Both  of  these  counties  being  situated  at  a  high  altitude  and
east  of  the  Cascade  range  of  mountains  naturally  have  much
more  severe  weather  than  any  parts  of  Western  or  Southern
Oregon.     The  failure  of  the  fruit  crop  in  this  region  is  not
due  so  much  to  severe  weather  in  winter  as  to  late  frosts  in
the  spring.     I  saw  some  fine  apples  grown  near  Lakeview  not
long  since.     While  they  were  not  so  large  as  the  same  va-
rieties grown  in  Jackson  county,  yet  they  were  highly  colored
and  perfectly  smooth  and  sound,  showing  no  signs  of  worms
or  fungus,  and  I  have  no  doubt  in  some  sheltered   localities
fine  fruit  of  the  hardier  sorts  can  be  grown.     The  almost
total  failure  of  the  fruit  crop  in  Southern  Oregon  the  last
year  has  made  it  impossible  for  me  to  record  any  observations
as  to  the  methods  of  preparing  for  market;  however,  I  might
say  that  our  most  successful  growers  first  prune  their  trees
carefully  and  thoroughly;  then,  early  in  the  spring,  before
the  leaves  start,  spray  thoroughly  with  the  lime,  sulphur  and
blue  vitriol  compound.     When  the  fruit  is  about  the  size  of
hazelnuts  every  tree  is  gone  over  and  the  fruit  thinned  out.
The  rule  for  thinning  is  that  no  two  peaches  shall  be  nearer
than  five  inches,  that  is,  that  the  fruit  shall  be  five  inches


RJCPORT   OF   STATE    BOARD   OF   HORTICULTURE.  145

apart.     At  picking  time  care  is  taken  to  place  the  fruit  of  a
uniform  size  in  each  box.
