Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/506



362

THE CITY OF PORTLAND

PEARS

Boxes, Value.

1906 $276,250

1907 247,760 286,600

1908 272,000 134,500

1909 275,000 145,000

CHERRIES.

Pounds Value

1907 5459.000 $230,500

1908 4,950,000 165,000

1909 4,500,000 175,000

PRUNES.

Pounds. Value.

1906 $ 693,500

1907 25,454,185 12,098,925

1908 16,500,000 850,000

1909 28,000,000 950,000

Oregon prunes are exported to England and other foreign countries. 80 per cent of the Italian prune crop of the country is produced in Oregon. The average annual crop of prunes is about 27,000,000 pounds of dried prunes, and from one hundred to one hundred and fifty carloads of fresh prunes. An acre of prunes produces from five to seven tons,

WALNUTS.

The walnut industry alone has great possibility. Already two thousand acres have been set out, and the crops already produced are of a quality which even surpasses the famous walnut of southern France. More than 8,000 acres have been sold for planting this season, and the Willamette valley is destined to be one of the great walnut regions.

FRUIT CANNERIES.

Number 14

Value of plant $176,500.00

Number of employes 359

Amount of wages $10,453.00

Total output for 1907, cases 896,350

CONDITIONS OF HORTICULTURE.

In the last decade Oregon has gained more honors and medals for its fruit than any other state in the Union. It swept these away from all competitors at the national expositions at Chicago, at Buffalo, at Charleston and elsewhere. At Buffalo, Oregon won eighteen gold medals for its horticultural, pomological and viticultural exhibits. At Charleston it gained thirty-four gold and fourteen sil- ver, as well as one bronze medal for its fruit exhibit. At St. Louis, Oregon won thirty-seven gold medals, one hundred and fifty-two silver medals, and seventy- two bronze medals, as also three grand prizes, making a total of 294 medals and grand prizes.

The agency most efficient in bringing about this great success, prosperity and national fame in horticulture for Oregon, has been the Oregon State Horticul- tural Society, organized first in 1877, and reorganized in 1885 — twenty-