Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-06-25
Highest ofs in Leavening powsru S Gov. Report Aug II 1889

the common Turkish prune Is ad.
vanced in price over fifty per cent,
or from 81 cts. in New York to cts.
We may then anticipate a good
price and lively demand for the new
crops, The prune grower has the
promise of a fair crop, and of a good
price for it.
The yearly circular of one of the
largest dealers in dried fruits in
California, last January asserted that
the French prune (or Petit Prune
d'Agen, as ii is known in Oregon
constitutes almost the sole product
of California prune orchards. The
Italian is scarcely known there, and
while the French is quoted as pro-
duced by many millions of pounds,
the entire product of all other varie-
ties Is classed as under a million
pounds. The French prune sells
for cents and cents per pound
there, and is considerably inferior to
our Petit d'Agen, or French, which
sold last winter for Z to s cents per
pound ia Portland at wholesale.
We have really little more compe
tition to fear from California
prune growers than from tn
Turkish growers on the Danube.
Our pruues include fine, superior
grade of the California French prune
and we produce also, and more ex-
tensively by far, of superior fruit.
One grower know sold $4,000 lbs
of his own product, that brought
early in the season from cts to II
cts per 10, averaging 81 cts per 10.
These same prunes should average
for 1890 not less than 10 cts, if the
aspects of the market at the present
time are reliable.
SHALL THE APPLE BE SAVED?
The terrible loss of apples and
pears in 1889 should cause our
orchardists to use prevention to save
those fruits. We hear a great deal
about the Goblin moth, but the
diseased trees, leaves and fruit,
caused by fungus growths, did
great harm. Scabby fruit was the
rule and l doubt if we can have
good pears, or apples until we find
some means to prevent this fungus
growth, or scab, that attacks fruit,
leaves and branches in many in
stances.
The University orchard at Berkly,
California, sprayed with sulphide of
soda, prepared and used warm and
handled with difficulty. This is not
warranted to be n cure, but il was
said that it did cure where applied.
This year may be les baneful than
last, but if this fungus grow tn is a
permanent thing it must be fought
and overcome after scientific
methods.
The fruit grower has a promise of
good crops for 1890. Rain began
while this was being written and 1t
is probable the showers may con-
tinue long enough to accomplish
good results. We have a neighbor
whose enterprise and skill should be
Il lesson to us. IT is only by con.
stant improvement and progress
that we can hold our own and we
cannot afford to let Californiaus ex-
eel our work. At least we must equal
their work, and if possible lead off
in excellence and skill of our own.
INDUCEMENTS ARE GOOD.
There is every inducement for the
Oregon fruit-grower to improve and
be enterprising. Our fruit takes the
lead in the worlds markets and we
have n soil and climate that enables
to make our products reliably supe-
rior. We wonder at the seml-tropi-
cal products of California, but our
own production-when we'll handled
and cultlVated-turnlshes rs choice
specimens of the fruit ; of the tenn
perate zone rs the W orld can afford.
We can produce them in luXurance
and with an excellence that cannot
be eXoelled The truit-grower must
be educated to his profession and
must constantly study to learn more
and more of those wonderful secrets
that nature is so ready to impart to
whoever brings honest effort and
steady labor to the business of grow
ing superior fruits. The orange,
lemon, pine apple and fig, are in no
way superior to the Oregon apple,
near ppach praDp. Mum and nruna.