TTHE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1908.
13
VAST EMPIRE AWAITS THE IRRIGATOR
Though Oregon Already Has 600,000 Acres Under Ditch, Double Tha,t
. Area Can Be" Made Productive by Irrigation Plans of Government
Br rrank In White.
rITH an area approximating 600,000
acres of land under existing
ditches, owned by Individuals and
corporations, or Included In United States
reclamation projects or Carey act segre
gations completed or under construction,
Oregon is rapidly advancing to a high
rank among the Irrigation states of the
Union. According to the estimates of
authorities there is more than 1.000,000
acres and possibly as much as 1,500,000
acres of land lyiag East of the Cascades
that can be. brought under Irrigation at
a cost more than Justified by the produc
tive power 'of the land and which will be
gradually added to the highly profitable
areas of the state as soon as railroad
transportation is afforded.
Two Government projects, the Umatilla
and the Klamath, the first at the north
end of the state, near the Columbia
River, where transportation facilities are
afforded by both rail and water, and the
Klamath, an interstate project, with the
greater area In Oregon but a portion of
. the land to be reclaimed and watered
lying within the Stato of California, com
prise about 220,000 acres. The various
Carey act segregations approximate about
250.000 acres, of which the greater area is
In Crook County along the course of the
Deschutes River. The remainder of the
total Irrigated area of the state is
watered from canals built by private en
terprise or corporations formed by In
dividuals Interested locally and these are
chiefly in Umatilla. ( Baker, Wallowa,
Union, Crook, Klamath and Lake
counties.
In each of the counties named, together
with Grant, Harney, Wheeler, Morrow,
Gilliam and Wasco, are considerable dis
tricts with favorable topographic condi
tions and water supply that could be
utilized- with conservation for making
land of low value under natural con
ditions very valuable and fit for intensive
agriculture. Valleys and plains of these
counties upon which water will eventually
fce distributed through canals and laterals
are at altitudes varying from a few hun
dred feet above sea level to 40u0 feet, but
at murh lower elevation than hundreds
of thousands of acres of proline lands of
the Rocky Mountain states where irri
gation has been developed most scientif
ically and the results are entirely satis
factory. Where the mass of population, as in the
Pacific Northwest, lies near sea level
there is a predisposition to the -belief
that elevation proclaims impossibilities in
the growth of vegetables, fruits, grains,
grasses and vegetation, common to the
same latitudes throughout the world.
This is an erroneous conclusion as demon
strated by the marvelous yields and
variety of crops grown at high eleva
tions in Malheur, Klamath, Crook and
Lake counties.
At the National Irrigation Congress ex
hibit of Irrigated lands products at Sacra
mento, Call., September 2-7, last, Malheur
County won first prize on fruit In com
binatiqn with the display from Klamath
County, entered as the Oregon exhibit,
and Klamath County won first prizes on
wheat, oats, barley, forage and for the
best display from a single farm and the
best from a single garden. This was in
competition with exhibits from all of the
Irrigated states and with displays aggre
gating a valua of many thousands of
dollars.
From the enactment of the National
Irrigation act, under which the reclama
tion service operates, Oregon has been
the largest contributor to the fund
realized from the sale of public lands and
which constitutes the reclamation fund.
The state has therefore been awakened by
this fact and the projects approved within
the borders of the commonwealth, to a
realization of the Importance of develop
ment and its consequential benefits.
While the ratio of receipts for public land
sales have declined for a year or two as
compared with the previous years, Ore
gon still holds second place in the ag
gregate contribution to the fund.
The proposed Malheur project, designed
to bring more than 100.000 acres under
water, which was investigated and finally
abandoned by the reclamation service, it
Is deemed probable will be revived In time
and carried to successful consummation
by the Goverlnment Engineers. The Silver
Creek, Ana Creek, Chewaucan, Silver
Lake and Owyhee projects are also pros
pective enterprises that at the proper
time may be taken up by the service.
After prolonged negotiations between
the principals in the Carey act projects
and the state officials whose duty it is to
supervise such irrigation works and se
cure compliance with the law under which
such enterprises have been organized,
matters of difference and misunderstand
ing regarding the price to be charged for
water and paid by persons who acquire
the lands by homesteading, were adjusted
during 1907 and owing to increased cost
of labor and material the acreage price
within some of these projects has been
considerably Increased. Questions in
volved In the controversy and the prog
ress of the adjustment were fully cov
ered m the news columns of The Orego
nlan during the year. Within the past
month patents have been issued toy the
Government covering 38,000 acres of this
land.
In the Willamette, Umpqua and Rogue
River Valleys, where the annual rainfall
would seem to preclude any need for Ir
rigation, it has been demonstrated by
progressive farmers and fruitgrowers
that yield may be greatly augmented by
the application of water during the dry
period of the Summer and Fall seasons.
Many garden tracts and some hay and
alfalfa fields and a great many orchards
. of these valleys of Western Oregon are
watered from laterals brought from
streams that come from the slopes of the
Cascades, Calapooias or Coast Range
Mountains.
Doubtless the future will witness the
building of great works to. distribute wa
ter over acres that have annually grown
splendid cereal crops since the pioneers
first came to the Oregon country, but
under the magic of scientific application
of moisture during the dry season will re
spond with greater tonnage and better
quality, diversified in character, the soil
enriched by a silt making thee favored
regions more than ever before compara
ble with the fields of the Pharaohs.
Lying East of the Umatilla River and
south, of the Columbia, surrounding the
towns of Umatilla and Hermlston is the
region to' be quickened by the waters of
the Umatilla project. ' About 20,000 acres
In extent, the canal and distributing sys
tem is to be fed from t..e Cold Springs
reservoir, under construction by the Rec
lamation Service aid to be completed
early lu 1908. The reservoir is to be sup
plied by a canal 25 miles in length con
veying the water from the Umatilla River
at a point about three miles above Echo.
The feed canal has been constructed un
der contract, as bave portions of the dis
tributing system canals and laterals.
Larger areas may be embraced within the
Umatilla project, that having been con
templated from the advent of the Gov
ernment In that district. If so, the water
supply will be secured by pumping plants
operated by electric power.
The Klamath project was originally
planned to place water upon a total of
about 250,000 acres, including swamp lands
and lake beds of lower Klamath Lake,
Tule Lake and along the Klamath River.
The project is about one-fourth In Cali
fornia and three-fourths in Oregon, but
owing to the exclusion of certain por
tions of tha mmg lands the acrease,
will probably not be in excess of 200,000.
The first unit of the main canal was com
pleted in the Spring of 1907 and water
furnished through the new canal for the
acreage under irrigation previously from
the.Ankeny Canal, which the Government
had acquired by purchase.
Water was not in readiness as early as
necessary for the best results in irriga
tion, and incidents of first use of a new
canal system prevented fall irrigation of
the acreage already under cultivation.
However, the distributing system is now
completed and the canal In condition to
furnish water as desired for the 15.000
acres or thereabouts . that is included
under the first unit. The first unit was
constructed under contract, but owing
to inability to secure what were regarded
as satisfactory bids, the work done dur
ing 1907 was under force account, includ
ing laterals of the distribution system
and work on the Keno canal on the west
side of Link River at Klamath Falls.
The Klamath project Is unique among
Government Irrigation works, embrac
ing as it does the drainage of large areas
of swamp land, the soil of which is peat
and of such - extraordinary fertility that
when reclaimed It will be adapted to the
most intensive and profitable character
of crops.
The main source of supply for this vast
acreage Is taken from Link River, a mile
above the town of Klamath Falls, just
below the lower or southern end of Up
per Klamath Lake. Headgates of the
Main Canal and Keno Canal are located
on opposite sides of the stream. The
Main Canal Is a veritable river, measur
ing 44 feet wide on the bottom and 65
feet wide at the surface when flowing
full capacity. It skirts the eastern side
- ' - - - ' - v 'w i
aA-... rim,,, ift-n .,.s...-A.. .Jt ,..,... ....h-yA... .1 ,..,.i,'v' -a-, imr. n , -rmfotim , mntti ifnra Si i,,.t m k
COMBINED HARVESTER AT WORK IN W HEAT FIELD, MORROW CODNTT, OR. Photo by Slgsbee, Heppner. Or.
GROWS SUPERIOR GRAVENSTEINS
. - j : .
Coos Bay Country Becomes Producer of Early .
Apples Finds New Market in Alaska for Them
By Walter T,tn, Secretary of Manhfleld
Chamber of Commerce.
THB outside world has heard of the
Coos Bay harbor,' with its many mag
nificent timber and coal resources; but
little is known of dairying, fruit-growing,
market gardening and poultry pos
sibilities. To the present time, timber
and coal have overshadowed the other
resources in the public mind, but be
cause of these leading lndustrjes the
others are being developed and brought
into prominence. The mills, mines and
factories must be supplied with the
products of the soil and the growing
home market for the product of dairy,
orchard, garden and barnyard Is at
tracting attention to these resources.
The past year the Coos Bay apple and
the possibilities of that portion of Ore
gon lying west of the Coast Range
Mountains as an apple-growing dis
trict, attained considerable prominence.
In September the Marshfleld Chamber
of Commerce offered a prize for the
best box of apples grown In Coos
County. It was the Gravensteln ap
ple season and the collection of
Gravensteins the offer brought out was
astonishing. In passing, judgment.
Professor Lewis, horticulturalist of the
State Agricultural College, and Dr.
James Wlthycombe. In charge of the
Government experiment station at the
same school, who were selected as
Judges, declared: "The world cannot
beat the Coos exhibition of Graven
stein apples." The prize box, pro
nounced by all who saw It to be the
finest specimen of the Gravensteln var
iety ever shown, was purchased by P.
B. Walte. of Portland, for 20.
Until the past year, the Gravensteln
crop of Coos County has been. handled
exclusively by commission men from
San Francisco. Every Summer and
Fall It has been a race among repre
sentatives of San Francisco commission
houses to get into the field first and
engage all, or as near as possible alt
of the entire crop. It has not been to
the Interest of these commission .men
to spread the fame of the Coos Bay
Gravensteins and Invite competition,
for San Francisco furnishes a ready
market for. all this section produces
and the commission agents have been
able to fix tlielr own buying prices.
The past year growers realized 40
to 0 cents a box in the orchard for
their Gravensteins, a lower price than
Is likely to ever obtain again. The
fame of the Gravensteln has now gone
abroad and Inquiries now come from all
quarters about "that Fall apple of Coos
Bay, of rich yellow color with here
and there a dash of red." The past
year an Australian exporter discovered
the home of the Gravensteins that have
held first place in the San Francisco
market and through him 10,000 boxes
found their way into the markets of
Australia. Another waiting market for
the Coos Bay Gravensteln is Alaska.
This apple ripens at a time when there
is a dearth of apples on the market.
Alaska requires an apple that can be
shipped in during the Summer months,
and the gravensteln is that apple.
Other Summer and Fall, and also
Winter apples, thrive In Coos County.
The Spltzenbergs, Rubicons, Grimes
Golden, Baldwin, Newtown Pippin,
Starks, Northern Spy, Arkansas Black
and kindred varieties do 'well. In No
vember a display of 24 boxes of Fall
and .Winter apples grown - in Coos
of the basin, one branch passing through
Lost River Gap" to reach lnnds In Poe
Valley, and the main flow -be carried
under' Lost River by mean of an In
verted siphon, for placing the water on
lands in the Merrill section.
At Clear Lake, the head of Lost River,
will be built a storage reservoir which
will Impound flood waters that annually
inundate the swamp lands and flat areas
bordering Lost River In Langell Valley,
from which will be carried a canal
through Lost River Valley and Irrigate
the greater portion of the section tribu
tary to Bonanza- Lost River empties
Into Tule Lake,' a broad expanse of more
than 94,000 acres In extent at the north
ern side of the famous Modoc lava beds,
and having no visible outlet, until very
recently, when an underground opening
waa revealed by the forming of a whirl
pool near Scorpion Point. ,
At some time Lost River found its out
let through a channel that made It trib
utary to the Klamath River, but this
channel, now known as Lost River
Slough, has united the waters of the two
streams in recent years only during the
flood-period of the smaller stream. Part
of the engineering work contemplated in
completing the project la to make an
open drainage cut between Lost River
and Klamath through the old channel
of this slough, thereby diverting the flow
of the stream from Tule Lake, which
would be dried up by evaporation even
tually, and the greater part of the lake
bed reclaimed.
Whether or not the new opening
through which the lake is draining will
render unnecessary - this portion of the
projected reclamation remains to be- dis
closed by lapse of time.
County waa placed on exhibition In
Portland the week following a similar
exhibition from Hood River and the
Willamette Valley. The Judgment of
those who witnessed the display from
the. different districts was that the
Coos County apples were equal to any
shown.
Apple-growers familiar With condi
tions at Hood River, Wenatchee, Yak
ima Valley and the Willamette Valley,
and also conversant with conditions
here have no hesitancy in predicting
that the great apple producing section
of the country will lie along the Pa
effle Ooast of Oregon west of the Coast
Range Mountains. The climate Is
peculiarly adapted to fruit. Pe&ts that
are so destructive to orchards In other
districts, cannot flourish where the
evenings are cool and the breath from
the sea Is felt every day. There are no
Insects or worms that affect Coos
Bay apples. Of course, It is not ex
pected that the district will always be
entirely free from Insect enemies, as
fruit-raising Is engaged In more ex
tensively, nor can orcharding be fol
lowed successfully without attention
to preventative measures.
But apple-growers along the Coast
will never be subjected to the expense
of spraying and fighting that Is neces
sary In other sections. There has never
been a killing frost and the country
never saw snow enough to even amuse
the inhabitants. There are no .jack
rabbits in the Coos Bay country and
trees are never nibbled by these pests.
There Is never a failure of the apple
crop. The horticulturist needs only to
put his trees in the ground scientifi
cally, cultivate and prune properly, and
In a space 'pf five years they will yield
him good returns.
Trees grow rapidly in this soil and
climate and begin bearing at three
years old. The yield of a Gravensteln
tree ranges from 10 to 15 boxes. ' Al
lowing 13 boxes to the tree and 80
trees to the acre, yields a crop of (60
boxes. At CO. cents a box, the former
Cooa Bay price, ' brings la lnoome of
........... t
if.,.M ,,, ,j
- -feT'
THRESHING CREW IN EASTERN OREGON WHEAT FIELD. Photo by Slgsbee, Heppner, Or.
I..... .............. ...... ............... ...... 4
1576 an acre. But It Is not likely the
Gravensteins of Coos Bay will aver
again be sold at that low figure.
The lands within the area- tributary
to Coos Bay which are specially
adapted to fruit growing; Include many
thousand acres. Apples are grown on
either bottom or up-land. but the or
chardlst' who has given closest study
to apple-growing In this section pre
fers bench or upland. This land can be
had at (20 to $50 an acre, and the pre
diction that all the west slope of the
Coast Range mountains will ultimately
be covered with orchards. In harmony
with the economics of nature.
APPLES OF MOSIER
VALLEY UNEXCELLED
Even Hood River Orcbardists Ad
mit That Product of Nearby Dis
trict Equals Their Own.
By J. M. Hosier.
OSIER 1s the one place In Oregon
that raises apples equal to those
of Hood River, so says the Hood River
Glacier of November 14. The reason for
this is. apparent because M osier Valley la
only six miles east of Hood River and
has the same advantages of . soil and cli
mate which. In connection with the fact
that there Is a great quantity of Hood
River Valley fruit grown farther from
the shipping point than Mosler, accounts
for the similarity of the product. Tne
only difference, therefore, is In the plan
of shipping. .' '
So well has the fact become known that
Mosier apples 'are of exactly the same
quality as those produced at Hood River
they are no longer required to compete
with each other as 'to quality, but rank
together In competition with all others,
and there Is nothing that can be said
about one of these places regarding the
apple that will not apply to the other.
The growers also exercise the same
care as the Hood River orchardist ("per
haps following and profiting by his ex
perience) in pruning, spraying, cultivat
ing and thinning, methods are also Iden
tical in grading, sorting and packing. The
VALVE OF A FEW OREGON PROD
UCTS FOR 1807.
Lumber JO0.OOO.00O
Vheat. 18,300.000 bushels.. 15.355.000
Dairying- 16,000,000
Wool, 20,000,000 pounds. ... 3.KO0.00O
Fruit 4.275.185
Salmon . 2,081,700
Hops, 130,000 bales 1.924.000
Gold. 171,000 ounces., 2.855,700
Total
.115,891,585
Mosier Fruitgrowers' Association allo-vs
no man to pack his own apples, thus
eliminating the passible desire to put In
inferior fruit.. This is In accord wth
the Hood River method except the Mosier
association pays packers by the day in
stead of by the box thus obviating the
necessity of haste on the part of the
packer.
There are in the Mosier Valley 50,000
acres of land of which at least half could
be made to produce fancy fruit, not only
apples but all other fruits commonly
grown In this section. Cherries in parti
cular grow to the highest degree of per
fection. Of this amount of available
land for fruit culture only about 500 acres
are now set to trees although at present
a large acreage is being cleared, prepara
tory to tree planting.
There is at least one-third' of a bill'on
feet of pine and fir timber in this sec
tion which is only awaiting the sawmill
to toe converted Into lumber and fruit
boxes, a large amount of which will find
a ready market at home. Many cars of
building material and fruit boxes are
shipped in each year instead of being
manufactured here. -
The price of land In Mosier Valley is
not so high as to prohibit the man of
moderate means from acquiring suffi
cient to engage in fruit culture, the at
tractive industry which in the proper
locality, will always bring the greatest re
turns without fear of overproduction.
And now a word to those who desire to
engage in this profitable business, have
a care where you locate, overlook the
places just as good and choose that sec
tion of which there la no doubt of Its be
la the beet Hosier. .
CITY LEADS IN WHOLESALE TRADE
. Natural Advantages Make Portland the Distributive Center for the Entire
Pacific Northwest Jobbing Business of at Least $200,000,000 Annually
PORTLAND, Jt Is said, has the larg
est tributary territory ' of all
American cities. At Its gates lie
the entire state of Oregon and large
sections of Washington , and Idaho.
More remote, yet destined to play a
role of ever Increasing importance in
Its commercial growth, and Northern
California,' Montana. Alaska, Hawaii,
and that great market of limitless pos
sibilities, the Orient. A glance at the
.map makes it obvious that Portland
will become one of the great jobbing
centers of the United States and of the
world. Years ago were laid the foun
dations of the wholesale business, as
the surrounding country has developed
this trade has extended; to what vol
ume It ultimately may grow can only
now be conjectured. .
Nature made Portland the distribu
tive center of the great Pacific North
west. Its site is the one logical loca
tion for a metropolis within a radius
of hundreds of miles, and though other
prosperous cities in her territory are
sure to grow in population and trade,
Portland will always lead. With the
only water grade into the great Inland
Empire, and with the rich Willamette
Valley spreading southward from its
very 'doors, Portland's position is In
vulnerable. This city's fresh water
harbor and central location gives It In
comparable strategic advantages, and
when the channel to the sea Is deep
ened. It can meet all competitors for
the "Mastery of the Pacific."
Portland has made a point to tell of
Its' rapid growth. Its splendid scenery,
mild climate and other advantages, but
little has been said directly concerning
the extent of the wholesale buisness.
Tet this trade has grown rapidly to gi
gantic proportions. The volume of the
Jobbing trade is more difficult to esti
mate than any other, because - there
are no records, except the private
books of individual concerns. The ac
cepted estimate;, however, place Port
land's wholesale trade for the year
Just ended at $200,uu0,000. This is the
estimate of the Portland Commercial
Club, In which most of the jobbers are
enrolled as members, and It Is the esti
mate given by many Important whole
sale houses.
In order to obtain reliable informa
tion on the Jobbing trade of the city.
The Oregonian recently nailed a list
of questions concerning - the various
lines of business to a large number of
firms. The replies that have been re
ceived make a remarkable showing.
Not only is the volume of business
great, but it Is rapidly growing, and no
year has shown greater progress than
the one just ended.
The estimates given show that dry
goods, hardware and groceries lead,
each with annual sales amounting, to
115,000,000. These figures, it is be
lieved, are very conservative, and if
exact Information were at hand. It is
not unlikely that they would be higher.
Other estimates that have been re
ceived give the annual sales of various
lines as follows: Implements, $3,000,-"
000; vehicles, 13,000,000; drugs. $3,000,
000; shoes. $2,000,000; millinery,
$1,000,000.
Besides this, there Is a long list of
commodities. Including liquors, build
ing material, furniture and many other
lines for wnlcu no figures are avail
able. All the dealers report that 1907 was
by far the best for the jobbing trade In
the history of the city. . On the whole,
it Is shown that there was an average
over 190 of 20 to 30 per cent,' and in
several lines a still 'larger gain was
made. It Is probable that the average
advance would have been at least 30
per cent If it had not been for Jthe
general financial stringency toward
the close of the year and the. legal
holidays that considerably handicapped
trade.
Portland's main markets naturally
are In Oregon. Washington and Idaho,
1 but lejjte quaoUtlee of food are eent
to other states, and shipments to
Alaska and Hawaii are an appreciable
factor. The reports mentioned show
that the city is more strongly en
trenching Itself each year in the dls-
tant markets, and the growth of thle
trade is only limited by the extension
and improvement of transportation fa
cilities. .
The hf ad of one of the largest whole
sale firms In the city makes this re
sume of the needs of the trade:-
"Transportation facilities to districts
In which wholesale houses operate at
a disadvantage u?l reason of our dis
tance from such districts.' as, for in
stance, Puget Sound country, could be
Improved if Portland Jobbers would all
work the trade thoroughly, increasing
the volume of business sufficiently to
justify, and then insist on, and pro
cure, from the railroad companies
through car service; through cars
loaded full each day at Portland and
go to such remote districts without
stopping, thus, giving quicker delivery.
"Portland jobbers should have addi
tional or more Improved transportation
facilities as- follows:
"A more direct line into the Taklma
country, without going via the Sound,
either by going up the Cowlitx River
and across, or going up the White Sal
mon, skirting the base of Mount Adams
and down some stream on the other
side. By extension of tne Yakima,
Vancouver and Klickitat railroad, or
the Columbia River & Northern. We
lie as close to the Yakima country as
the Sound and there Is no reason why
we should not get up there more eas
ily than we do.
"Improved and more direct transpor
tation facilities Into the Big Bend coun
try. Tills will probably follow the com
pletion of the North Bank railroad, as
without question, the Northern Pa
cific or the Great Northern will sooner
or later, and we think very soon, find It
to its interest to build from some point
on the main line on the Northern Pa
cific, north of Pasco, directly north into
the Big Bend country, pulling wheat
out of that country down hill to the Co
lumbia, and down the Columbia to Port
land, and at the same time putting
us in a position, by reason of a more
direct grade and better route, to com
pete for the jobbing trade.
"Opening up of the Central Oregon
country, and more particularly do we
need at this time, such a line as the
Harrinian - interests have talked of,
starting from, say Natron, going south
east across the mountains into the
Klamath country, with a line extended
across the state east and west, with a
spur down Into the Lakevlew district.
Such a line Is more essential at this
PRUNES FOR THE
Big, Juicy Italian Variety
Oregon The Dried Fruit
By H. C. AtwelL
THE dried prune output of ' the
United States Is confined exclus
ively to the Pacific Coast Cali
fornia's production' of this fruit is lim
ited to the French, or Petite, variety,
which Is a email, red, sweet prune, and
Is dried In the sun.
The Willamette Valley, in Oregon,
and Clark County, Washington, fur
nish the bulk of the Italian prunes,
which are larger than the Petite, black
and of a tart flavor, and are dried by
artificial heat.
A considerable quantity of Italians
are raised In Idaho and a few in East
ern Oregon and Eastern Washington,
but are mostly shipped green.
It is estimated that Clark County
produced this season 6,000,000 or
6,000,000 pounds, and the output of
Oregon Is placed at 25,000,000 pounds,
of which Marlon County is credited
with 7,000,000 pounds, Douglas County
5,000,000 pounds, Yamhill County 4,00,
000 pounds, Clackamas County 2,000,000
pounds. Lane County 1,800,000 pounds.
Polk County 1,500,000 pounds, Linn
County 1,200,000 pounds, and Washing
ton County 700,000 pounds.
Thus it will be seen that the most of
the world's supply of this fruit, in the
dried form, comes from the compara
tively small district extending from
Roseburg, Or., to Vancouver, Wash. I
say the world's supply, because so few
of this variety are produced In Europe
.that practically all the competition
from prunes encountered by our evap
orated Italians, in the old countries, as
well as In the United States, comes
from the Petites.
The comparatively limited area
which has proved congenial to the
growth of the Italian prune is an im
portant factor In predicting a prosper
ous future for the prune industry Of
the Willamette Valley.
The Italian is so unlike the Petite
In flavor and appearance that It stands
in a class by Itself. It has -been com
pelled to establish a place in the mar
kets as a distinct fruit. Prior to the
last decade. Its identity was lost. In
the market quotations, under the gen
eral term of "prunes," and dealers
looked upon It with disfavor and an
unwarranted and unpromising Innova
tion, the only standard for prunes be
ing the Petite.
Consumers who were tired of the in
sipid little combination of pit and skin
presented In the Petites usually served
at cheap boarding-houses, were loath
to believe that there was any differ
ence in prunes.
: la late years, however, the popu
larity of the Italian prune has grown
immensely. The public has become
educated to the fact that there la a
difference In prunes, and the wide
spread demand for thle variety hai
- time than a line Into Central Oregon
that would lie north of this route, for
the reason that - the trade of tho
Klamath and Lake regions, because of
th.e Harrlman Interests pushing lines
north will soon be absolutely tributary
to San Francisco and California jobbing
centers, unless access is given from
this srde.
"There is no end of room for elabor
ation on this matter of Improved trans
portation facilities, including the deep
ening of our bar; establishment of
trana-Paclflc line oi steamers; Alaskan
line; completion of the Celilo canal:
direct steamers, with Tehauntepec and
Hawaii. The establishing of a line from
the Pacific Coast of Tehauntepec, along
the west coast of South America would
admit of our catering to that trade
with many of our products by simply
one transfer at the Isthmus."
Undoubtedly a large portion of the
Alaskan trade would be gained by
Portland If direct service were insti
tuted, according to the opinion of many
Jobbers. "Portland can secure a very
large part of the Alaska trade." says
one, "if the merchants will go at It In
a systematic' manner, by covering the
territory with experienced travelers
who need not expect to get all the bcsl
ness the first trip. Jobbing and manu
facturing business is built up by hard,
persistent work."
At present the Alaska business la an
Important factor In many lines and
there is no question but- that it can be
increased.
Without, exception. Jobbers urge the
necessity of a line into Central Oregon.
This rich territory will become one of
Portland's great markets when it is
opened up, and a line from the north
Into the Klamath country la imperative
If Portland is to hold her own with
San Francisco. Portland-la now com
peting with San Francisco for- the
Southern Oregon and Northern Califor
nia trade and merchants feel confident
that this city's share will grow.
Although Portland has many old
wholesale houses, a very great pro
portion of the business has originated
within the last few years. In many
lines the business originating within
the past ten years amounts to an In
crease from 100 to 300 per cent, ac
cording to the Information furnished
by the business men themselves. In
some lines It has exceeded this and In
several departments the entire trade
has developed during this period.
The Jobbing shoe trade, for lnstace,
now amounting to $2,000,000 a year, had
no headquarters whatever here, ten
years ago. This rapid development only
shows what may be expected in the
future.
ENTIRE WORLD
Reaches Perfection in
Staple in All Markets
Insured It a regular place In the mar
ket quotations.
It Is known to the trade as the Ore
gon prune, while the Betlte is classed
as the California prune.
The prune, even at the high price
prevailing at this season. Is a cheap
article of diet, as compared with other
fruits, whether dried or fresh.
' Leading medical and scientific au
thorities have demonstrated its dietary
value; and, now that its liberal con
sumption has been found to be a sure
cure for baldness, we may expect a
marked Increase in Its use. '
The production of this fruit has not
been overdone. Few additional prunw
orchards have ybeen planted In recent
years, owing, probably, to the consid
erable outlay, of capital required for
evaporators and machinery, and to the
fact that thes expense of harvesting -and
curing is considerably larger than
in the production of other fruits.
The bulk of our product Is consumed
in the United States, north of Mason
and Dixon's line. Chicago, Boston,
Philadelphia, and New York are the
principal distributing centers, the lat
ter city being largely In the lead, and
being the center o the export trade,
which is rapidly expanding. Most of
the output Is packed in 25 and. 50
pound boxes by the packing-houses of
Portland, Vancouver, Salem and Al
bany. The packers have paid, this season,
an average price of over 5 cents a
pound f. o. b. local station, and not over
20 or . 30 cars remain in growers'
hands.
An encouraging feature of the mar
ket this year, aside from the satisfac
tory price to growers, was the fact
that, although the crop was lighter, the
shipments East up to November 1 were
double those of last year.
A mature and thrifty orchard, under
proper management, should net its
owner from $100 to $150 an acre.
ENGLISH WALNUTS
THRIVE IK OREGON
Iadtutry V St"1 ,n Its Infancy btnt
Gives Promise of Becoming Im
portant and Profitable.
it MONO Oregon's industries that are
as yet in their Infancy, but which
promises much for the future, is the crl
ture of English walnuts. Only during
the past few years has walnut growing
commanded wide attention In this state.
So encouraging have the results been up
to this time, however, that numerous
groves have been set out and the. public
Is beginning to realize that walnuts will
probably become one of the state's Im
portant and remunerative products.
So young Is this Industry that there are
comparatively few matured plantings In
the state. From such trees that have
grown to bearing, those who are making
a, study of their cultivation believe that
the .walnut in Oregon will be a complete
success. In some cases matured trees
have failed to produce the crops expected,
but it Is believed that this has been due
to the planting of Inferior varieties, poor
cultivation and the selection of soil not
suited to the walnut.
The walnut groves of Thomas Prince
at Dundee are. the largest in the state.
Mr. Prince planted 350 trees In 1897, and
2000 trees the following year. From these'
he harvested last year between four and
five tons of nuts. He has had great suc
cess with his groves and has been import
ing large quantities of seed nuts for hit
plantiirgs. Other planters have hail
equally encouraging results and the
groves will be carefully watched from
yeaV to year as the ultimate fate of the
Industry depends on the bearing capacity
of the fully-matured trees.
Walnuts grown in Oregon are of un
usual size and of excellent quality. At
first the California walnuts were taken
for seeding purposes, but developments
indicate this was a mistake, and rr iw ;
are now importing the more vigorr -s
French varieties. Among the varieties
that promise most here are Mayette, Mcy
lan, Franquette, Parlslenne, Chaberte and
Parry.
Profits from walnuts are large after
the trees come Into full bearing. The
market Is constantly becoming better, . r
the consumption of nuts In 'the United
States la etKrwln a, rapid Increase.