228 Fruit Culture in Washington Territory. 



FRUIT CULTURE IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 



By A. B. Roberts, Walla Walla City. 



The north-western part of our country is now beginning to attract 

 some portion of that attention from those wishing homes, and others, 

 of surplus means, wishing an opportunity of investment, that it is in 

 justice entitled to. I say a portion of the attention it should attract. 

 Owing to its remote situation, it seems like a venturesome undertaking 

 to visit this region of country even when one falls into the possession 

 of sufficient information to convince his mind of the superiority of its 

 advantages. 



Whenever Washington Territory is mentioned at all, it is in connec- 

 tion with its immense forests or fine harbors. So that timber and for- 

 ests, bays and harbors, seem to be the only impression one gets of the 

 country. 



I propose now to give you another view of it, and one we think of 

 vastly more importance than all others combined ; and that is the fruit 

 growing advantages of this territory. You are aware that apples pro- 

 duced as far north as a particular vai"iety will succeed against cold and 

 frost, are found to keep the longest time. As, for instance, raise a Yel- 

 low Newtown Pippin in Georgia, and it will scarcely keep until New 

 Year's day, while if raised in New England it will keep until June, and 

 be found to possess more of its excellent flavor, and crisp, solid, and de- 

 licious qualities characteristic of this variety, than if raised in the South. 

 Hence the importance of a locality adapted to the raising of the choice 

 varieties of winter apples ; and especially favored is the locality that can 

 produce such fruit, and at the same time has a wealthy southern market, 

 with all the natural facilities for reaching that market cheaply. 



These advantages we claim for Western Washington Territory. The 

 climate is peculiarly adapted to the production of apples, pears, plums, 

 and cherries ; and finer fruit of these species cannot be found in the 

 world — large, perfect, healthy fruit, free from disease, blight, curculio, 

 or any other trouble or annoyance. 



Around the shores of Puget Sound, with all its bays, inlets, and har- 

 bors, and the Columbia River, with its various tributaries, are tens of 

 thousands of fai-ms or locations where these fine fruits can be pro- 

 duced, and shoved on board vessels bound for the southern coast, or 



