190 FRUIT RANCHING. 



usual adverse conditions. For commercial purposes 

 I would recommend none but firm varieties that will 

 stand shipping. Those most satisfactory are Magoon 

 and Clark's Seedling For planting I would re- 

 commend that, after the land is cleared, a heavy crop 

 of clover be ploughed under, and after that is decom- 

 posed the plants be set Strawberry growing, I 



am convinced, when intelligently carried on, will con- 

 tinue to be a safe and highly profitable investment 



in Kootenay All the conditions are ideal for 



raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and 

 other small fruits. The two first-named are of much 

 greater commercial value than the others, and the 

 firm varieties will reach Winnipeg in good market 



condition Some time ago I estimated the profits 



of a good orchard at $265 per acre, and further 

 observation has not changed my opinion. Single 

 trees or small portion of an orchard might exceed 

 this, but taking one year with another the whole 



orchard would average about this return I look 



forward for many years to a steady demand and 

 good prices in the prairie provinces of Canada for all 

 the apples we can grow Pears will also con- 

 tinue to be a very profitable crop. The fruit will 

 bring a little higher price than apples, and the trees 

 will require a little more care. For varieties, I would 

 recommend Doyenn(5 du Cornice, Beurre d'Anjou, 

 Beurrc' Easter, and Winter Nelis as good keepers and 

 ready sellers." 



Mr. R. M. Palmer, Deputy-Minister of Agricul- 

 ture for the Province of British Columbia, says: 

 " The cost of making a twenty-acre orchard is 

 variously estimated from $2,500 to $3,500, according 



