The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-05-26
FRUIT
CROPS
SHORT
Especially Italian PruneS and
Bartlett Pears
Strawberries as Usual to be
the Bumper Crop.

StIaWDeTIIeS dS USUAL 10 pt
the Bumper Crop.
The Salem Fruit Growers Union had
well attended meeting Saturday. and
ratified the action Of the board Of di
rectors in employing James Kyle tc
handle their product for shipment and
in the local market Mr.. Holcomb, OF
the cannery, was present, and all the
growers are satisfied that they will
receive fair treatment at his hands
They will get an advanced price, that
will be paid only to members Of the
union, and the cannery will not inter.
fere with efforts TO ship choice fruit
TO good markets. The growers all fell,
or ought 10 feel, that they have a rep
utation TO make for choice berries.
and Manager Kyle will do his utmost
to get them all to pack for shipment to
a high standard. The price paid for
picking will be IS cents per 100 boxes
in full crop, and s1OO per 100 for ear
ly and late and baby crops Hoeing is
being paid for at 10 cents an hour for
boys and S1.O0 a day and meals for
men. A large supply Of boxes and
crates and a union label have been
ordered by the directors. An effop
will be made to maintain prices at
S1.OO per crate in the local market, and
the manager OF the union will do his
utmost TO protect dealers who buy
through the union in getting full sup
ply Of frst-class fruit. The opinion
was expressed Saturday that It was
for the best interests Of the consumer
and the retailer to maintain a fair
price. Indications are that strawber-
ries will not 90 begging at 80 cents a
crate, or even less, as heretofore, in
many seasons.
East Of Salem.
An examination Of the orchards east
Of the city shows an unusually heavy
yield OF strawberry crop. The berries
will not be in full ripening condition
until the middle OF next month";
bright, warm weather lasts, possibly a /
week earlier. Italian prunes are very
short, and the petites are thinned out
so as to make them very large and
fine, but II they thin much more the |
yield will be light The Royal Ann
cherry crop will be fine in quality, but
light. and In some orchards there are
almost none. Bartlett pears will |
hardly be enough for picking, while
apples are setting well-especially |
and Baldwins. There are
those who said a month ago that moth
ing could stop a big prune cr)p-they
are now adjusting themselves TO a dis
Spring sown grain fields are yellow
ing where they were sown in April.
always a cold, wet month for seeding.
Grain sown in March or May is look.
ing much fresher and greener
The fax fields on the land east OF the
,ity are coming up fine and making
good show. Grass and clover are
heavy crops. Lands that are run to
clover a few years, and then put 20
strawberries show great gains.
West Of Salem.
The cherry crop will undoubtedly be
light, except among some OF the poor
sr varieties. John Ferguson, who lives
lust west OF Salem. says there will not
be half a crop, although a few trees
are bearing well. Miss Taylor, just
beyond, has pretty Wen set trees. In
his nelghborhood apples give great
promise OF a heavy crop, except among
such trees as have been injured or
bore too heavily last season. Italian
Drunes will not make over half a crop,
while Petites are loaded, as usual
The Liberty Orchards.
About Liberty, which is the great
lrune center, an unusual condition eX-
sts, Mr. Blanchard, who is operating
''hNAAA w ehl"H AfNNAAo AAiAA AAAN eA az |
about Italian prunes is premature.
The trees are showing up better than
n first, and the orchards on the low
ands seem TO be bearing better than
he hin orchards. which is the reverse
II ordinary seasons, Mr. Blanchard
estimates Petites fun crop. and Ital-
ans about twothirds OF a crop. Cher
lies at Liberty will be about half a
'rop, which seems 10 be the report
generally, while the apple crop gives
,reat promise.
About Marion.
A fruit grower from that section
vas in Salem today. and said the Ital-
an prunes We're almost total fail
lre, and the opinion was expressed by
Iome that they could not be relied
Ip0n for a permanent crop. The Pc
ite prunes are all right Fall grain
las a fine, rich stand. but spring grain
yill suffer from a hot, dry spell. al
hough there is plenty OF time To get
ain to make the crop a heavy one.
wen II the present dry spell lasts.
Reduced Rates via Southern Pacific.
The Southern Pacific will make