The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-02-14
A REVIEW OF
YEAR'S1NORK
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER WEBER
Hood River Leads in Increase and
IN Value Of Its
Fruit.

1Hc Ddii~s, OTebOu, bcC. Il, tOuU
To the Honorable State Board OF Hor
ticulture: ,
Great is our natural scenery; there
10 the famous trip down the CoIum.
bis, rivaiing, il not surprising ia
scenic beauty, the Hudson or the
Rhine. The Cascades, with its snow
capped peaks are unriyaled.
But better than all the grandeur OF
scenery, is our fertile soil and equa
BILE climate, SO admirably adapted to
fruit culture.
1t would be difficult to choose a
better place for engaging in the fruit
business than Oregon. Its productive
valleys and fertile plateaus appear
by nature to have been designed for
fruit culture; here all varieties adapt
cd to tine temperate zone reach
their greatest perfection. As result
fruit growing Is making more rapid
strides than any other industry, und
at no distant date it's commercial val
ue will equal, II not surpass, that Of
any other product, Unequalled in
quality, our fruit commands top
prices, and is In great demand in all
the leading markets Of the eastern
states and Europe, where an eve in
creasing consumption readily absorhs
all We are able to produce.
Hood River Is q splendid example
Of what Can be accomplished by sys-
tematic and thorough work, and 1t
would be we'll for other sections to
emulate the work of her people, who
are today producing fruit Of a quality
unsui passed anywhere, and their re-
ward is, higher prices and better net
return with a greater demand for
their product than can be shown else
where In the state.
The several "articles'' by experts
In their respective lines, herewith
should prove interesting
and profitable aiding to old fruit
growers as well as beginners, and show
how, from MI insignificant beginning
not many years ago, the people OF
Hood River, by thrift and constant
have made their product
famous the world over. They are an
aud unselfish class, being
ready to impart to others the knowl.
edge by which they gained their
In q veiy able ani most compre-
hensive paper, Prof. O. ID. Thompson
describes the strawberry industry
from Its very incipiency to its ries-
ent splendid IN ,gnitude. Mr.. q. k.
Castner, county fruit inspector Of
Wasco county, tells in his paper
how they raise the magnificent speci
men of Spitzenberg and Yellow New
town Pippin that have made Hood
River famous. Mr.. q ID. Woodworth,
Who is an authority on the subject,
fully describes how an extensive cher
ry orchard Is conducted in Hood Riv
or and his article should be carefully
read by those who contemplate going
into the cherry business for CONNER
ciaI purposes
What has been accomplished so sue.
by Hood River people cen be
done elsewhere with perseverance and
systemetic work. All soils are not
adapted to apple culture, but this need
not be detriment, as cherries,
peaches, apricots, pears, grapes, and
other small fruits can be grown very
on the right kind of soil.
The Dslles growers are displaying
greater energy than ever before, and
much planting Of young orchards IL
In evidence. Cherries, however, seem
TO be much In the lead, and large or
chards of the valuable fruit will be
set out during the ensuing planting
season; 35, 600 tre q appears at this
time a conservative figure Of the
number that will be planted, though
this may be exceeded by several
thousand II nurseries can supply the
stock.
With the already large acreage In
cherries In the vicinity, her claim to
The title of the CHERRY City" does
not appear to be misplaced.
Large planting OF peaches, apricots,
pears and grapes will also be made,,
and many of the old and neglected
orchards are being renovated and
brought into state OF productive
ness.
The Mosier community has passed
a prosperous season, and
shows record Of bumrer crop, and d
rapidly increasing acreage in or
chards, many thousands of trees are
being planted, consisting mostly Of
apples and cherries.
Spraying is, at the present time,
one of the principal requisites to
fruit culture, a fact of which every
fruit grower 10 fully aware, and that
regular and systematic spraying 10
practiced Is demonstrated by the
largely increased quantity Of clean
fruit being put upon the markets.
The San Jose scale has become so
generally distributed in all fruit
growing sections that most growers
have become acquainted with it's de.
structive effects. 1t attacks all kinds
of fruit trees, and may be found In
many instances on native trees, es-
pecially on willows along creek bot
toms adjacent to orchards; even pine
trees are infested with this most In.
satiable of all insects. When present
on bearing trees, 1t always attacks the
fruit, causing conspicuous rcd blotch
es. 1t has lost many OF its former
terrors. however, as it Is not difficult
to control, and even eradicate this
pest from the orchard entirely by us.
Ing the sulphur and lime spray, prop.
erly prepared and thoroughly applied
during the dormant season.
Arsenate of lead has become recog
nized as the leading remedy for com.
batting Goblin moth. Several vel
known brands of equal effectiveness,
are now upon the market. The first
spraying for this insect should be ap
piled after the blossoms have fallen,
and before the calyx cups have closed
This first sprayi. g is by far the most
important, and should be applied
with much force and without stint o.
material, using coarse spray unit
the trees and fruit are kthoronghly
drenched, The second spraying
should be given two weeks after tht
first, In a fine mist, with as much
pressure behind the pump as posi-
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