55 



brought us to Enderbj, a thriving village in the Spulmacheen valley, where there 

 is a large milling industry which supplies the greater part of the flour used on the 

 Pacific coast. Here a vehicle was waiting to take us to Lansdowne, another village 

 six miles distant, where another conveyance and driver was engaged for the whole 

 journey to Mission and return to Enderby. From Enderby to Lansdowne the road 

 passes through a beautiful part of the valley, where there are some very fine farms, 

 on some of which the grain had been harvested and stacked ; on others the goJden 

 sheaves were still stooked in thickly-set groups over the fields. A visit was paid to 

 the farm of M. Lumby, Esq., who has a very fine estate of 1,200 acres. Most of his 

 grain was housed, but from the appearance of the bright and thickly-set stubble 

 on his fields it was evident that he had gathered a bountiful harvest. His crops 

 are all grown without irrigation. Near his residence, which is prettily situated near 

 the bank of a small stream, are some groups of magnificent specimens of the " bull 

 pine" {Finns ponder osa), a variety with very long needle-like leaves, one of the most 

 useful of all the trees found here in the valleys and on the hill sides. They grow to 

 a great height and large size, and an average tree when felled will make several 

 large logs for the lumberman. 



At Lansdowne sevei*al small orchards were seen. The apples, pears and plums 

 were making thrifty growth, and some of the young trees were bearing fruit. On 

 the journey from Enderby to Yernon a team was passed drawing a large waggon 

 loaded with watermelons which had been raised on a ranch near by, and which 

 were being taken to Enderby for shipment to distant points. Vernon, the terminus 

 of the new line of railway, was reached about 7 p.m., after a delightful drive through 

 a charming country. 



Many new buildings were going up in this thriving town, which promises in 

 the near future to be an important place in the Okanagon valley. It is well situated, 

 on a level plain, well watered by a mountain stream which affords facilities for 

 irrigation, without which fruit-growing or gardening is somewhat uncertain here. 



On the morning of the 4th a journey to Mission was undertaken. The first part 

 of the I'oad lay over the hills, which rise to the height of 600 or 700 feet, from the 

 summit of which a lovely view is had of a charming sheet of water known as Long 

 Lake, and for many miles the road lay very near its banks. About three miles 

 north of Mission a halt was made to inspect a promising young orchard on the 

 ranch of Mr. Whelan, in which was found many varieties of apples, pears, plums 

 and cherries, all making very thrifty growth. Many of the apple, pear and plum 

 trees were well laden with fruit. Several peach trees were seen on this place, 

 but no peaches, excepting on one ti-ee, where there were several small speci- 

 mens, which looked like a seedling fruit. There was an almond tree also 

 here with a few almonds growing on it. On arrival at Mission early in the 

 evening a visit was paid to the ranch recently purchased by Lord Aberdeen. 

 This is a fine piece of valley land, nearly level and well watered by Mission creek, 

 so that iriigation is practicable over the greater part of it. Several acres were already 

 planted with large and small fruits, and we were informed that it was intended to plant 

 much more largely during the coming season. That part of the Okanagon valley 

 of which Mission is the centre is *aid to be about 16 miles long and 5 or 6 miles 

 wide. There is a small orchard on the property adjoining Lord Aberdeen's, on 

 which there was some very fine apples and Bartlett pears. There were also a few 

 trees fruiting well in the garden worked by the Brothers at the Mission. A 

 limited amount of grain is grown, stock-raising being the principal industry. Much 

 of the soil in these valleys is a rich black loam with a clay subsoil ; most of that 

 along the hill-sides is lighter. Heavy crops can be grown wherever water for irri- 

 gation is available, and it is said that grain and other farm crops can be grown as 

 far as Vernon without irrigation; but south of this the returns are very uncertain 

 where no water is at command. 



Returning to Vernon the following day we found a very fine collection of 

 young bearing fruit trees in the garden of Price Ellison, Esq., a gentleman who 

 kindly volunteered to go with us to Mission. To this genial companion we owe a 



