2-4.36.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

GASTON, OREGON, January 1, 1913.

To the Honorable the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

GENTLEMEN: In conformity with the statute which directs the Board of Horticulture to report biennially to you, I herewith submit my report of the work of the board for the years 1911 and 1912.

The board as now organized consists of five members for the five horticultural districts of the State, a commissioner at large and a secretary, and is supplemented by a county fruit inspector for each of the prominent fruit-growing counties. It is the duty of the district commissioner to look after the enforcement of the horticultural laws in their respective districts, to train and supervise their county inspectors, to gather information and statistics, and to attend to inspection of nurseries. The law requires that the commissioner at large, who is ex officio president of the board shall visit all the principal fruit-growing sections of the State at least once each year, and the fruit shipping centers during the shipping season, and that he shall at all times meet and address as many fruit growers' meetings and associations as possible.

The efficiency of the inspection work has been greatly increased during the past two years as evidenced by the improved condition of the orchards in general, and especially by the vastly better grade of fruit to be found on the markets. But considerable difficulty has been experienced by the commissioners in securing and retaining the services of competent county inspectors owing to the small remuneration connected with the office.

Section 5491, Lord's Oregon Laws, says that it shall be the duty of the board to report to the legislature, what, if any, legislation is needed in aid of the horticultural and fruitgrowing interests of the State. In accordance therewith, I submit a draft of two proposed bills embodying the recommendations of the board in this respect. The points covered in these recommendations are those in which the experience of the board has shown the present law to be weak and in need of amendment. They are briefly summarized as follows: Strengthening the Quarantine Law.-A condition arose

1.

in Oregon very recently which called attention in a forcible manner to the weakness of the present law in this respect. The alfalfa weevil has become a very serious pest in Utah and Wyoming, and it is highly desirable that its further spread be prevented by the stopping of shipments of alfalfa from infected districts into clean territory, but it was found that Oregon has no law whereby such importations can be prohibited, and our growers must run the risk of this infestation until such a quarantine law can be provided. The law proposed by the board is based on the national law and the best provisions of such State laws as are now in force.

2. Providing State Inspector for Portland. All local inspection is now done by county inspectors paid by their respective counties, but the geography of Oregon is such that the work required in Portland and Multnomah County is out of all proportion to that of any other point. All importations of nursery stocks and fruits from foreign countries are entered here, and this business has grown to such proportions that it alone is sufficient to keep one man constantly employed. This branch of the work should be done by the State, and we respectfully ask that the board be given sufficient funds to employ a suitable man for this work. The county, as heretofore, will continue to take care of the market and local tree inspection.

3. Authority for Additional Inspectors.-In some of the large fruit-growing counties additional help is needed for short seasons of the year, and county courts should have definite authority to appoint such, where needed, and when requested by the horticultural commissioner for the district.

4. Authority for County Inspectors to Enter Upon Private Property in the Pursuit of Their Duties.-Certain cases have arisen where inspectors have been warned that they would enter upon private property at their peril, and it is important that they be fully protected in this respect.

A few other minor changes are suggested.

You will note from the following reports that the value of the fruit crop for the present year has reached the handsome total of over $7,100,000, in spite of the low prices at which the bulk of the crop has been sold. The appended semiannual reports of the commissioners and secretary show in detail the work that has been accomplished and how the funds have been expended, and I respectfully call your attention to them for further details.

W. K. NEWELL,

President State Board of Horticulture.

Multnomah, Clackamas, Yamhill, Washington, Columbia, Clatsop and

Tillamook Counties.

SECOND DISTRICT

Lincoln, Marion, Polk, Benton, Linn, and Lane Counties.

THIRD DISTRICT

Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Josephine, Coos, Curry, and Lake Counties.

FOURTH DISTRICT

Morrow, Wasco, Gilliam, Hood River, Crook, Sherman, and Wheeler Counties. FIFTH DISTRICT

Umatilla, Union, Baker, Wallowa, Malheur, Grant, and Harney Counties.

COUNTY FRUIT INSPECTORS

PROPOSED LAW RECOMMENDED BY STATE BOARD

OF HORTICULTURE.

AN ACT.

To amend Section 5482 of Lord's Oregon Laws, being Section 1 of Chapter 222 of the General Laws of 1905; and Section 5484 of Lord's Oregon Laws, being Section 3 of Chapter 222 of the General Laws of 1905, as amended by Section 3 of Chapter 58 of the General Laws of 1907; providing for the appointment of county inspectors of fruit orchards, etc., defining their duties, rights and powers; authorizing the appointment of deputy county inspectors; requiring common carriers to give notice to inspectors of arrival of nursery stock; providing for the deputizing of inspectors for nurseries, and providing for the compensation of county and deputy county inspectors. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

Section 1. That Section 5482 of Lord's Oregon Laws, being Section 1 of Chapter 222 of the General Laws of Oregon of 1905, and Section 5484 of Lord's Oregon Laws, being Section 3 of Chapter 222 of the General Laws of 1905 as amended by Section 3 of Chapter 58 of the General Laws of 1907, be and are hereby amended so as to read as follows:

Sec. 5482. Upon a petition of not less than 25 residents and fruit-growers of any county of this State, the county court of said county shall appoint a county inspector whose duty it shall be to inspect orchards, nurseries, trees, shrubs, vines, fruits, vegetables, plants, packing houses, warehouses, storerooms, farms and other places within said county, and to enforce all laws of the State relating to such insect pests and such diseases as affect trees, vines, plants of any kind, or fruits or vegetables of any kind, and all other horticultural laws of the State; provided, however, that the inspector so to be appointed shall be recommended and certified to be competent by the commissioner of the State Board of Horticulture of the district in which said county is situated, and said county inspector shall hold his office during the pleasure of of said county court and of the commissioner of the State. Board of Horticulture for said district. With the consent of the county court of any county, the county inspector of such county may appoint one or more deputies to serve during the pleasure of the county inspector and of the county court, but no such deputy shall be appointed until the commissioner of the State Board of Horticulture for the district in which