Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-07-20

likely that il the Southern Pacific puts
into effect this new rule that the
melon industry will be given up in
Rogue River Valley until such time
as the towns north are large enough to
take car lots and not be supplied by
reshipments from Portland, and there
is Union to handle the melons and
find out who are reliable dealers and
consign only to them
Mr.. Hinshaw found a more en-
oouraging outlook for the hop indus
try. The most Of the yards inspected
were in splendid condition, the big
Ranzau yard being exceptionally fine
and will produce over 100, 900 pounds.
The prospect for better price than
the starvation rate Of last year is the
expectation Of the growers who th.nk
that they will get at least 10 cents a
pounds for their hops. Owing to
several yards having been dug up and
others not cultivated but indi ifferently,
the yield Of hops for Rogue River
Valley will be from 20 to 25 per
ent less than last year. The yards
though that have been we'll cared for
will have a large yield and a better
quality than last year..
The fruit industry impressed Mr..
Hinshaw as the one that would be the
chief wealth producer for Rogue River
Valley and he anticipates that the
time will be not distant that instead
of making shipments by car loads as
now that whole trains OF fruit cars
will be sent from Rogue River Valley
to the East. Mr.. Hinshaw was shown
through the Eismann orchard by f.
d. Eismann, one Of the owners and
president of the Grants Pass Fruit
Growers Union and he declared it
quite equal in the care OF cultiva-
tion. pruning, thinning and fine ap-
pearance of the fruit to the best
Hood River orchards. So thorough
has the spraying been done that Mr..
Eismann estimates that of their l2, 900
boxes of fruit that 95 per cent will
grade as strictly rst-class. The trees
in this orchard look to a layman as
though they would not yield half a
crop for instead of limbs breaking
and trees bending under the excess
i've load of fruit as seen in the average
farmers orchard, these trees show no
weight of fruit. From 80 to so per
cent of the young apples were picked
off aud the ground about the trees
was yet literally covered with
picked off apples. The trees were
gone over the third time in the thin
ming operation and now the fruit
averages about six inches apart and
so thoroughly were they .,culled that
the apples are Of surprising uni.
formty of size, they hardly varyi ing
an eighth Of an inch in diameter. and
none at picking time will run undel
four.tier. Another we'll cared fol
orchard is that Of r. A. N. Reymerl
and it was found q close second to the
Eismann orchard in the fine quality
Of fruit it bid fair to produce.
The result of the l4-mile ride
through one of the fine farming sec.
tions Of Josephine with the magnifi.
oient view that was had of the broad
expanse of the famous Rogue River
Valley brought revelation to Mr..
Hinshaw, who having only heard Of
the mineral wealth of this district
and only seen the country from the
car windows, drew the inference that
mines, scenery and climate were the
chief resources of the Valley. The
splendid orchards, and hop yards, the
fine fields OF melons, grain, potstoes
and other crops and the broad alfalfa
meadows that Mr.. Hinshaw saw were
proof that Josephine county has ag-
ricultural resources that will make il
one of the wealthy counties of the
state. The large amount of land,
both bottom and hill. that was lying
idle yet had every appearance of being
productive soil convinced Mr.. Hin.
shaw that there was room in Rogue
River Valley for thousands of settlers
to make for themselves comfortable
homes and lnvalnn nrnfitahl farms