Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-29
ROADSIDE IMPRESSIONS.
Hills I'm Eastern Polk Are Becoming
One Vast Orchard Of Apples,
Peaches and Cherries.

Salem, one sees for miles on either
hand acre upon acre of broad, we'll
cultivated orchards, promising hop
yards, and the nodding seas of ripen-
ling grain.
Scarcely a farm is found which
does not have few acres planted in
fruit, and from all indications the in
dustry Of fruit farming is destined
to supplant the growing of grain
in this district Hopyards of course
will continue along the rich strips of
bottom land, but decade perhaps
will see cherries, apples and pears
reigning supreme along the curved
hanks of the Eola hills.
John Walling of Lincoln, Gilbert
& Patterson, G.. II. Crawford and
others prefer the culture of hops to
that of fruit, and a glance at their
well-cultivated yards shows how
carefully they have followed the line
Of their choice. Mr.. Walling has 40
acres Of fine hops planted in the rich
land lying just within the elbow of
the Willamette river at Lincoln. Gill
bert & Patterson have also 40 acres,
and Mr.. Crawford has 23 acres,
Other and smaller yards are in evil
dence at various places, all we'll kept
and for the greater part trellised in
an up-to-date manner. The hardy
vigorous growth of these hops prom
ises we'll for the harvest in Septem-
! ber
The wheat fields do not extend far
from the road this season, and many
places back on the hills are vacant
where always before were large
fields OF grain. The farmers, how
ever, are congratulating themselves
that they are no deeper in wheat, for
labor Is so hard TO obtain this year
that grave doubts are entertained as
to the possibility of getting n sufi-
Client number OF threshing crews 10
care for the grain they have.
Most of the farmers give their at
tentlon to cherries and other small
fruits, merely raising enough apples
and pears for their own use, but tho
/ Wallace farm Is n notable exception
TO this rule. This Is the largest or
chard In eastern Polk county and
consists almost entirely OF apples and
pears. II Is managed by c. A. Parks
, OF Salem. Last year their apple crop
was sold for S2.75 a box, and they
are hoping TO do even better with
this years fruit. The pears promise
an excellent yield, and are, in fact,
the only really good crop of that
fruit in eastern Polk. Others grow
ers of pears expect to have better
fortune next year by more assiduous
cultivation and care Of their trees.
Jackson Puryine deals almost ex-
Iciusively In the Phenomenal berry.
which, Il Is claimed by the growers
of that locality, Is destined TO crowd
the Loganberry OF the market, by
reason of It's greater adaptability TO
commercial uses.
ID. X. Ruble has great success In
the management OF an 11-acre farm
on which he produces various small
fruits and reaps yearly a fair profit
from their sale.
j, II, Shepard, although raising
other fruits, has had the most success
with his cherries The specimens OF
Bings and Lamberts which he took
TO the Salem cherry fair won him one
cup and three diplomas. Mr. shep-
ard will enlarge the size of his cherry
orchard and will undoubtedly have
even greater success than heretofore.
Noticeable as type of the wonder
ful productiyeness of the soil in these
hills, Is the crop OF cherries picked
this year by ID. c. Henry. From a
small orchard of 100 trees, he gath
cred something over $4,000 pounds.
Al the rates paid for cherries by the
Salem eannery, this crop must have
netted him between $500 and 5000.
Among those who have lately set
out cherries are w. ]. Crawford and
G. A. Mckinley, Mr.. Crawford clear
ed a goodly sum from the sale OF the
fruit produced by so trees that he
lately set out 1000 more of the Bing
and Lambert varieties.
Mr., Mckinley has an orchard OF
$50 small trees, which will be bear |
ing inside of two years. The favorite |
cherry among the people Of this local. |
lty seems TO be. not the famous
Royal Anne, but the Blng and the |
both of which are undoubt- |
adly prize winners.
A. A. Roy has not engaged IN /