THE IBHIGATION AGE. 



of the wonderful resource of the Gem State, and the 

 prospective homeseeker while passing through the unde- 

 veloped portion of the State has often been heard to ex- 

 claim, "I would not exchange my quarter section back 

 home for the whole State of Idaho." Thus it is that 

 one may be "so near and yet so far" from the realization 

 of fondest hopes. 



In order to see the beautiful and sequestered Pay- 

 ette Valley it is necessary to leave the train at Payette 

 and traverse the valley for several miles up and down 

 th river. Here the desert, which first greeted the early 

 settlers and dissuaded many of them from grasping the 

 riches lurking in the rich and productive soil beneath 

 its mantle of sage brush, has almost disappeared, and in 

 its place there are now hundreds of modern homes of 



display of fruit has never been seen at any of the world's 

 fairs or expositions than was exhibited at Ogden from 

 the irrigated States, and the Payette Valley may be 

 justly proud of the fact that to her is given the greatest 

 credit for the capture of this much-coveted trophy. The 

 following dispatch was sent by President T. C. Gallo- 

 way, of the State Horticultural Society, to his home 

 paper, the Weiser Signal: "Idaho won the prize for 

 fruit exhibit. All credit to the fruit growers of Pay- 

 ette." Signed, "Galloway." In an interview reported 

 in the Boise Statesman, A. McPherson, State Horticul- 

 tural Inspector, said, "To Payette Valley belongs the 

 credit of winning the prize." 



We quote a few editorial comments on this contest. 

 The Payette Independent says: 



Fruit Pickers, Payette Valley, Idaho. 

 Payette Valley Orchard 8 years old. 



prosperous, up-to-date farmers and fruit growers, beauti- 

 ful green fields of alfalfa, clover and the everchanging 

 shades of waving grain and blooming orchards. There 

 are also numerous five and ten-acre tracts covered with 

 melons, the celebrated Payette Valley cantaloupes, and 

 other products of the truck gardens, from which many 

 a home is supplied with all its necessities and even lux- 

 uries. 



WONDERFUL FRUIT PRODUCTIONS. 



Idaho received the first prize for her apples at the 

 World's Fair three times in succession, and at the 

 National Irrigation Congress, held at Ogden, Utah, in 

 September, 1903, won the $500 loving cup offered by 

 Senator W. A. Clark "for the best display of the great- 

 est number of varieties of perfect fruit, free from insect 

 pests and fungus diseases." A finer or more complete 



Corn Field near Payette Valley. 

 Alfalfa Hy. Payette Valley- 9 tons per acre. 



A striking feature of the Idaho display met the eye 

 immediately upon entering the exposition building. It was 

 labeled "Before and After" and consisted of a huge sage 

 bush over seven feet high, from Bingham county, placed 

 directly over the big double rack of Payette Valley apples, 

 with a plate of immense specimens of the fruit along side, 

 some of them weighing twenty-four ounces, furnishing a 

 striking commentary upon what can be done with Idaho land 

 where irrigation is used. 



The following classes and varieties of fruit are those 

 that won the prize : 



APPLES. 



Jonathan, Ben Davis, Rome Beauty, Blue Parmain, White 

 Winter Parmain, Wolf River, Red Beltighemer, Maiden Blush, 

 Hubbard Nonesuch, Spitzenberg, R. I. Greening, Wagner, 

 20-ounce Pippin, Pewaukee, English Golden Russet, Arkansaw 

 Black, Gano, Wealthy, Alexander, N. W. Greening, McMa- 

 han's White, Grimes' Golden, Buckenhan, Mann, Hyde's King 

 of the West, Northern Spy, Yellow Bellflower, Gravenstein, 

 Lady Heniker, Talman Sweet, Stark, Minkler, St. Lawrence, 



