Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-06-25
PRUNE GROWING IN 1890.
Facts, Figures and Fancies
Called into Use.
WHAT ARE THEPROSPECTS FOR OREGON.
Comparison Ofthe Prune Grown
in California and Oregon
AS TO VALUE AND EXCELLENCE.
Western Oregon a Natural Paradise
For Fruits When Care and lntelli-
gence are Employed.
AS TO VALUE AND EXCELLENCE.

Written by s. A. Clarke, Salem. Oregon.
one OF thelargest prune growers in Oregon. ]
The fruit-grOwing interest { has
now become SO important in Oregon
that the success of orchardists is Il
matter of no small importance to
our state, therefore all readers will
be interested to know what the pros.
pect through our smte shows and
promises for the season Of 1890. The
winter was exceptional in many re-
spects and fears were expressed that
fruit would suffer, but cold or rain
seldom affects orchards that are
well cared for and the fact of care
and cultivation Is more important
than the effect resulting from onr
seasons.
THE SEVERE WINTER OF 1890.
Such winter as we have Just had
is calculated to benefit III destroying
insects that do harm. California
suffers from the fact that the climate
fosters noxious pests and they thrive
in that semi-tropical climate while
they are unable to obtain foot-hold
in Oregon. There are insects that are
native to cold climates, such as the
codlln moth, apple-tree aphis, and
the peach and plum borer and Others
we have not yet had here. While it
is necessary To guard against such,
there are others, known and dreaded
in California, that either do not live
here at all, or else, that having got
start here, disappear before an occa-
sionally very severe winter season.
imagine that one specimen of
this last sort is the woolly aphis that
is so dreaded in California that
where it once infests an orchard the
trees are dug up 10y the roots and
burned, prevention or remedy hav
ing proved Intellectual. A few years
ago friend of mine who had spent
some time in California, among or
chards there, returned to his home
to find his apple trees badly in
tested with the woolly aphis. He
followed the California plan and
dug up these trees, supposing it inn
possible to save them. In his inn
mediate vicinity there was an old
apple orchard that was similarly IN.
tested, but, q week of sharp frost
that occurred the next winter had the
effect TO destroy every aphis. The
same was true throughout the val
ley as well as in that Instance, and
they were all rid of when trees were
absolutely infested from roots to
top.
AN ORNAMENTAL COMMISSION.
Southern Oregon may be annoyed
by some of the harder pests that
cause such trouble in California,
but Oregon IN general has 50 far
proved to be far less endangered by
such pests than our neighbor in the T.
south. The infliction of Horti- /.
cultural Commission on the state
has proved TO be greater evil than .
the commission has SO far encounter |
ed, for II has "cost more than it has /
come to-" The columns Of the Ore /
gon papers have taken the wind out .
of the sails of that commission with
a regularity that has been a trifle
amusing, for their news concerning
horticultural affairs has covered all
the necessary ground, and the State
Agricultural college professors-as
was asserted on the floor Of the
house at the last session-cau sup
ply us with all the information aud
that will be necessary,
far better than any commission can.
The squirrel has always been
curse TO young orchards, where
planted near their hauuts, as they
climb the trees when budding out,
bend, break or dlstort young sprouts
and even eat the buds and ripening
fruit. They will climb cherry trees
and bite out the stones, leaving the
meat on the stem. The severe win
ter seems 10 have iesssned the
ground squirrel pest, for orchardists
In the brushy oak hills report seeing
very few Of them the present spring,
aud that there has been less than us
ual Of their depredations. Now is
the time TO spray apple and pear
trees aud TO spray well is the only
and way to save our
apples aud pears.
HOW AND WHEN To SPRAY TREEs.
An easy way 10 manage spraying
is 90 follow this simple formula;
Use an ounce OF Paris green or
London purple to ten GALLONS Of
water or one pound 10 loo gallons,
IL will do no harm to repeat the in-
struction heretofore given; /. G., TO
spray as soon AS the fruit is
well formed In May; repeat IN two
weeks aud continue AS long AS the
moths continue to dy, aud they are
said to lay their eggs III II takes all .
summer" la Grant, To make
sure thing, aud save the fruiI. one
should spray from early in May un-
al early In August. The cost of the
apparatus can be shaEed by neigh |
hsrs aud the poissn Is not expensive,
neighhors can change work aud the
cost will mot be anything In oom-
parlson 20 the value Of the fruit YOU
can save.
PROSPECTS FOR NtRiaO 0F fRutr.
/ -. far ,harFI.s oulv or,.f.is.. IN A..