some of the trees following the unprecedented freeze last winter. However, inspection service is adequate in this section and the cooperation of the growers is such as to guarantee a good cleanup. The freeze last winter killed a number of trees throughout the District, but did not cause as much damage as first appearances indicated. Anthracnose caused considerable trouble the past season in Douglas county, but the growers generally have taken hold and are spraying for its control. The whole country is still suffering from a lack of water-the annual precipitation being again about half of the normal. Hay crops in unirrigated districts have suffered and even those under irrigation have felt the need of more water. Taken all in all the horticultural and agricultural industries are assuming a healthy and very optimistic tone. A. C. ALLEN, Commissioner for the Third District. REPORT OF T. A. SAMMIS, JR., COMMISSIONER OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture: I respectfully submit my report for the term ending December, 1920, as Commissioner for the Fourth Horticultural District of the State of Oregon, comprising the following counties: Morrow, Wasco, Gilliam, Hood River, Crook, Sherman, Wheeler, Jefferson and Deschutes. The principal fruit growing counties in this district are Hood River and Wasco. The extremely low temperatures experienced last winter caused considerable damage to all fruits. The peach crop was practically wiped out and many of the trees on the lower lands were killed. The cherry crop was about fifty per cent normal and many trees were killed, but the extremely high price paid for cherries more than compensated for the small crop. Pears, prunes and apples stood the cold much better but heavy losses of trees were experienced in some sections. There were a great many fruit trees dug out on account of winter injury that could have been saved. Experience this past season has shown that a tree badly injured and heavily pruned before the leaves come out would die while others with the same injury that were not pruned till the middle of the summer lived and will eventually come back to normal. The apple crop was below normal with a high percentage of worms caused by the hot weather and conditions favorable to the codling moth. The blight conditions as a whole are encouraging. There has been a slight extension of the district infected but continuous cutting has held it pretty well in check. The county inspector has been very active in the fight against blight. The county inspector of Hood River County has been active in combatting anthracnose which has been very bad in some sections of that county. The commercial growers of fruit in this district comply with the horticultural laws of the state and keep their orchards fairly clean. The small tracts, many of them unoccupied and uncared for and the home orchards and trees in city lots are a source of considerable trouble and should be dealt with more severely. The Wasco County Fruit Inspector carried on a campaign against the Elm Tree Beetle which made its appearance in The Dalles last year and completely defoliated most of the elm trees in the city. The results of this work can not be determined until next spring when if necessary the work will be carried on. The prices received by the grape growers have been extremely high and that with a fairly heavy crop has made grape growing very profitable this year. The apple market is very unsatisfactory. Increased freight rates is a big factor. Most of the apple buyers lost heavily last year, due to the high prices paid in the early part of the season, the large crop of apples produced, and the lack of consumption due to the sugar shortage in the east which practically eliminated the baked apple, apple pie and sauce. Due to there being no buyers in the field the apple storage houses in the east are about half full while last year at this time storage space was at a premium. This district is very fortunate in being supplied with a vinegar plant and evaporating plant and a cannery all of which can handle tremendous amounts of fruit. T. A. SAMMIS, JR., Commissioner for the Fourth District. REPORT OF H. H. WEATHERSPOON, COMMISSIONER OF THE Hon. Chas. A. Park, FIFTH DISTRICT President, State Board of Horticulture, Salem, Oregon. Dear Sir: In addition to reports relative to conditions in the Fifth District, which have been made from time to time, I am pleased to furnish you this report covering general conditions up to the present date. Owing to the severe winter commencing early in fall of 1919 and running up to about March 1 of the present year, great damage was done to fruit trees of all kinds; also berries. Reports gathered recently show that there was only about 15 per cent of a berry and cherry crop and taking the fifth district as a whole there was less than 20 per cent of an apple and pear crop, and no peaches at all. Umatilla County came through with about 30 per cent of an apple crop, while the other counties fell below 10 per cent. Trees bloomed very late in all counties and fairly well, but there was later a heavy drop occasioned by the vitality of trees being very low due to a very severe past winter. In certain localities where heavy irrigation was carried on up to late in the season of 1919, there was a severe loss in prune trees, cherry trees, and a slight loss in apple trees, with almost a total loss of peach trees. In the dry land sections of the Fifth District there was not a great number of apple trees killed outright by the winter, but a severe damage done to the thousands of trees that will not be fully developed until the next season. Those observing the weakened condition of trees damaged in a few limbs or one entire side of tree, and cut these weakened branches out probably saved a great many of their trees which would have otherwise died the coming year. The prune acreage in Umatilla and Malheur Counties has increased since our last published report about 15 per cent, while there has been a heavy decrease in peaches, a slight decrease in cherries of the sweet varieties, and a heavy decrease in apple acreage. A fair estimate of the acreage in Baker, Malheur and Union Counties now compared with five years ago would show not over 10 per cent of the acreage we then had in these counties in apples. In the Milton-Freewater district the apple acreage has been well maintained while in the Stanfield-Hermiston district there has been a falling off which slightly reduces the Umatilla County acreage. For the year 1919 the entire Fifth District enjoyed a fair yield in all kinds of fruit and while there was no very high prices received for the fruit there was a constant steady demand, and the growers' profits were all that could be expected; in fact, very satisfactory. |