Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-09-24
Experts Agree
New Pruae Has
Bright Future

At banquet given in the Hotel
Marion yesterday afternoon by An.
drew Vercler, after tour Of in.
spection of his prune orchard IN
Polk county it seemed to be the uni
versal opinion of expert ptune men
that Mr.. Vercler has Developed a
prune superior to anything yet in
troduced in Oregon.
The fruit is known as the New
Oregon prune and is something
similar to the petite variety except
that it is larger and more uniform
in size than either the petite or
italian prunes. For several years
Mr.. Vercler has been developing
this variety, but said little of it.
Long since satisfied in his own
mind that it was a success. ne was
determined to give 1T thorough
test before he introduced it, and
this year he has reached point In
the industry where he is more firm
ly convinced than ever before rnat
it is superior to any prune grown in
the state. The trees are larger and
stronger, it is learned from the sew
eral years of development, the va
riety is larger than the italian
prune, and 1t contains more sugar.
AS prune for drying it has been
a success, said Mr.. Vercler, it show
ing 20 out of so pounds last year:
Prune men, who visited the orchard
yesterday forenoon, made note of
the few fallen prunes under these
trees as compared to the italian
prunes growing in the same orchard
and under the same conditions.
The New Oregon prune was de-
vcloped from Seeding found on
Mr.. Verclers farm a number of
years ago, and it Is said to be a
cross between the French and Itai-
ian prunes. From this beginning
he has developed great orchard.
each year adding little. So far as
known Mr.. Vercler is the only one
growing this variety of fruit.
M. Mcdonald, of the Orenco
Nursery companyS who is regarded
as authority on the subject or
prunes, stated that he had been
watching the development Of the
New oregon for rive or six years,
and each year has become more
convinced of its value as a CONNER
cial prune. He says it has a great
many advantages over the Italian
prune SO commonly grown in the
willamette valley, and the one great
he says, lies in the fact
that it does not crack by dampness
nearly as much as the Italian
prune. Having stronger stem IL
retains its position on the trees un-
til fully developed. Mr.. Mcdonald
is here with Mr.. MCGEE, also or the
Orenco Nursery, hoping to make
to handle the stoch'
and as Mr.. Vercler has the New
fully developed it is prob
able that the stock will be put on
the market this year.
After the luncheon at the Hotei
Marion a number of prune experts
expressed themselves well pleased
with the developments SO tar
achieved, and a vote of thanks was
,erdered Mr.. yercler for his KIND
and entertainment n
Quite candidly Salem will admit
in the accomplishments
hat have been made in the devei-l J
,nment of this New oregon prune
" Mr.. vercler. but all who were /
ortunate to view the orchard
where the variety was developed
Iesire TO sc 1t progress in other sec
ions Of the state. And there was
strong spirit Of enthusiasm mani
ested at the meeting yesterday 70
e the New oregon prune grown
throughout the country, as it Is oe-
eyed to be the greatest CONNER
ial Drune yet produced