BOARD OF HORTICULTURE, MONTANA. 17 



calling in Montana. Those who had planted out large numbers of trees were 

 looked upon as cranks, and the masses of the people living in the fruit belt 

 itself did not realize that those whose trees were in bearing were making 

 money from them. 



But in 1893 a revelation and a change came about. In the fall of that 

 year the first fruit fair was held at Stevensville and those who came and saw 

 doubted no longer. Immense quantities of apples, pears, plums and grapes 

 were shown there of the finest size, quality and appearance ever seen in any 

 country and best of all, the fruit was entirely free from blemishes or insect 

 pests of any kind. 



The exhibit was taken to Butte and Helena and there viewed by thou- 

 sands who, until then, had scarcely heard that fruit could be grown in Mon- 

 tana and were astounded to find that it was so perfect in every way and em- 

 bi-aced so many varieties. 



Then came the fruit growing or rather planting boom over all western 

 Montana. Every one who owned land planted an orchard. People from 

 Butte, Anaconda, Helena and other parts of the state bought land and set 

 out fruit trees by the tens of thousands. Stock companies were formed and 

 they planted still larger orchards until today there are in Ravalli county 

 alone, which does not take in all of the Bitter Root valley, over 350,000 

 fruit trees and the crop this year — 1900 — was estimated by the state inspec- 

 tor at 65,000 boxes of one bushel each. 



Missoula county is only second to Ravalli in the number and extent of 

 its orchards, while thousands of trees have been planted in Flathead county, 

 and many in other portions of the state. 



In size, beauty and quality the apples grown in Montana are unsur- 

 passed. So far they are free from the disgusting worms, and it is the ob- 

 ject and intent of the State Horticultural Board to prevent our fruit becom- 

 ing infested and defiled by the maggot of the codling moth or other insect or 

 fungus pest. So far our trees are free from any serious disease or insect 

 troubles. Thousands of trees of varieties too tender for our climate have 

 been planted, as proven by the results of the hard winter of '98-99. But 

 those killed or seriously injured have been replaced and fruit growing seems 

 now to be upon a sure, firm basis and with promise of a gieat future. 



This is a matter of interest and concern, not only to those who are en- 

 gaged in fruit production, but to the fruit consumers as well, v*'ho are bene- 

 fitted by having clean, healthful, delicious fruit. 



