THIRTY-THIRD BIENNIAE SESSION 
1 67 
Diversification in Horticulture. 
One of the most satisfactory as well as favorable fundamental principles 
that could be incorporated into the fruit industry of the Northwest has 
been strongly emphasized during the past two years in the introduction 
of side lines to fruit growing. The aim is to make the growers more sure 
of at least a reasonable return each year rather than to have an occasional 
non-return year, and at the same time provide an economical and practical 
method of utilizing the third, and cull grades of fruit. 
The side lines vary from dairy cattle and hogs to poultry production of 
all kinds; and, while very few expect to obtain big returns from the side 
lines, the tendency is to secure something that will pay operating expenses 
each year, and as much of the taxes, water right and interest on the invest- 
ment as is possible in order that during good years the returns from the 
extra fancy and fancy grades of fruit may not be so severely cut into for 
operating and kindred expenses. In fact, the feeling is that the real profits 
must come from the extra fancy grades and the expenses and interest from 
the lower grades and the side lines. 
The successful operation on some of these side lines cannot fail but 
reduce the cost of producing fruit and thus make it possible to increase 
the returns to the owner as well as reduce the cost to the consumer. 
A SUGGESTION OR TWO ABOUT THE STRAWBERRY. 
F. W. Allen, Maryland. 
In this age of comparative perfection of the fruit industry, few people 
realize how short a time the principal member of the small fruit group 
has been in cultivation, and the still shorter time this has been of commercial 
importance. 
The strawberry was little recognized on the Western Hemisphere a 
century ago, and only within the last half century has the industry reached 
appreciable proportions. It can be said to be a true American innovation. 
Truly, is was first cultivated in Europe, and that continent is the natural 
habitat of certain species of strawberries; the commercial strawberry of 
America, however, is an American product. It would be difficult, and 
perhaps impossible to trace the exact lineage of our American strawberry, 
but the best authorities concede that it is a product of a great number 
of crosses between the progeny of Fragaria chiloensis, or the Chilian species. 
As to the extent of the industry, a few figures would not be out of place. 
No claim is made for the accuracy of these figures. My only excuse in 
presenting them is that they are approximate, and that they suffice to 
give some idea of the extent of the industry. 
