BOARD OF HORTICULTURE, MONTANA. 29 



much fruit. Five hundred boxes will cover the production of the whole 

 district, which is all consumed at home. 



I have kept a careful lookout for fruit in the Billings market 

 which is the distributing point for this district, and find the fruit for this 

 year has been much better than last and that but very little infected fruit 

 of any kind has been offered here. 



A careful estimate of trees grown in this district I think would be 

 about 50,000 apple trees, 2,5000 plums, 2,500 cherries and 2,500 miscel- 

 laneous. Yours Respectfully, 

 Billings. I. D. O'DONNELL 



Inspector First District. 



To the Hon. State Board of Horticulture: 



Sirs: — During the past four months I have inspected all the orchards 

 (with very few and minor exceptions) of Ravalli county. 



This is pre-eminently the fruit growing county of the state. Here the 

 first fruit trees were planted on the farm of Thos. Harris on Three Mile 

 creek — ten miles from SteVensville — in 1866 and I found some of those trees 

 still living and bearing fruit although long since turned out to live or die 

 in a tough timothy sod, and, strange to say, they showed no sign of insect 

 or fungus pest. 



Here the first commercial orchard was started by Bass Bros., and 

 brought into profitable bearing. And it is in this county that probably three- 

 fourths of all the trees in the state are now growing and bearing. 



It was in RJavalli county that the first organization of fruit growers was 

 perfected and the first fruit fair held. 



I find that there are now in the county about 350,000 fruit trees living, 

 the vast majority of which of course are apples. 



While comparatively few of these trees are in soils or situations that 

 would prevent them making profitable orchards, yet I find that a very large 

 number of them are being so neglected or abused, that they will never be 

 of any profit to their owners and will be a disgrace to the farm. 



Many orchards that have had good care while young and until they came 

 into full bearing, were then given over to grass, which was either grazed or 

 cut for hay. This treatment especially if accompanied by the usual lack of 

 water is sure ruin to any orchard. 



I am satisfied from experience and observation that clean cultivation 

 during the spring and early summer is not only best, but necessary for 

 young orchards; that vegetables may be grown between the rows without 

 serious injury but that grain is worse than weeds or even grass. 



While this is true of young orchards I find that it is not always neces- 

 sary or best to give bearing trees clean cultivation. 



I find many profitable orchards that are in clover, but I find that where 

 the clover is either pastured or cut for hay the trees show injury and lack 



