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WALNUTS
New Industry Promises Much, and
By Profsor r. Orno Ajricul-
turml College.
DURING the last frw years walnut
Kronir.c has passed throuirh a won
derful development in the Paciflc
Northwest, and this development haa
been the greatest In the Willamette Val
ley in W'eMtern Orenon. while Yamhill
County is probably' the banner county.
Nevertheless every county in the Valley
ha the condition that will make the
growing- of this very valuable nut highly
aucressfu!. '
Southern Oreson is giving some atten
tion to this industry, and today bearin)?
trees are to be found in every city and
villa" from Ashland to Portland. Un
doubtedly there are thousands of acres
of ideal walnut land to be found in West
ern Oregon, extending from an elevation
of Joflft feet on the slopes of the Cascades
to sea level. An yet the regions east of
the Cascade Mountains have not de
veloped walnut srowlng; to any reat ex
tent, while much of the resion is not
adapted to this industry. Nevertheless
the rich, fertile valleys offer an inviting
field for experiment. Although the acre
age of bearing trees is yet small, the new
plantings that .will soon be in bearing
amount to many thousand acres and the
Willamette Valley alone will see the
plantir? of joo acres to walnuts during
the present year.
To the person who contemplates engag
ing in this industry there is one point
that must be understood at the very out
set, and that is that there are two strains
of walnuts. The first is often known as
the soft-shell type, and Is grown suc
cessfully In Southern California In some
of the coast counties. It is of Spanish
origin and does not succeed In the Pacific
Northwest. When planted in the North.
It comes into bloom an early as February
or March and Is caught by frosts. The
second strain is generally known as the
French type, and nearly all the varielies
have been imported from Kranie. The
center of French industry is at Grenoble
and here the nut k grown very success
fully, even to an elevation of feet,
quite near the snow line. Here this nut
has battled with the elements, and tiie
result Wi a hardy, late blooming walnut.
As Is characteristic with most fruits and '
PRUNES AN IMPORTANT CROP
rruit, Once Slighted, Has Won Its Way Into Wide Markets Where
the Demand Is Constantly Growing Stronger.
B7 W. K. Newell. President Oreson State
Board of Horticulture.
TUB prune is an important factor in
Oregon horticulture. It is surpassed
in value of crop only by the apple In this
state. Other standard fruits may be
grown in many localities, but the Italian
prune finds a congenial home only In cer
tain, sections of the Pacific Northwest.
The Italian, or, as it is now generally
called, the Oreson prune, is by far the
best of all varieties. We may well claim
the name. Oregon, for this prune, as SO
per cent, at least, of the total production
of the variety is produced In Oregon.
Prunes are grown on a commercial
stale irt Jackson. Douglas. Lane. Linn.
Benton. JlHrion, Polk. Yamhill. Clacka
mas. Washington. Multnomah. Columbia,
Wasco. Umatilla. Union and Malheur
courties. In the four counties east of the
Cascade Mountains the bulk of the crop
Is shipped to Eastern markets In its fresh
or grn state- and usually brings hand
some returns. When the fruit is shipped
fresh, it is picked as soon as it is well
colored and is packed in what are known
to the fruit trade as four-basket crates,
in packing the prunes they are placed in
the "buckets" in layers with white paper
between each layer. Packed In this way
they carry well and present an attractive
appearance. j
The prunes grown west of the Cascade
Mountains are cured in- evaporators with
artificial heat. Every large grower has
his own plant, and in every prune
growing neighoorhood there Is at least
THRIVE IN OREGON
Groves Set Out DUring Present Yeax Will Cover 5000 Acres.
nuts, the Northern-grown French strain
is superior in quality to other types. The
Oregon nut also seems superior in size
and quality over the majority of Imported
nuts, and It Is safe to say that American
enterprise will result in the production
of the finest walnuts the world has ever
seen. -.
Walnut-growtng is more exacting in its
.demands that some other lines of horti
culture, and while" very " profitable and
' easy to grow, nevertheless nlust have
certain requirements, such as proper soil
and carefully sekcted trees -and a little
special care the first few vears, if rcal-sucr-ess
is obtained.
The walnut develops a pronounced tap
root and requires a deep, rich, well
drained soil. Many of the red hill 4and3
seem to furnish very desirable soils. The
soils to he avoided are the so-called white
lands, which are always poorly drained,
and certain types of subsoils, namely,
those which consist of hard-pan, cement
gravel and very loose gravel.
There are plenty of soils in Western
Oregon that consist of good rich soil to
a depth of from five to fifteen, and at
times even thirty feet, that are all ood
walnut lands.
Where it is possible to do so. grafted
trees should be planted and the scions
used on these grafted trees should be
carefully selected. If this is done the re
sult will mean an orchard containing
trees every one of which will bear a
high-grade commercial nut. Should the
scions be carefully selected from the
same trees or trees of the same variety,
the result will be a remarkable similarity
of product, which will bring a very high
price. Such a walnut orchard would com
mand a greater price than any bearing
fruit orchards that are being sold today.
Should one be unable to secure grafted
trees, selected seedlings or nuts from iso
lated trees. orchards of one variety
should be grown. If nuts are planted
they should be cultivated in the nursery
row from one to two years. The ground
should be carefully plowed and put Into
good garden condition before trees are
planted and good cultivation should be
maintained, as Is practiced by our best
onhardists. The walnut is a very rapid
grower and develops Into a, very large
tree, and as a result, must be given
plenty of room. From 50 to 5 feet should
be allowed for each tree. While the or
chard is still young, other fruits, such as
apples, pears, prunes .or peach, can be
planted as fillers, and-when crowding be
gins, the fruit trees can be removed.
one evaporator which docs custom work
for small growers.
The average annual crop of prunes in
Oregon is about 27.O0O.00O pounds of dried
prunes and from 1U0 to lt carloads of
fresh prunes. The average price Is about
41, cents per pound for the cured prunes
and. perhaps, 50 cents per crate, or Jnoo
to Hx) per car for the fresh fruit. It
will be seen that the value of the entire
crop amounts to about Il,2o0.000 annually.
This year, owing to very unfavorable
weather, the crop was not up to the av
erage. The best grades of prunes are usually
sold to evaporator operators at from J1S
to tJ& per ton fresh. An acre should pro
duce from five to seven tons of fresh
fruit. Tickers are paid from & to T cents
per bushel box for gathering the fruit,
according to the size of the prunes and
the weather conditions. An average day's
work for a picker is from 30 to 40 boxes.
I believe it Is absolutely correct to say
that from the standpoint of food value
the prune Is the most valuable fruit we
grow, and it should find a pla4?e on the
breakfast table of every home in the
land. It Is cheap, nourishing, palatable
and healthful. For many years a foolish
prejudice existed in the minds of many
against this fruit and It was regarded by
such persons as an article fit only for the
table of a boarding-house. Happily, this
prejudice baa been overcome s.nd market
prospects are now excellent.
The prune needs a well-drained, warm
soil for It proper development. It suc
ceeds admirably on the red hill lands of
the Willamette Valley and in the warm,
sandy valleys of Douglas County.
H is a good time now to plant prune
orchards and the prospective orchardist
should give this fruit attention.
TIIE "MORNING
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Some growers plant small fruits and gar
den truck the fh-st few years.
Very little pruning is required. The
tree has a tendency to droop consider-
. ably, and it is found desirable to head
the trees high. No laterals ore allowed
to grow the first three years, and then
the head is formed from six to eight feet
from the ground. Under no conditions
' should the tree be headed In. as it would
tend to develop a spreading instead of an
upright tree.
As yet there are no serious Insects,
pests or plant diseases of the walnut In
Oregon, and In this respect the Industry
has a leclded advantage over fruitgrow
ing. The trees come Into bearing the
fourth year and double every year after
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OREGONIAN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1909.
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w,' f
ward up to maturity, which would be
from 15 to 20 years of age.
The best varieties to grow are the Fran
quette and the Mayette. These are of
the highest grade, are large, handsome
nuts, the meats fill the shell well, have
a light colored pelicle, ar8 rich in flavor
and very productive.
Walnut-growing offers one of the finest
fields of invention to be. found. There is
a large area of w.tlnut.land that can be
purchased from J2S to JW0 per acre. Good
grafted trees can be obtained for J1.50
apiece, and nine trees are enough for an
acre. Seedlings cost from one-third to
- two-thirds less. Oik; man and team can
easily care for 40 acres. From the
seventh year on the investment will pay
good Interest on a valuation of J1000 per
acre, and a good bearing orehard will
easily bring that figure.
There .is no danger of overpioduction,
as the present supply of nuts in. the Unit
ed States is lees than one-half pound per
capita. Nuts as a food are coming Into
greater demand. Oregon nuts wholesale
at IB cents to 20 cents per pound. At 10
cents they will pay on the investment.
II m 1...,- . , 1 J
PEARS FIND READY MARKET
This Truit from Oregon Orchards Has Sold for 18 Cents a Pound by the Carload in New York.
Br Charles A'. Malboenf.
3 a fruit of particularly appetiz
ing quality, the pear leads the
list. It Is the favorite in France,
whence the best varieties known in
present-day markets originated, and in
that, and other European countries, has
always commanded the highest prices
In competition with other fruits of
equal quality. ' This condition exists
to a-marked degree in the United StateB.
The use of fruit as a regular diet is
almost universal with us, and the in
creasing demand for better grades is
largely the result of education or nat
ural habits in that respect.
Hence American consumption calls
5
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for the very best pear that can be pro
duced, and to tBke care of that exact
ing demand, as far as it will go. Ore
gon's entire output is annually requi
sitioned oy the Eastern markets. New
York people, especially. . are familiar
with our pears and -want, them at any
price. In 1907 they paid 18 cents per
pound wholesale for them by the car
load, and again during the past season
the Oregon pear brought more money in
Manhattan than did any other fruit,
regardless of kind or origin. This is
a remarkable tribute to the excellence
of our product.- The general quality
of the pear Is the only advertising value
it posesses. It lias no fancy appear
ance to commend It to public attrac
tion. The blushing cheek and alluring
colors of the apple and peach are lack
ing, and its reputation must be based
exclusively upon sterling merit.
The industry in Oregon Is still in its
infancy. Its progress, as compared
with that of the apple, has been slow,
and it is perhaps fortunate this condi
tion has existed. When it was first
stnrted transportation facilities were
not up to the present standard, local
markets were limited and the Eastern
supply was adequate to" take care of
the demand. With decreasing-produc-
tion there, however, markets were grad-
uallv opened and. aided by the fruit's
reputation, the growth of the industry
quickly followed along substantial lines.
In the meantime cultivation had been
conducted upon a basis of skillful ex
periment and the final development of
a fruit without superior In any local
ity is largely to be attributed to that
roof at ,,-on'oo ti, tirisi enerci. nn.j
prescient, sagacity of such pioneers as
the late j. H. Stewart, of Jledford, and
others, who. recognizing this state as
an Ideal one for pear culture, devoted
a half score of years of effort to ac
complish this invaluable result.
In 1908 the aggregate of pear-bearing-
orchards in Oregon was 2000 acres,
with 10,000 acres of young trees. The
acreage planted during the present
season will be the largest on record,
and basing upon the general outlook.
It can safely be estimated that within
mnrA t h a n i an ana neres rtf the
fruit will be in full bearing, and con
tribute to the state's annual resources
not less than $10,000,000. This is jus
tified by the success thus far achieved.
The unprecedented returns received by
GROWER REAPS BIG PROFITS
Experience of Mosier Orchardifit Shows What May Be Done by
Proper Methods on Oregon Apple Land.
By A. B. Bstebmm. Manager t Hood
ttiver Fruit Company.
ALREADY Oregon is one of the
leading fruit states of the Union.
So inviting is the fruit Industry in
Oregon that each year increasing num
bers of newcomers start their own or
chards. Hundreds of thousands of dol
lars of Eastern money are Invested
each year in fruitgrowing in this state.
Foremost among those who actively en
gage in the business are business men,
from Portland and other cities of the
Coast, who. from personal observation,
have become convinced of the security
of the investment and desirability of
the vocation.
'The products of Oregon orchards are
known and sold in every country of the
globe and In almost every city of the
United States. The prices which this
fancy fruit sells for seem almost mar
velous, but it is not more so than the
carrying and keeping qualities of the
fruit and its beauty, fragrance and
high flavor. England's quest through
all lands for the very best Is rewarded
by securing shiploads of unsurpassable
Oregon Yellow Newtown Pippins. New
York's Insistent demand for quality is
satisfied with the unequalled Oregon
Spitzenburgs and other choice apples.
A prosperous 'Oregon fruitgrower
says that he once abandoned fruitgrow
ing in an Eastern state because it
seemed to be the most heart-breaking
business he ever knew. Through the
Winter, anxious eyes scanned the ther
mometer and severe nips caused appre
hension and often failure, while during
the remainder of the year, too much or
too little rain threatened the crop.
Contrasting that experience with the
equable seasons of Oregon he .says
that not only is his bank account heal
thier, but life in general is worth living.
LAND
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'.vie-'-
our fruitgrowers for their fancy pe;irs
has resulted In a greater attention to
pear culture than was given It under
former conditions, and the present gen
eral activity unmistakably emphasizes
the brilliant future of the industry.
No variety of fruit can be produced
to better advantage and yield greater
net returns to the orchardist than the
Pear under properly applied methods.
in Oregon. Our climate is as nearly
-perfect for tiie successful cultivation
of this fruit as tiie horticultural world
cun discover. The growing demand
for the Oregun pear throughout the
East and West, the Increasing prices
paid for it and the decreased produc
tion throughout the East Insure the
certainty of mnrkots. Production Is
more regular and prolific than the ap
ple: the danger of damage by frost
more remote. The keeping quality of
a well-cultivated pear of the best va
riety is sufficient to carry it. tinder
the Improved methods of transporta
tion, to the Eastern markets, as well
as Europe.
Our season of production is nd in-
terim. Our pears are placed In the
East Immediately following: the Cali
fornia penr. which serves to open the
markets and stimulate the demand.
The latter is at its best when the Ore-
gon pear arrives, and tne sianaarq oi
prices is not adversely affected by the
anticipated volume of Eastern crops.
but. on the other hand. Is advanced by
reason of the known superority of the
Oregon product. As an illustration of
the growing demand for the same and
the astonishing Increase In selling-
nrlce. may be mentioned the fact that
in 1837 the lop-noicn iibui ii
the New York market for Oregon peats
was $2.50 a box. as against $8.20 a box
ten years later.
The ultimate possibilities of the pear
industry in this section are difficult to
presage. There is little danger of
over-production. The market is con
stantly widening;, the demand natural
ly growing by increased population,
and transportation facilities are be
coming better each year. If the pres
ent careful methods of packing and
shinnine are continued and cultivation
carried on unner uie mufi Mijiuru
principles of scientific horticulture. It
may safely be said that the prospects
are limited only by the extent of our
available lands.
If 1000 Oregon fruitgrowers were In
terviewed each would tell the same
general story of prosperity and content
ment, only varying in details. One in
stance may be given of a neighbor
well known to the writer. J. P. Carroll
came from Kansas to Oregon in 1894
und bought 40 acres In Mosier Valley,
all in brush, grub oaks and pines. His
capital only sufficed to buy the land
and put up a temporary cabin and barn.
Two years later he had cleared enough
'land so that he set out six acres of
apple orchard. He raised some . corn
and other crops to help along and kept
clearing more land each year until in
three years more he Increased his or
chard to ten acres. By the time the
oldest trees were six years of age, the
product brought in $1200. In 1904 and
1905. the prbceeds were $2000 each year.
In 1906 the yield Increased to $4000.
There was a short crop in 1907 every
where and his apples brought about
$3000. This year he lias already sold
$4000 worth and has about 1000 boxes
stored In his fruit house unsold.
The farm at present Is all cleared
and has ten acres of bearing apple
orchard and 19 acres of trees two to
four years old. Three acres of cher
ries six years old and seven acres of
apples were planted this Fall. He hns
a fine lsrge fruit house, is well
equipped for the business, owes noth
ing and will take the returns from this
year's crop to build a comfortable dwel
ling house. He does not want to sell
for he says he is happier there than
he would be anywhere else and will
make more money than If he sold for
$40,000 and Invested In other ways.
This story of real success shows
what has been done on an Oregon
fruit farm without ny side help or
speculation. If others should fall to
do ss well. It would be only owing to
differing dispositions in men.