174 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



August, 1908 



NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES 



Kootcnay Valley, B.C. 



H. W. Power. " 



Despite the almost universal prevailing 

 depression in business quarters, the settle- 

 ment of Kootenay Lake fruit lands is going 

 on merrily, newcomers taking up land at 

 Creston, Crawford Bay, Kootenay Lake, 

 Kaslo, Proctor and Harrop, the two latter 

 points being on the west arm of Kootenay 

 Lake. Burton City and Nakusp, on the 

 Arrow Lakes, and the Howser Lake section 

 are also receiving much attention. Fruit- 

 vale, a new settlement, near the boundary 

 line, on the Spokane Falls and Northern 

 Railway, is also thriving. The bulk of 

 the newcomers are English, although a 

 large number are Americans, and former 

 residents of Alberta and Manitoba. 



Ten years ago the sole industry in the 

 Kooteney district was mining, but latterly 

 horticulture is coming to the fore in an as- 

 tonishing manner. The mountain valleys 

 and lake benches have been demonstrated 

 to be wonderfully fertile, strawberries and 

 other small fruits, cherries, plums, pears, 

 apples, peaches and grapes growing to per- 

 fection. Irrigation has been found un- 

 necessary, the natural rainfa'l being suf- 

 ficient for all needs. An eastern man would 

 probably consider the area of good land 

 limited, but the wonderful productiveness 

 of the soil, due to a combination of climatic 

 and other conditions, atone for this. Six 



mi 



mi 



hundred dollars an acre for improved land 

 is not an uncommon figure. Unimproved 

 lands range all the way from $50 to $200 

 an acre. 



Similkameen Valley, B.C. 



The chief concern of growers here at 

 present, is the question of transportation. 

 While we have a fairly direct route to the 

 most desirable market — the prairie prov- 

 inces — it is necessary, in order to reach it, 

 to ship over two roads, the Great Northern 

 and the C. P. R. The Crow's Nest line 

 of the C. P. R. is now building in this 

 direction and will go through the heart 

 of the valley, which will give a splendid 

 direct route to the prairies. . )th roads 

 are also extending to the coast. When 

 these lines are completed, our shipping 

 facilities will be ideal. 



D. F. Jelly, a prominent and eiiergetic 

 orchardist, has been appointed immigration 

 agent for the Great Northern, and as he 

 is also secretary for the Fruit Growers, is 

 acting on his trips as theii agent for look- 

 ing up markets. 



A point that has not yet been taken up 

 here, but should be, is the effect of cotton- 

 wood trees on orchards. It is found in the 

 older districts of Washington that these 

 trees harbor insect pests, as might natur- 

 ally be expected ; and in certain parts of 



the state the edict has gone forth that 

 they shall all be destroyed. We are a new 

 country here, and, as yet, free from pests, 

 but, " an ounce of prevention, etc.," and if 

 our growers are foresighted, they will take 

 precautions at once. The Cottonwood is 

 about the only deciduous tree we have here, 

 and adds much beauty to the landscape in 

 places, but it should not be allowed to 

 stand for a moment if there is any danger 

 from its presence. 



Keremos, the capital of the valley, is 

 making a steady and healthy growth. Sev- 

 eral new firms have started this summer, a 

 church and school are under way, and tim- 

 ber is on the ground for a bridge across the 

 Similkameen, to be built by the Provincial 

 Government. It will be nearly 1,000 feet 

 long, including a stretch across an island. 



The Keremeos Land Co's irrigation 

 works are so far advanced that water for 

 their lands is ensured for this fall. They 

 will cost over $100,000. The main canal 

 brings water down eight miles from the 

 Ashnola River, and consists of six miles 

 of open ditch and two miles of wooden 

 pipe, from 30 to 40 inches in diameter. 



JAlbertaji 



John Ryan 



During my residence of 25 years in the! 

 Macleod district of Alberta, I have grown j 

 small fruits, such as currants, gooseberriesj 

 and raspberries, with great success. IT 

 have some apple, plum and cherry trees, 

 that should bear next year. Two of myj 

 neighbors, Messrs. Thos. Clark and Jos.' 

 Hicks, have fruit trees bearing now. Itj 

 is only recently that the planting of fruit j 

 trees has been thought of in this district. 



My little garden of small fruits and orna- 



A COMPLETE LINE OF 



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 SHRUBS, SMALL FRUITS AND ROSES 



FOR DELIVERY IN FALL OF 1908 AND SPRING 1909 



FRUIT TREES : Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums, Peaches, Quinces, etc. in un- 

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GARPE VINES by the thousands, extra strong Uvo-year-old vines, under the 

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ORNAMENTAL SHADE TREES for Parks, Streets, and Gardens. Large speci- 

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ORNAMENTAL shrubs in all best varieties, field grown and carefully dug 



ROSES in bushes, standards, or half-standards. Field grown and budded on their 

 own roots. Climbing Vines and Trailers in unlimited quantities. 



HELDERLEIGH. 



We have a few vacancies for First-Class Salesmen with undoubted credentials. 

 Write for terms and catalogues, which will be cheerfully furnished free of charge 



E. D. SMITH 



NURSERIES 



_ WINONA, 



ONTARIO 



ESTABUSHED QUAftTER-OF-A-CENTURY. 



Alontion The C'anatliaii Ilortifultiirist vvhoii writing. 



