The southern Oregon fruit market is still suffering from the effects of the current business recession, according to growers and shippers here. Local Boscs and Anjous are being taken rather slowly, while in some cases small deficits have been shown. Local shippers, however, have hopes that conditions will be on the up trend within a few weeks.
    Advance figures covering the recent gift box Christmas campaign have revealed a total in 1937 sales over statistics of the previous year, it has been reported. The American Fruit Growers Inc. reported yesterday that their 1937 sales reached above the 3,000 mark, while figures covering 1936 showed approximately 1,800 boxes sold. The Southern Oregon Sales reported sales of 950 boxes this season. However, this was their first venture into [this] phase.
    Weather conditions of the last few weeks have seriously hindered orchard work throughout the entire valley. One of the longest-lying fogs ever recorded lifted last week, after having enveloped this section for more than 17 days. In several sections, orchardists have already placed their smudge pots, preparing for the frost season.

    Blight cutting in several valley orchards is under way at the present time, along with general cleanup work. Following sessions conducted through the county agent's office covering proper and improved methods of pruning, a number of growers are complying with the instructions and are maintaining close inspections of their trees.
    Approximately 130 cars of pears have been dispatched from southern Oregon since January 1, according to word from the Southern Pacific Company here recently. Four carloads of apples have been shipped.
    Current fruit market conditions are still at a low ebb, according to F. Kramer Deuel, secretary of the Rogue River Traffic Association. Bosc prices have raised somewhat, but are still far below normal.
The Chicago Packer, February 5, 1938, page 15


The Chicago Packer, February 12, 1938, page 6


The Chicago Packer, February 12, 1938, page 17

    Unsettled weather conditions prevailing throughout the Rogue River Valley during the last several days have seriously hampered orchard operations. Pruning and cleaning of one large orchard in the Central Point district has been indefinitely halted. Growers are preparing for a late spring, and many have ordered smudge pots placed in readiness for the frost season.
    Scott Hamilton, co-owner of a Central Point orchard, was a Medford business caller recently, reporting that he is anticipating a good crop this year. His orchard is a newer venture and is producing fair yields.
    Friends of J. Court Hall, prominent orchardist, who has been ill for the past few weeks, will be pleased to learn that he is able to be up and around. Mr. Hall recently announced intention of going into the real estate business between fruit seasons.
    Arthur Geary of Portland, prominent attorney, who has been engaged in handling several Interstate Commerce Commission actions, was a Medford business caller last week, conferring with fruit association officials.
    W. J. Warner, Jackson County blight inspector and an official of the Fruit Growers League, was in Salem recently attending sessions of the Associated Farmers.

    A total of 322,326 boxes of southern Oregon fruit still remains on the market, according to latest figures. Bartletts, Howells and Seckels have been sold out. Anjous and Winter Nelis are more plentiful. The market was reported picking up a trifle last week, although the influx of South American pears has not aided domestic sales.
The Chicago Packer, March 5, 1938, page 16

    Removal of more than seven and one-half acres of trees from the McDonald orchard in the Griffin Creek district is being conducted by George Fisk, caretaker. Mr. McDonald's property covers approximately 40 acres, of which the majority is in fruit. The cleared tract will be reverted to general farming, it was said.
    Valley fruit men will have the benefit of daily frost reports again this year, following the announcement that Roy J. Rogers, affiliated with the United States Weather Bureau, will arrive here March 15 to conduct frost report activities. Mr. Rogers comes here from Pomona, Calif., and will be here until the first of June. Reports are expected to be given nightly over the local radio station, KMED, as has been the past program.
The Chicago Packer, March 12, 1938, page 5


    Medford, Ore., March 11.--Members of the Rogue River Traffic Association along with prominent fruit growers of this section have been viewing with interest a few samples of Argentine pears which were received by the Myron Root Packing Company, and which, during the past two years, have offered considerable competition to domestic winter pears.
    With the exception of a few contour changes, the Argentine pears might pass for local Bartletts. They are slightly smaller and have a trifle more color than do the domestic pears, also there is a similarity in taste.
    The Traffic Association advocated a policy raising the duty on foreign fruit to cope with the tariff now placed on American fruit entering Argentina. F. K. Deuel, secretary, speaking of the matter, said: "There should be a duty of at least 75¢ per box on the Argentine fruit entering this country. Current tariff is around 25¢ per box, which, combined with the low rate charged for shipping, makes it extremely difficult for domestic growers to compete.
    "Also, the cheap labor available in the South American countries is a strong point in their favor, while here orchard and packing house employees must receive a decent wage, for the American standard of living is so much higher."
The Chicago Packer, March 12, 1938, page 5


    Medford, Ore., March 18.--A slowly diminishing market, spasmodically unstable, is shown in the figures released recently on winter fruit from southern Oregon orchards. Total pack-out for the 1937 season has now been corrected to a total of 1,709,320 boxes and includes 4,924 boxes of cannery Bartletts; packed Bartletts, 364,200; Howells, 20,374; Bosc, 457,520; Comice, 58,411; Anjous, 492,318; Winter Nelis, 125,996; Newtown Apples, 175,637 and Seckels, 9,940.
    Total unsold amounts to 269,310 boxes and represents: Bosc, 254 boxes; Anjous, 117,138; Winter Nelis, 103,651 and Newtowns, 48,267.
The Chicago Packer, March 19, 1939, page 13

    Reginald H. Parsons, prominent Medford and Seattle civic leader and orchardist, narrowly escaped death early this week when his roadster was flung over a high grade on the Siskiyou Highway while he was en route home. Mr. Parsons, who suffered only minor scratches and bruises, stated that one of the wheel brakes suddenly grabbed, causing the car to swerve off the road and plunge over a 40-foot embankment, landing bottom side up. He was resting comfortably at his home on the Hillcrest Road late this week and planned to return to Seattle in the near future. His son, Reg. Parsons, Jr., flew here from the Washington city and will return with him.
    Word was given out recently that the $4,000 damage action filed by Charles Isaacs, local orchardist, against the Rogue River Valley Irrigation District had been settled out of court just prior to its slated hearing. Mr. Isaacs, who claimed that seepage water from the District's canal had ruined a large portion of his orchard, indicated that the District had agreed to install drainage tile.
    Two prominent valley orchardists and fruitmen have announced their intentions of entering local and state politics this year, one running for the state representatives' seat, the other for sheriff. Earl T. Newbry declared this week that he would be a candidate for the Republican nomination for state representative while A. E. Brockway revealed intentions to seek the Republican nomination for county sheriff. Mr. Brockway served as a public official once previously, having been appointed to the state Legislature in 1933 to fill the unexpired term of County Judge Earl B. Day.
    Declarations that now is the time to conduct spring spraying measures were given valley orchardists by C. B. Cordy, assistant county agent, this week. Dormant spray is being applied to trees in the valley. The frost season officially starts March 16, and Mr. Cordy warned growers to make certain that their thermometers had been tested. As in the past, daily frost reports will be given over the local radio station by Roy J. Rogers, United States Weather Bureau representative.
    W. E. "Shorty" Morris, Table Rock farmer and orchardist, is back home after spending several months in Ashland, where he was recovering his health.

MEDFORD, ORE. NEWS NOTES

    Medford, Ore., Aug. 5.--The current southern Oregon apple situation will be on a higher par than that of last year--considering the entire deal as a whole--according to reports compiled from shippers, growers, members of the county agent's office and others interested in apples here.
    While the total pack-out is expected to be about 50,000 boxes short of the 1937 mark, the price is expected to be higher and even up for the pack-out shortage. Last year the total pack-out was around 175,000; this year it is expected to reach only around 125,000 boxes.
    While there is of course no indication as to what price will be derived, growers were pointing to several optimistic factors. There is a smaller and lighter crop in the East, and export markets are more open to apple shipments, they state. Moreover, the smaller local crop will tend to raise prices, rather than lower them.
    Apple production here has been on a downhill grade during the last 15 to 20 years, according to figures from the county agent's office and other official sources. In 1920 there was a total of around 5,000 acres in production. At the present time there are less than 600. Poor marketing conditions, unsteady prices, blight ravages and adverse local conditions have been generally given as the reason for the reduction in acreage.
    Members of the county agent's office stated that a large amount of apple acreage has been pulled out within the last year, due to non-production and blight. Last year witnessed a heavier degree of blight than had been experienced for some time. This year, however, blight has been exceedingly light.
    Newtowns and Delicious are the two varieties of apples packed in the valley. The apple orchards are scattered over a 25-mile area, sandwiched in between the pear groves. Thornton Wiley of Ashland has a large producing orchard of apples, mostly of the Delicious type; the Rogue River Company, Bear Creek Orchards, Southern Oregon Sales and other concerns have and pack apples.
    Apples are developing faster than usual, due to the period of extremely warm weather recently experienced. Irrigation is necessary for proper production, it was stressed, but this fact has not been given paramount importance as most of the orchards are under irrigation ditch products.
    "We have no definite information as to price as yet," one grower stated, "but we expect a better market for the apples than last year. Growing conditions have been good in the valley, with the result that we should fare much better than in recent seasons."
The Chicago Packer, August 6, 1938, page 45


The Chicago Packer, August 20, 1938, page 7

    Medford, Ore., Sept. 2.--At a meeting of the Oregon-Washington-California Pear Bureau held in Portland on August 13, an application was made to the Secretary of Agriculture for hearings on a proposed marketing agreement for the coming season covering fall and winter pears grown in the states of Oregon, Washington and California. Representatives from all the fall and winter pear districts were present at the meeting.
    The proposed marketing agreement is intended to eliminate the lower grades and undesirable sizes of fall and winter pears which flooded the eastern markets and caused a demoralized marketing condition this past season. All growers and shippers will be invited to attend these hearings and will be fully advised later as to the dates on which hearings will be held in the following districts: San Jose and Placerville, Calif., Medford and Hood River, Ore., and Yakima and Wenatchee, Wash.
The Chicago Packer, September 3, 1938, page 8


    Medford, Ore., Dec. 30.--What is believed to be a world's record price for pears was established last week when the Bear Creek Orchards filled an order for two Christmas gift packages, containing 24 Royal Riviera Comice pears each, for dispatch to Manila by Clipper plane. The Clipper transportation charges including the two boxes cost the purchaser $85, thus the 48 peaches delivered figured $1.77 each.
The Chicago Packer, December 31, 1938, page 15