ISHS Acta Horticulturae 124: III International Symposium on Pear Growing
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS - A HISTORY OF PEAR GROWING IN OREGON AND THE NORTHWEST |
| Author: | M.N. Westwood |
| Abstract:
Pear growing in the Pacific Northwest is a young industry, relative to western Europe. When Alexander MacKenzie traversed the Canadian Rockies and "discovered" the west coast of North America in 1793, there were no pears of any kind growing here, nor were there any white settlers. Likewise, when Lewis and Clark overwintered in western Oregon in 1805, the situation was unchanged. By 1825, Dr. McLoughlin, chief factor for the Hudson's Bay Company, was planting fruit trees at Fort Vancouver, Washington. Probably pears were among them. Young David Douglas was at that time collecting wild fruit species and other plants of the Northwest on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society of London. In 1836 and shortly after, Dr. Marcus Whitman established pears and other fruits at his Christian mission near Walla Walla, Washington, and four years later, the father of J. H. Stewart of Medford brought pear trees from Hannibal, Missouri to establish the first pear orchards in the Rogue River Valley of Oregon. In 1847, the Lewelling fruit tree nursery was established just south of Portland, and in 1850, Henry Settlemeirer established a nursery at Tangent, Oregon, just east of Corvallis. These nurseries soon made available pear trees in sufficient numbers to plant many commercial orchards in western and southern Oregon. The Oregon Agricultural College was established in 1868, and in 1872 listed the first classes in fruit growing. The Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station was established in 1888 and the first bulletin on pear and fruit culture was published by E. R. Lake in 1889. Research on pear culture has continued since that time. Pear research in Oregon during the first 35 years of this century was carried out mainly by E. J. Kraus, F. C. Reimer, J. R. Magness, H. Hartman, L. Childs, G. G. Brown, and L. Ryall. In the recent past, the principal researchers were W. W. Aldrich, E. H. Wiegand, L. G. Gentner, J. Kienholz, J. A. Milbrath, C. B. Cordy, E. Hansen, Q. B. Zielinski, O. C. Compton, E. S. Degman, R. Blake, and R. J. Higdon. Currently, those involved with research on pear culture in Oregon are P. B. Lombard, R. L. Stebbins, P. H. Westigard, R, W, Zwick, H. R. Cameron, P. Chen, W. M. Mellenthin, M. M. Thompson, R. Spotts, D. G. Richardson, I. C. MacSwan, M. H. Chaplin, and M. N. Westwood. We at Oregon State University welcome all of you, from whatever country, to the 3rd International Symposium on Pear Growing. May you have a fruitful meeting and a pleasant journey home. | |
