those having in mind the growing of these berries must not overlook the fact that there is no ready-made market for them and that this end of the business will require the most careful attention to make the business profitable.

A. C. GOODRICH,

Commissioner for First District.

REPORTS OF CHAS. A. PARK

Commissioner for the Second District.

APRIL MEETING, 1911.

SALEM, OREGON, April 8, 1911.

The past

To the Honorable the State Board of Horticulture: Never before has the outlook for the horticulture conditions of the second district been so promising. winter has been extremely favorable for all fruits, although within the past week there has been frost on several nights, but I have not learned that any damage has been done. Some of the early fruits are now in bloom, while the later fruits are still in bud.

The past winter and spring have been exceedingly favorable for all necessary orchard work. The pruning, cultivating and winter spraying have been done and there has been a general cleaning up of all orchards, which is the result of a more earnest interest existing among the fruit-growers. Much spraying was done last fall to control the anthracnose on the apple trees, and some recent experiments have been carried on to determine the comparative merits between the limesulphur spray and the Bordeaux spray, with the result that the Bordeaux spray appeared to be more effective for controlling the anthracnose. In one instance both of these sprays. were separately applied while the apples were on the trees. The spray in each instance adhered to the fruit rather tenaciously, but did no damage. In some instances the fruit was slightly mottled, but this was no detriment to its appear

ance.

Last year there was a considerable loss of fruit by reason of the bud moth. It is too early vet to tell whether or not the bud moth will make its appearance this season. The bud moth can probably be controlled by adding two pounds of arsenate

of lead to each 50 gallons of lime and sulphur spray when the spray is applied first for scab.

The county fruit inspectors in the various counties have been actively engaged in the general work of cleaning up, and these inspectors are to be commended for the success they have achieved in this general work.

Many new people are coming into the Willamette Valley for the purpose of engaging in the fruit business, and it is safe to prophesy that this part of Oregon will soon be the place where the larger part of the apples of the northwest will be raised.

CHAS. A. PARK,

Commissioner of Second District.

APRIL MEETING, 1912.

SALEM, OREGON, April 6, 1912.

To the Honorable the State Board of Horticulture:

It is my pleasure to report to you that the prospects for fruits for the coming year were never better in the Willamette Valley than they are today. The winter has been mild and the spring retarded so that the very best conditions for fruits of all kinds is our lot. Today the peaches, pears and prunes and some varieties of apples are all in bloom.

We have good, faithful county fruit inspectors in each of the counties in this district, and in some of the counties the county courts have seen fit to appoint two county inspectors. They have been kept busy in waiting upon the people who are seeking information as to the best methods of caring for their orchards so as to produce the best of fruits.

The nursery stock in this district has been carefully inspected. It has been the policy of all the inspectors to inspect each and every bundle and parcel of nursery stock that is shipped from this district, and to also carefully scrutinize all shipments of nursery stock that have come into this district from outside of the State.

I also wish to state that the county courts, who a few years ago seemed to think it economy to have the county inspectors hold back on the work on account of the expense of maintaining the office, today are urging the inspectors to greater effort in cleaning up neglected and menacing orchards.

The new orchards that have been planted so far are being well cared for, and other large tracts are being set out. The fancy price received for prunes, pears and loganberries has

stimulated the setting out of these varieties of fruits. The loganberry is a heavy producer in this section, and the fruit dried has found an appreciative market, so that today all the loganberries that will be handled this year through the local fruit union of Marion County have been sold. The loganberry may be a great blessing to us, since it comes into bearing so soon and will probably stimulate the planting of smaller fruits, which give labor to a large number of people and bring in excellent returns per acre.

The spraying of the orchards is becoming much more general, but the problem of spraying is still one for study. The lime and sulphur spray has been very effective in eradicating the San Jose scale, and it is now being used with very good results in combating the scab on the apples and pears. Most excellent results have been obtained from spraying apples and pears in the spring of the year for scab, three applications being used-one as late as you can before the petals open, the second as soon as you can after the petals fall, and the third from ten days to two weeks from the time of the second application. Various strengths of this spray have been used. We have had very excellent results in using the strength of one to thirty.

The Bordeaux spray appears to give the best results in treating for anthracnose. The early fall rains during the past few years have favored the spread of this fungus trouble before the spray could be applied. Some orchards have been sprayed with Bordeaux spray while the fruit was still on the trees with no ill effects to the fruits and with very good results as to the control of the disease. Where the spray has been applied while the apples are still on the trees it has been necessary to wipe the fruit with cloths which has added somewhat to the expense of the harvest. If any orchard is seriously infected with anthracnose it is far better to spray just after the first rains have commenced in the fall of the year, even if the fruit is still on the trees, and then to follow it up with the second spray in October or November.

The bud moth made an appearance one spring and did considerable damage to the pear and prune crops, but by adding two pounds of arsenate of lead to 50 gallons of lime and sulphur spray in making the first application of the spray for scab this pest has been completely controlled.

We are glad to say that many of the troubles incident to fruit-raising have been controlled, and the profits arising from scientific care of orchards are rapidly making the fruitgrowers independent.

CIAS. A. PARK, Commissioner of Second District.