1506 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



above the level of the sea. Perhaps in 



no part of the United States have pears 



proved more profitable than in the Rogue 



River valley. Here too, they have had to 



fight "pear blight" with a great deal of 



vigor and have taught the orchardists of 



many other sections valuable lessons on 



this subject. 



Granville Lowther 



^Varieties of Fruits for Oregon 



The subject of variety adaptation in 

 the Pacific Northwest is still in its in- 

 fancy. Since the greater part of the acre- 

 age in orchards is still not in a bearing 

 state, it will be some time before final 

 conclusions can be adopted concerning the 

 best varieties to grow under the various 

 conditions to be found in each locality. 

 There is a tendency in the state to plant 

 in some cases too few varieties, or rather 

 try to adapt a few varieties to all condi- 

 tions. 



For the principal varieties of apples, 

 the Spitzenburg, one of the most popular 

 varieties, is one only adapted to deep rich 

 soils with warm sunny exposure. This 

 variety is subject to all the troubles a 

 tree is heir to; it needs constant nursing 

 and careful handling, and is only profit- 

 able when grown to a high degree of per- 

 fection, as the second and third grades of 

 this variety are often a drug on the mar- 



The Jonathan apple is an apple of quite 

 wide adaptability, but to be at its best 

 should develop a high degree of color; it 

 needs careful handling at the time of pick- 

 ing, as it develops core rot and breaks 

 down rapidly if allowed to hang on the 

 tree too long. 



The Northern Spy in most sections of 

 the Northwest is of rather poor quality, 

 but some sections of the Willamette val- 

 ley have been especially successful in 

 growing this variety. It should not be 

 placed on too rich or too heavy soil. We 

 should discourage rank growth by the use 

 of summer pruning and by avoiding giv- 

 ing the tree too much stimulation caused 

 by too intensive cultivation or irrigation. 

 When highly colored and not overgrown 

 it is a very desirable apple. 



* Oregon Experiment Station Bulletin 111. 



The Gravenstein is a very popular ap- 

 ple, becoming a tall apple in most sec- 

 tions like the Hood River, Willamette and 

 Rogue River valleys, but having long- 

 keeping qualities in some of the coast 

 counties and some of the uplands of 

 Eastern Oregon. By careful picking its 

 keeping season can be prolonged. 



King of Tompkins county, has a great 

 tendency to overgrow and water at the 

 core, but when grown to a high degree of 

 perfection it will find a ready market as 

 a fall apple. 



The Wagener is especially valuable as 

 a filler; it comes into bearing early and 

 is productive. 



The Gano is an improvement in some 

 ways over the Ben Davis, as it has a 

 better color and is thought by many to be 

 of superior quality; while a low-grade 

 apple, it has been profitable. 



The Rome Beauty is rapidly becoming 

 one of the leading baking apples, and is 

 steadily increasing in popularity through- 

 out the state. It is profitable in most 

 sections where it has been tried. 



Tl^e York Imperial is grown to consid- 

 erable extent in the Grande Ronde valley; 

 it has not been tried to any great extent 

 in other sections. 



The Winesap, while grown to perfection 

 in parts of Washington, is grown sparing- 

 ly in most Oregon districts. It has a 

 tendency to grow too small. 



The Mackintosh Red is grown but spar- 

 ingly in this state as a high-class Christ- 

 mas apple; it would be adapted to high 

 elevations and localities or severe weath- 

 er conditions. 



The Russian apples are usually adapted 

 to more or less hardship, and often suc- 

 ceed on the high elevations and bleak ex- 

 posures where others fail. 



The Delicious has been grown very lit- 

 tle as yet in Oregon and is in an experi- 

 mental stage. It is probably better adapt- 

 ed to higher altitudes, as in low altitudes 

 the apple is often poorly colored and too 

 soft. 



The King David is practically a new ap- 

 ple in Oregon. Only a few trees have as 

 yet come into bearing, and it is too early 

 to state just how promising this variety 

 will be and to what conditions it will be 



