2IO 



CONSERVATION 



demanding western fruit. No section 

 of the country can compete with the 

 West for the highest grades. Eastern 

 nurseries have even moved to this sec- 

 tion of the country. Buyers from all 

 sections of the land, and many from 

 London and European points, visit these 

 valleys to make their annual purchases, 

 and it is figured that two-fifths of the 

 apple crop of this year is being shipped 

 abroad. 



How great this increase will be in the 

 future can only be estimated from past 

 shipments, and the continually increas- 

 ing demand for our fruit in the Euro- 

 pean markets. Many dealers in this 

 country, who ordered from one to 

 twenty cars of apples this season, have 

 recently placed orders for additional 

 cars and find that they have to go with- 

 out or pay increased prices. There is 

 no fruit in the world that excels the 

 western apple, and the great class of 

 American apple users demand the best, 

 regardless of price. From the closest 

 observation, even in view of the fact 

 that there are many orchards coming 

 into bearing, the demand has increased 

 faster than the supply, and market 

 values are naturally bound to increase. 

 It can be stated positively that Ameri- 

 can markets can more than take care of 

 the additional fruit raised each year, 

 and the foreign demand, on the other 

 hand, has been increasing more rapidly 

 in the past three years than the home 

 demand. 



There has seldom been any business 

 that offered such great and sure returns 

 to the investor, and irrigation has been 

 proven to be of great value and no ex- 

 periment. 



It is not generally known that the 

 laws of the State of Washington pro- 

 hibit the sale or giving away of wormy 

 apples. The object of this is to keep 

 the orchards free from disease and in- 

 crease the yield and price. 



Agricultural schools and colleges 

 have made careful tests and studies of 

 the soils within their respective states, 

 and a new comer is protected in every 

 possible way, if he takes time to inves- 

 tigate. The danger from pests is now 



very slight, as they are taken in hand 

 at the start and never allowed to spread 

 or obtain a foothold. I do not want to 

 give the impression here that there are 

 no obstacles to overcome, but people 

 who plant orchards, and are observing, 

 and listen to advice from people who 

 have made this subject a careful study, 

 are bound to bring their orchards into 

 a bearing state in excellent condition. 



One thing very noticeable is, that 

 people with little experience in irriga- 

 tion and fruit culture often try to work 

 out some plan of their own, which they 

 think may be an improvement over 

 methods used, but which proves in the 

 end a detriment as long as they are 

 trying to compete with men of experi- 

 ence and a thorough understanding of 

 fruit culture. New comers should gain 

 their experience from those who have 

 been successful. Every fruit grower is 

 interested in a beginner raising the best 

 fruit and keeping his tract in excellent 

 condition, as it prevents the spread of 

 disease, and makes the land more valu- 

 able. There is as much danger of over 

 irrigation as of too little. I know of one 

 company that employs a "water man," 

 who assists and teaches a new comer 

 in the method of irrigation. It is most 

 peculiar also that quite a large percent- 

 age of these same people seek this ad- 

 vice, but act on their own judgment, 

 and very often injure the growth of 

 their orchards. 



I am sorry to say that there are a few 

 poorly irrigated districts, due to the fact 

 of location. Some are in frost belts, 

 and others have not the soil or water 

 which is essential. However, there are 

 not many of this class, but a prospective 

 purchaser should look into all condi- 

 tions very thoroughly. 



I have often heard the statement 

 made that the crops between the trees 

 will pay for the land in two years. 

 There are a few examples of this being 

 done, but only under the most favorable 

 conditions. A ten-acre tract planted 

 with vegetables or small produce be- 

 tween the trees, and well taken care of. 

 can surely pay the interest 'On the in- 

 vestment and give the owner a good 



