TJVEXTIETII AXXUAL MEETING. 147 



production of fruit. It is also a treeless country, and inclined, 

 I should judge, to be swept b\- heavy winds. Wenatchce is 

 the home of the W'inesap and Rome Beauty. These are their 

 specialties, though Spitzenberg, Newtown, Jonathan, Arkan- 

 sas Black, Winter Banana, Delicious, etc., are also grown to 

 perfection ; in fact, some of the finest fruit I saw on my 

 whole trip was grown in the Wenatchee Valley. T wish I 

 could picture to you the valley, miles in extent and nothing 

 but fruit trees. I could not help but get enthusiastic about 

 the region myself, and do not wonder at their enthusiasm. 

 As at Hood River, the one topic of conversation was apples. 

 The story is told of how, some years ago, Wenatchee sent 

 some apples 'to compete at an exhibition with other regions 

 and did not carry off a single prize. The fruit was all that 

 could be desired, but they lacked the knowledge of grading 

 and packing. Somewhat humiliated, they resolved to be 

 better prepared at the next exhibition. Accordingly, they 

 sent to Hood River for several of- their most expert packers 

 to instruct them in the art of grading and packing. The\- had 

 them teach the children in the public schools as a regular 

 course, established prizes for competitive exhibitions, and 

 soon their own people could pack fruit with anyone. Again, 

 to. illustrate how these people co-operate and pull together ; 

 this last fall there was an enormous crop of apples. The 

 problem was to get them picked. They solved it by shutting 

 down the public school for a week or ten days so that the 

 children could help. Wlien the crop was picked, the school 

 was re-opened. 



I have spoken of these regions in a general way. They 

 illustrate the conditions as I observed them in the fruit regions 

 of the Northwest. I will add a few specific observatioins as 

 to conditions and results, trying to be absolutely fair and im- 

 partial. IVhat is tJicir percentage of first class fruit? This 

 varies, of course, as there are good growers and poor growers, 

 even in the Northwest. ^Ir. Shepard, of Hood River, told 

 me that some of his orchards would average ninety per cent 

 box fruit which would pack in the fancy and choice grade. 



