THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



YOUNG ORANGE GROVE. HYDRANT CONNECTED WITH IRRIGATION SYSTEM. VAL VERDE TRACT. 



Riverside and several other of the well-known colo- 

 nies to observe the results of the frost. He is ready 

 to state without hesitation that the young orchards of 

 Ferris stood the test far better than those of other lo- 

 calities. With the exception of a few trees in a single 

 low spot, nothing was injured at Ferris, not even ten- 

 der nursery stock. On the contrary, one orchard 

 planted as late as last May from yearling buds must 

 be pronounced the finest of its age in the State. It 

 was absolutely unharmed. It would cost a man his 

 reputation for veracity to tell the truth about this 

 particular orchard. The illustration showing an or- 

 chard and farm house was taken ori Washington's 

 birthday and shows the estate of the Messrs. Hun- 

 gate. These orange trees were planted two years 

 ago next May from yearling buds and bore a few 

 very handsome oranges this year. The Hungate 

 family came from Hutchinson, Kansas. They told 

 the writer that they were perfectly delighted with the 

 climate and country, and would much rather own 

 twenty acres in the Ferris valley than 160 acres in 

 eastern Kansas. While their trees are growing they 

 supply their table with everything required in the 

 way of vegetables and small fruits, while the barn 

 yard and the alfalfa patch furnish poultry, pork, 

 eggs, butter and cheese. They are thus sustaining 

 themselves while the trees are growing and two years 

 hence will be realizing a handsome income from 

 citrus and deciduous fruits, to which their twenty 

 acres are largely planted. Theirs is a typical in- 



stance, illustrating what dozens of other settlers are 

 doing and hundreds more may do in this favored 

 district. Among the larger orange orchards is the 

 40-acre tract of Hon. T. J. Morgan, former commis- 

 sioner of Indian affairs. Within five years the Val 

 Verde tract will be a large shipper of oranges and 

 lemons and the quality of its product will be equal to 

 the best in California. 



OTHER PRODUCTS OF THE LAND. 



It has already been said that everything that grows 

 can be produced in this locality. It is unnecessary to 

 enumerate, but it may be said that the colonists are 

 planting largely to orchards. At present the largest 

 acreage is in prunes, next peaches, third oranges, 

 fourth apricots, fifth paper-shell almonds. One 15- 

 acre farm is planted one-third to peaches, one-third 

 to prunes, and one-third to the Thompson seedless 

 grapes. The writer had the pleasurable sensation of 

 picking ripe strawberries from a vine full of blossoms 

 on February 22. It is hardly necessary to say more 

 of the possibilities of the valley. There certainly is 

 no place in the world where it would seem easier to 

 prosper. Upon ten acres an ordinary family will do 

 very well indeed, but twenty acres will be the favorite 

 unit. The country is rapidly filling up, and prices 

 cannot be expected to remain long as they are. 



ELECTRICITY IN FERRIS VALLEY. 



The people of the irrigation empire expect to make 

 large use of electricity. Mr. Nance has not forgotten 



