Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/42

36 Of plums, the Gages, Jefferson, Washington, Columbia, Peach Plum, Reine Claude and Coe's Late Red were leading varieties.

Of prunes there was only one variety, our little German prune, a native of the Rhine, sometimes called the Rhine Prune, and from which our Italian is a lineal descendant—a sport from its native country.

The grapes were the Catawba and Isabella.

The climate was propitious, and the soil fertile, and there were no insect pests. Trees grew rapidly and they were prolific of such fruit as had never been seen before.

About 1850, a Mr. Ladd started a nursery near Butteville, and in the same year Mr. George Settlemier arrived by way of California with a good supply of fruit-tree seed, which he planted on Green Point, and afterwards removed to his present home at Mt. Angel, where, as fast as his limited means would allow, a large stock of fruit and ornamental trees were accumulated, making in all the largest variety in the Territory. Mr. Settlemier wisely interested his large family of sons in the business by giving them little blocks of ground for side nurseries of their own. J. H. Settlemier tells, with pride, how he started, at ten years of age, in three fence corners, and at thirteen had one thousand trees and sold one bill of $60.

Another nursery was started near Salem and the pioneer fruit industry was fairly inaugurated. This year Mr. Luelling went back East and selected from the extensive nurseries of Ellwanger and Barry, and A. J. Downing, a large variety of young trees and plants, which he brought back via the Isthmus of Panama, carried across by Indians and mules. This time Mr. Luelling, to correct his mistake in the Yellow Newtown Pippin, had Mr. Downing personally point out the trees as they were dug. Strangely the same mistake occurred again, and again Luelling brought out the Green Newtown Pippin, and it was not