WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE IRRIGATED DISTRICTS 



205 



sells much lower. In this article I am 

 dealing- with the former. However, I 

 want to say here, that the latter class 

 is valuable land, and with proper care 

 will yield large returns, but it has not 

 the attractive features nor as great 

 prospects as the forn-ier. It can never 

 reach the high prices which the fruit 

 lands begin to bring immediately after 

 they are planted to trees. 



I have shown no partiality in f-elect- 

 ing the best fruit districts, but have 

 taken Wenatchee, Hood River, Yaki- 

 ma and Spokane Valley as examples, 

 for in these districts there are better 

 organizations and better results have 

 been attained. There are other locali- 

 ties which are smaller and probably 

 fully as good, but the above men- 

 tioned districts are undoubtedly the 

 best known throughout the country on 

 account of their age, and because their 

 fruit has gained a world-wide reputa- 

 tion. Fruit growers in these places 

 are using the most advanced and im- 

 proved methods, and land values are 

 the highest in the West. 



These four great districts have set 

 the example, which the younger terri- 

 tories are bound to follow to achieve 

 success. It has not been easv to gain 

 the reputation that Wenatchee, Hood 

 River, Yakima and Spokane Valley 

 have in the markets of the world. 



There are many different kinds of 

 fruits raised in these places, but the 

 apple is the leader. The culture of 

 this fruit has reached the highest pos- 

 sible development, and that grown in 

 these sections commands the top-notch 

 prices in the world's marke:. 



These districts were all started in a 

 small way, and it is now almost impos- 

 sible to buy raw land except in the 

 Spokane Valley, wdiere a few tracts 

 are being put on the market. 



Success or failure extends from the 

 time the land is broken and trees 

 planted, up to the bearing state, and 

 everything depends on proper care at 

 the ]M-opcr time, especially in pruning, 

 spraying, irrigating and cultivating. 



Thanks again to the Government 

 interest and advice on these subjects, 

 the growth of the fruit industry has 



been wonderfully developed, and the 

 increased value of the land has gone 

 beyond the wildest expectations, and 

 is still advancing. 



People look with amazement at the 

 irrigated land values, and are just as 

 much amazed at the prices obtained 

 for fruit grown on these lands. The 

 present prices and values are certain 

 to keep on climbing as long as the 

 fruit growers in these districts adhere 

 to the high standards set in growing, 

 packing and marketing their products. 



The most essential requirement in 

 making this arid land valuable is the 

 water. The more complete and better 

 regulated the water system, the more 

 valuable it is to the land and the owner. 

 Above all things the water supply must 

 be adequate at all times. 



The right kind of trees, true to name 

 and from the best nursery stock, adapt- 

 ed to the soil, climate and general con- 

 ditions, is the next essential to success. 



Transportation is undoubtedly as im- 

 portant an any one thing, excepting 

 water and nursery stock. Cars must be 

 had at the time needed, and the more 

 railroad competition at hand the more 

 valuable the land is. 



Soils are also very essential. In the 

 four districts above mentioned, there 

 are entirely dift'erent soils, but each one 

 is especially adapted to growing differ- 

 ent varieties of apples, peaches, pears, 

 cherries, plums, prunes, apricots and 

 grapes, and consequently the above lo- 

 calities have never been forced to com- 

 pete strongly among themselves. 



Wenatchee grows Spitzenberg apples 

 very successfully and an exceptionally 

 fine quality of peaches, apricots and 

 cherries. Hood River leads with the 

 Yellow Newton and Spitzenberg apples. 

 Yakima is proved to be better adapted 

 to Winesap apples and certain varieties 

 of peaches and pears. Spokane Valley 

 grows to excellent advantage the Jon- 

 athan, Rome Beauty and Wagener ap- 

 ples. 



The systematic picking, packing and 

 marketing of the fruit leads to increased 

 values for the products of the orchards, 

 and this has caused the organization of 



