A NORTHWESTERN NURSERY. 



The supposable cold climate of the far Northwest 

 prevented any early broad development of the 

 nursery business in that region, notwithstanding the 

 wonderful reputation which the fruits of Oregon, 

 Washington and Idaho have achieved during the 

 past few years. One of the earliest established, and 

 now the largest nursery in all the Northwestern coun- 

 try, is that of C. L. Whitney, at Walla Walla, Wash- 

 ington. During a recent visit to Mr. Whitney's place, 

 the writer was much impressed by the sound horti- 

 cultural basis that underlies all of Mr. Whitney's 

 operations. The establishment covers about 100 

 acres of fine bottom land. Land of similiar quality 

 in the vicinity is now worth $300 per acre for fruit 

 growing and gardening purposes. The stocks now on 

 hand include some 200,000 apples, 75,000 peaches, 

 75,000 pears, 200,000 prunes, and another 100,000 of 

 miscellaneous species, including apricots, cherries, 

 nectarines, etc. In addition there is a large stock of 

 roses and other hardy ornamentals. The varieties of 

 apples in most demand for the planting of the nume- 

 rous new orchards among Mr. Whitney's customers 

 are about as follows, in the order named: Ben Davis 

 and Yellow Newton Pippin east of the Cascade 

 range, and on the west of the mountains the Baldwin 

 and Northern Spy are leaders. Then in order are 

 Esopus Spitzenburg, Winesap, Jonathan, Blue Pear- 

 main, and Red Cheeked Pippin. Although the Ben 

 Davis is a discredited apple among lovers of fine 

 fruit, yet more trees of this sort are planted in all the 

 Western country than any other variety. This is due 

 to its superior keeping qualities, perhaps due to its 

 tough skin, the extraordinary vigor of the tree and its 

 early maturity, coming into bearing the third year. 

 There is an increased call now, Mr. Whitney states, 

 for those other excellent varieties, the Mammoth 

 Black Twig, the Arkansas Black, and the York Im- 

 perial. A remarkably fine new variety, destined to 

 have a popular future, has been aptly named Wash- 

 ington, as it originated in Walla Walla. It is about 

 the color of the King, while being shaped something 

 like the Northern Spy. It is sub-acid in flavor, of fine 

 grain and an excellent keeper, and of quite as much 

 importance is its enormous size, growing as large as 

 the light-skinned Gloria Mundi. These, of course, 

 are all winter varieties, the early sorts being little in 

 favor among Northwestern apple growers, because 

 they are easily beaten in earliness by the California 

 fruit men, who, however, cannot compete with the 

 superior quality of the winter apple of the Pacific 

 Northwest. The planting of winter apples is going 

 on at a great rate in that section, and it is creditably 

 stated by one of the boards of horticulture that 6,000 to 

 10,000 acres are being planted each year in Washing- 

 ton alone, and Mr. Whitney's orders show a marked 

 increase from year to year, although indeed this is 

 somewhat due to the broadening of the territory into 

 which he is sending his well-reputed stocks. His 

 orders now come from nearly all of the arid region, and 

 hundreds of THE IRRIGATION AGE readers in Idaho, 

 Montana, California, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico 

 are now numbered among Mr. Whitney's customers. 

 He believes that fruit growing is destined for a long 

 time to be the best paying business in the arid 

 region in spite of the low prices of the last season, 



when, indeed, it has paid better than any other branch 

 of agriculture. Next to the winter apple comes the 

 late peach, and prunes are still being planted in large 

 quantities. 



Among the interesting features of Mr. Whitney's 

 grounds is the old mill once operated by Col. Sims, 

 brother-in-law of General U. S. Grant. In the ante- 

 railroad days this old mill was a great trading post. 

 It is stated that two hundred mules were loaded here 

 every day for the mines of the north country with 

 bacon, flour and whiskey, for the thrifty colonel com- 

 bined a distillery with his flouring mill, and fatted a 

 great number of hogs on the refuse. There is also a 

 great three-story packing house on the place, where 

 the fine packing is done for which these nurseries 

 are particularly noted, and which enables Mr. Whit- 

 ney to guarantee the arrival of his shipments in 

 good condition. 



IRRIGATION OUTLOOK FOR ARIZONA. 



Much activity is manifested in all lines of irrigation 

 work. Nearly all the older companies are enlarging 

 and extending their canals. Several new enterprises 

 have been put in better shape, and are now expected 

 to be pushed to completion. The Agua Fria Re- 

 servoir and Canal Company is working a large force. 

 The Hudson Reservoir Company have interested 

 New York capital and have resumed operations look- 

 ing to the construction of works to store waters of the 

 Salt River to irrigate a very large area. The reorgani- 

 zation of the Florence Canal Company and the Gila 

 Bend Reservoir and Canal Company are both about 

 consummated, and large improvements are planned 

 for both systems. The Buckeye Canal Company of 

 the Gila River have interested London capital with 

 the purpose of extended improvements and enlarge 

 ment. The Rio Verde Company have announced 

 that work will begin on their $2,000,000 enterprise in 

 January. 



Work has commenced on the enlargment of the 

 Maricopa Canal to twice its present capacity and will 

 then follow to the Grand and Salt River Valley 

 Canals, and as these companies have bought machine- 

 ry together and have each a large surplus in their 

 treasuries, work will be no doubt be pushed to an 

 early completion. The Arizona Canal Company will 

 soon put in a large dredge to enlarge the main canal. 

 The Consolidated or Mesa Canal has just finished a 

 new head, 60 feet wide, which makes a great improve- 

 ment in their works. 



No effort has been made to establish a state engin- 

 eering department, but it is understood there will be 

 at this session of the legislature. 



The Carey law is believed, in Arizona, to be a very 

 good thing which should be extended to benefit the 

 Territories. Until that is done, of course, nothing can 

 be done in the Territory. A strong effort will be made 

 to secure congressional action favorable to Arizona, 

 on this matter, that the ensuing session of the legis- 

 lature may act upon it to create necessary commis- 

 sions, etc., to make it available. 



GILA BEND DAM. 



The washout of the dam at the Gila Bend, Ariz., 

 during the recent floods, has raised the very old 

 question as to the proper recognition of the engineer in 

 charge. It appears that a controversy arose between 



