Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-10-06
OREGON APPLES GROWING
Californian Describes Visit to
Oreson Orchards.

cliff, of Watsonville, Calf, visited
all of the principal apple growing
localities of the Pacific coast for the
purpose Of investigating the fruit con-
ditions and methods adopted in grow
ing and handling the fruit Since
returning he has prepared an article,
nearly three columns in length, for
the evening Pajaronian, Published at
watsonville, and from which the
following excerpts;
There are four apple growing dis
tricts of first commercial Importance
in the country west of the Rocky
ountains-sections where apples
are produced with the world as
market - These districts are the
Pajoro valley, California, with
Watsonville as its shipping point; the
Rogue river valley, Oregon. with
Medford as shipping point; the Hood
river valley. Oregon. with Hood
river as shipping point; and the
Yakima valley, Washington, with
Yakima as the point of shipment.
There are many other apple growing
sections in this part of the western
country, notably the Humboldt
county and Lompoc sections in Cali
fornia. the Wenatchee and Palouse
districts in Washington, the Grand
Ronde section in Oregon, the Bitter
Root valley in Montana. and the
Snake river country in Idaho, but
they have not yet reached the i'm.
portance of the districts first named,
and it will be some time before they
cut much figure in the export trade
the objective of the leading apple
growers of the Pacific states. Last
month representative of the "Pajar-
oman" visited the principal apple
producing districts of the Northwest,
for the purpose of investigating crop
conditions, the probability of or
chard extension, and the methods Of
lighting pests and marketing the
crops.
The fTst district visited was the
Rogue river valley. Its main town
the point from which nearly all ITS
fruit is shipped-is Medford. 1t is
but few miles over the California
line in Oregon, near the base of the
Siskiyou mountains. Its population
is about 3000 The business section
is OF substantial brick buildings and
shows steady growth and prosperous
conditions. The Rogue river valley
is A miles in length, and from two
to 10 miles in width. extending from
Ashland to Grants Pass The choice
district is around Medford and its
neighboring town, Central Point-and
there is where is grown "the apples
which have made Southern Oregon
famous. " The elevation of the valley
is from 1900 to 1900 feet above sea
level, the average rainfall about 80
inches, and water is from six to eight
feet below the surface. The tenn
perature sometimes falls from 10 to
IL degrees below freezing point dur
ing the winter, and in the summer
gets above 100 degrees. II was above
that mark portions of each day we
spent there, but the nights were very
pleasant. The heat seldom affects
the fruit or foliage, and at 100 degrees
is not so severe as lower degree of
temperature near the seashore We
we're taken over considerable por-
tion Of this district by Jos. dwell,
of dwell Bros, of Central Point,
and the description following OF
methods of handling fruit aud caring
for orchards is mainly taken from hi,
statements about the management Of
the extensive orchards owned by him
self and brothers. They have 100
acres in orchard at Central Point,
and they have young orchards al
points nearer Medford They have
handled nearly all of the export appl,
business Of Southern Oregon, ant
their pack is famous as a marke
leader in New York and Great Brit
ain. Their Snowy Butte" pack o.
Newtowns sold up TO as high as g. 81
per box in London last spring. anC
the quality Of their pack is a stand
ard which all apple handlers should
endeayer to attain.
The apple has been a leading frui
in Rogue river valley for the past /;
years, and the acreage planted to thi
fruit has been increased each year
and there is every indication that ia,
extension OF apple orchards will con
tinue. The pear ia prominent riva
Of the apple in this district, and fol
some time the planting Of pears ha
been in excess Of apples IL is esti
mated that at least 600 acres ar
planted TO apples in the Rogue riyel
valley, and say 5000 acres to pears
It is claimed that at least II, 600 acre
more are available for apples and pea
orchards. Tho leading varieties o
pears are the Winter Nelis Comice
Buerre bose and Bartlett. The apple
leaders are the Spitzenberg, NewtowI
PippiD, Jonathan, Ben Davis. Rec
Streak. Rome Beauty, Gravenstei;
and None Such. The last name,
variety finds a marke. at vladivostok
Siberia. Small lots Of other ysrieiie
are shipped TO China. The fanc!
Newtowns go to England ana th'
fancy spitzenbergs go TO New Yorl
and London. Tho medium apples o
these varieties and the mike
varieties are marketed In Portlsnl
aud San Francisco. Each OF tn
latter poiuts is looked upon az
dumping ground for what Easter