The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-10-26
BROCCOLI SOUTHERN
OREGON INDUSTRY
lBy A. D. Noel

Among the many pleasant and beau
tiful sections in Oregon is the Upmqua
Valley, of which Rosebufg is the me
tropolis. In attending the meeting Of
the Grand Commandery at that place
we were royalty entertained, and the
next day were guests OF K. II. Q.
Wood, formerly manager OF the tele-
phone exchange here, but who was
transferred to Roseburg about 10 years
ago. A couple of years later he was
sent to The Dalles, but was so we'll
pleased with Roseburg that he re-
signed the telephone job and returned
there IL years ago to enter business.
Two wears ago he bought an 80-acre
ranch on the banks of the Umpqua, 10
miles from Roseburg, in the section
known as Garden Valley. de has 30
acres in bearing orchard, and this year
is packing about 5000 boxes, mostly
Spitzenburgs and Newtowns. The or
chard is in prime condition and he is
we'll pleased with the prospects. In
fact. he has disposed of his business
and will move out to the ranch next
year.
Mr.. Wood has had considerable ex
perience in the fruit business. having
D6en manager luz oCFSto a SOoAo SA 4"
fruit association at Roseburg.
Roseburg probably grows greater
variety of crops commercially than any
other section of Oregon. This year
that section harvested Is, 900, 600 pounds
of prunes. The apple crop will amount
to about 2l0 cars, while walnuts and
filberts are a good paying crop, and we
look to Roseburg for our supply Of tur-
keys for the holiday trade.
A new industry that is attracting a
good deal of attention is the growing
of a late winter variety of cauliflower,
called broccoli. Roseburg is the far
thest north that broccoli can be sue
cessfully grown, and comes to market
after the California product is gone.
1t takes an entire year to grow and
mature the crop. The seed is planted
in April, then transplanted a month
later, the plants being placed about
three feet apart. No irrigation is
necessary, and no pests have to be
fought. After cultivation during the
summer months it attains its growth
by the beginning of winter 1t then
lies partially dormant, until about
February, when it starts to head, and
is fully matured and harvested about
March /. 1t is packed in crates and
sent to eastern markets in refrigerator
cars, finding a ready sale at an aver
age return of ST. per crate, f. 0. b.
Roseburg. The crop will average about
300 crates per acre. The net profit is
500 to $3.50 per acre. There are about
100 acres planted to this vegetable
near Roseburg and about 300 acres in
the county. 1t is estimated that there
will be 200 cars shipped next year.
The distribution is being made very
widely to create a market, being
shipped to many different sections Of
the east, and it is expected that this
crop will be one of the important OF
the many varied industries of Roseburg.
Garden Valley, now well developed
with fine farms, with wide diversity
of crops, not many years ago was prac-
tically waste land, or used as range
for stock. Land was worth but $40 an
acre. The building of the Pacific High
way has done much to develop that
section. and system of paved market
roads is now under way.
The Roseburg Valley has a rainfall
similar to ours, with an elevation OF
around 500 feet. The climate is very
good, without extreme heat in summer
and seldom showing in winter.