188 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 19G8 



exercised that the water xised for irrigation is not too highly charged with saline mat- 

 ter, or more harm than good will result 



Keremeos. — At Keremeos we were entertained by the pioneer settler of the Simil- 

 kameeu, Mr. Frank Eichter, whose splendid orchards gave emphatic evidence of the 

 great capabilities of this district as a fruit-growing country. Apples, peaches, apricots, 

 nectarines, grapes, and other fruits all flourish here. The valley, about 18 miles long 

 and from 1 to 2 miles wide, lies north and south, and is surrounded by mountains. Its 

 situation seems favourable for the culture of tender fruits and no doubt the growing of 

 early vegetables will prove very profitable. The mines at present take the greater part of 

 the products of the land, but as the Great Northern Eailway has now its construction 

 as far as Keremeos, transportation facilities for export will soon be offered and there 

 will be a large influx of those taking up land for fruit growing. The soil of the val- 

 ley for the most part is excellent, decidedly richer than much we had seen in the semi- 

 dry belt and no doubt has been largely formed by detritus brought down by the Simil- 

 kameen river. The summer temperatures here are higher than those of the Okanagan 

 and apparently there is no reason v^'hy fruits of a semi-tropical character cannot be 

 grown successfully. Much land was being cleared of sage brush and being staked oS 

 into lots, which we understood were being taken up rapidly. Mention must be made 

 of the magnificent growth of alfalfa here; a third crop on Mr. Richter's farm being 

 at the time of our visit waist high. With irrigation, there appears to be no reason why 

 this valley should not become a most flourishing district, the climate and, for the most 

 part, the soil being very favourable to successful agriculture in many branches. 



Eeturning to the main line of the C.P.E., the first stop-over was made at Vernon, 

 where we visited several orchards and fruit ranches in the vicinity, giving advice 

 on soils, water supplies and other matters that the residents of the district desired in- 

 formation upon. A very bad weed, the Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca scariola), it was 

 noticed, had in many fields taken possession. It was evident that stringent measures 

 ought to be taken at once for its eradication or its rapid spread would prove in the near 

 future a serious menace to successful agriculture. 



A largely attended meeting was held in the evening at which the use 9f commer- 

 cial fertilizers was more particularly discussed. For bearing orchards and the forc- 

 ing of early vegetables and tomatoes no doubt fertilizers, if employed with judicious- 

 ness, will in many cases be found profitable, but the soil for the most part is of such 

 good quality that if the humus content is tnaintained, as by the turning under of 

 green crops, we scarcely thinly they should be generally necessary. 



It was a great pleasure to visit the Coldstream ranch, the property of Lord Aber- 

 deen, and which for a number of years has been under the management of Mr. W. C. 

 Eicardo. The orchards were in a flourishing condition, betokening the care and 

 thoroughness with which all the operations on the ranch are carried on. 



A considerable area of most desirable land has recently been put under irrigation 

 and put upon the market by the Coldstream Estate Co., and this is being rapidly taken 

 up by an excellent class of settlers. It will only be a few years before the output of 

 fruit from this district exceeds manyfold that now exported. 



From Vernon we drove to Armstrong, where we were met by Mr. Heggie, the 

 president of the Spallumcheen Farmers' Institute, and the manager of the Stepney 

 ranch. A meeting was held at which several local problems were discussed and we 

 then proceeded to Enderby, stopping at a number of ranches on the way to inspect the 

 Boil and talk over matters with the farmers. 



This is a district in which much heavy clay prevails, and I feel convinced from 

 what I saw on this occasion as well as in 1904, that it is one which would Hfe much 

 benefited by more extensive irrigation than it now enjoys. Tile drainage here is also 

 a matter of the greatest importance and should be more generally introduced. It is 

 a district better adapted to dairying than fruit-growing. "With improvement in the 

 mechanical condition of the soil, corn would assuredly flourish. Again, we noticed 

 that alfalfa made in general a meagre growth and gave but one crop in a season. 



