208 



CONSERVATION 



fruit growers' associations, which are 

 not only a great benefit to people rais- 

 ing fruits, but also to the buyers, as 

 there is no cutting of prices and no poor 

 fruit shipped. Pruning, spraying and 

 caring for the trees, and picking and 

 packing the crops all tend to increased 

 values. The fruit industry nearly equals 

 the lumber industry in capital, and will 

 likely lead in a few years. 



When one thinks of a five-year-old 

 orchard (which means it is just coming 

 in to bearing) selling for $300 per acre, 

 it seems absurdly high, but by proper 

 attention and cultivation, the land can 

 easily be made to pay ten per cent, net, 

 or better, annually on this valuation. 

 Many sales have been made this past 

 season in these districts, of bearing 

 orchards at from $1,500 to $3,000 per 

 acre. 



Taking the figures of each district 

 separately and collectively, with an 

 average yield per acre in the average 

 year, we find that a five-year-old 

 orchard, which is just beginning to bear 

 nicely at that age, will pay for itself in 

 four years, if the same were bought for 

 $3,000 per acre. It is nearly impossible 

 to buy an orchard after the trees are 

 over three years old, and this is very 

 plausible, for any owner is generally 

 situated so he can keep his holding until 

 it comes into full bearing, when he is 

 made independent with even a ten-acre 

 tract. 



Each year sees the price of land 

 planted with trees increase in value, 

 and a conservative price for two- and 

 three-year-old orchards is $700 and 

 $1,000, respectively. 



Of all the numerous varieties of fruit 

 grown in these four irrigated valleys or 

 districts, there is probably a greater 

 cash return derived from growing 

 peaches, cherries, berries, cantaloupes, 

 tomatoes and other small fruits, but it 

 requires far greater attention and care 

 than does the raising of apples. The 

 first named fruits must necessarily be 

 picked, packed and shipped just before 

 they ripen, and any delay is disastrous 

 to the grower. Not so, however, with 

 apples. These may be picked through 



a period of several weeks and packed 

 and marketed at any time during the 

 winter, and this fruit I desire to treat 

 of in particular. 



I have been asked many times "what 

 are the best varieties of apples to raise." 

 My answer is that it depends entirely 

 on the climate, soil and location. 



The Spitzenberg, Jonathan, Winesap, 

 Rome Beauty and Wagener have the 

 highest market value and are always in 

 demand in the large apple centers. 

 There are many other varieties, which 

 grow and bear equally well, and often 

 bring a high price, but the above named 

 varieties command on the average the 

 highest figures. The Winter Banana, 

 which is a new apple, so to speak, has 

 brought a remarkable price the past two 

 seasons. It is a very delicate fruit, how- 

 ever, and hard to ship. It probably has 

 the best coloring and the most delicate 

 tints of any apple grown, but the flavor 

 is poor. It would not be advisable to 

 plant a large orchard to this variety, as 

 it is simply a fad at the present time. 

 The finest trade demands a melting 

 fruit — a texture that assimilates when 

 eating. 



It is a difficult matter to decide on 

 the different varieties for planting, but 

 the best advice I know of is to plant a 

 strictly commercial orchard, with, of 

 course, the possible exception of a few 

 varieties for family use. 



It is proper to add that people are 

 becoming so interested in the fruit in- 

 dustry that the department of agricul- 

 ture in several of the western states, 

 as well as at Washington, are flooded 

 with inquiries relative to location and t<^ 

 the fruit industry in general. I can state 

 very positively that there is no question 

 before the American people to-day that 

 is attracting so much attention as irri- 

 gation, and especially as. applied to fruit 

 culture, and I can venture to say that 

 within two years all the Ijest fruit dis- 

 tricts that are now irrigated will be set 

 out to orchards, and this coming year 

 will see a great rush of the best class of 

 citizens to these valleys to obtain small 

 tracts of this valuable land. 



The fruit markets of the world are 



