from the enemies which attack it here in the east. 

 It is subject to the same insect and fungous foes as fruit growing 

 in Massachusetts or any other New England State. In fact, it 

 costs much more to protect the apple from its wormy enemies in 

 the Elysian fields of Oregon and Washington than it does on the 

 hillsides of New England. 



Again, apple land costs four or five times more than it can be 

 bought for in this older group of States; labor is considerably 

 higher. The product may be somewhat handsomer in appearance, 

 but variety for variety is certainly not equal in quality ; and, finally, 

 it is 2,000 miles farther from the markets of the continent and 

 from the gateway of foreign export. 



But these men are succeeding. The spirit of fruit growing is 

 on them; the enthusiasm which brings success is theirs; therefore, 

 let us say, " All honor to the men who are putting brains, business 

 methods and energy into this industry; let us wish abundantly 

 of the success which is sure to reward their efforts. Let us emulate 

 their enthusiasm and imitate the best of their practice." 



Packing and Marketing. 

 The factors which have acted as mainsprings in the promotion 

 of the fruit industry of the Pacific slope are fine appearance, uni- 

 formity of grade and pack, and co-operation in handling the prod- 

 uct. Our orcharding methods are deplorably bad, but no worse 

 than our grading and packing system. Of 63,456 barrels of Bald- 

 wins ^ shipped from Boston to a British agent in a recent year, 

 15,343, or practically one-quarter of the whole number, were slack 



^ Taylor, in report r)f New Hampshire Horticultural Society, 1907. 



