Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-06-25

so they are-on low land, but trees
on the upland are bearing well and
this promises to be good year for
them where they escaped the frost.
One orchardist who groaned in
spirit over the prospect of having to
spend several hundred dollars to
thin his trees Of surplus fruit, has
had his fears lightened by the very
unusual occurrence that the trees
have thinned themselves very "ju-
diciously" in many instances, while
In other cases there has been "a sad
falling off,
A GOOD APPLE AND PEAR CROP FOR
1890.
Last year the apple and pear or
chards of Western Oregon were so
generally devastated by the apple
worm and fungus that between the
two there were no truly perfect APP
pies to be had. The fungus made
fruit scabby and gnarled and so i'm
perfect that what the Goblin moth
left us was rendered unstable by
the fungus growth. Only very late
ly has it been discovered that we are
measurably free to-day from these
terrible pests that damaged Oregon
orchards hundreds of thousands of
dollars in 1889. l have examined
old and young orchards near Salem
and on the Santiam and after mi
mute examination have not been
able to find single apple infested
with a worm. While some appear
ed to be 50, when cut open they
showed merely a scar on the sur
face, such rs many insects may
cause. The fruit is generally smooth
and perfect as regards fungus, for
while occasional specimens are a
little troubled the general average
is in good shape. If the orchardists
would thin their fruit and pluck Off
all that is small or imperfect many
will have good apple crops and there
is every reason to believe they will
have a good market for them.
1t is said that the Goblin moths
are to be seen in some other
but have not found them
after very careful examination of
several large orchards. l am inclin-
ed to believe the very wet winter
was too much for the insect. While
they resist cold it may be that they
cannot resist excessive wet. If this
is true it is possible Oregon can grow
fruit to advantage much of the time.
In any case they can use proper
as stated above, and grow
good fruit by use of proper precau-
tions and at small expense.
The absence of these pests this
year shows that Oregon possesses
great advantages over California for
growing fruits native to our latitude.
1t offers encouragement for many to
fruit-growiug as n bust
ness, for if they conduct operations
properly and thoroughly they can
win great success.
1t is true that in regard to stand
ard prunes, some varieties, in some
instances, have thinned themselves
down TO a small yield. The Italian
holds out well, and is a variety that
sticks to the tree in superabundance.
The Petit, or French prune, has
'allen off to an extent never before
known. 1t is undoubtedly due to
.he very warm days month ago
hat fruit has been affected as re-
lated above.
The fruit yield will average well
Is far as can be observed.
WHAT RAIN CAN INSURE.
Given a good season, with rain to
assure moisture, and Bartlett pears
will be uncommonly plenty, and
probably all other kinds. The pear
has less 10 fear from the Goblin moth
han the apple. There has been a
mall, green worm at work on pear
caves. Ii may not he very harmful,
,ut il has no business 10 be there.
spraying with London purple or
Paris green is not only preventive
II the worm that eats the fruit, but
Ilso, very happily, makes away
with the other pest that devours the
This poison clears the or
hard of every and anything that
: in the way.
The borer worm is the worst pest
n the orchards of Oregon to-day,
or it destroys beautiful peach, plum
md pruhe trees, and is all the time
PRVREs, AND CUNNING PRICE,
\ news dispatch from California
lated May Is, in Saturdays Oregon
an, asserts that while the frmt crop
n general is good in that state,
'prunes seem to have been the most
damaged by the past remarkable
winter" This leaves the inference
hat the California pruhe crop will
be light aud gives encouragement TO
he Oregon prune grower as 10 prices
and demand. Certainly the demand
for Pacih coaste prunes is steadily
increasing aud the market is extend
Ing 20 parts Of the Union that have
not hitherto used that fruit. There
are several facts that beyond qucs-
ton favor the prune grower at pnes-
eUl. Good authority among whole