THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



1G1 



Irrigation and Fruit Raising 



By B. C. BUFFUM. 



The fruit development of the West has only been 

 fairly begun but enough has been accomplished to indi- 

 cate something of the place to be occupied by irrigated 

 fruits in the world's markets. We know something ot 

 the highly developed fruit industry of California and 

 other western coast states, but our interest is more 

 closely centered on the present attainment and the future 

 possibilities of domestic and commercial fruit production 

 in the Rocky Mountain region. 



Last year, on the occasion of our first annual meeting, 

 'it was my privilege to bring before this society what 1 

 believed to be the more important factors affecting fruit- 

 fulness in the arid region. Tonight I invite your atten- 

 tion to a somewhat general discussion of the present 

 fruit growing situation and to some suggestions regarding 

 the known and unknown principles underlying our ir- 

 rigated horticulture. 



Western Fruits and the Market. 



There is an important and valuable trait in human 

 nature which makes us take patriotic pride in home 

 associations and things. Even though some of it is born 

 of prejudice, it is most fortunate that each one believes 

 in his heart and conscience that the things he associated 

 with while growing up were a little better than those 

 experienced by anyone else and that the best cook i 

 the world can not quite equal the pies tnat mother used 

 to make. This well nigh universal trait of character is 

 the one which brings stability and contentment. We 

 cling to the old and are slow to accept anything new 

 as equal or better either in a personal or a gen- 

 eral way. We have as yet but small native population 

 in the west and the majority of our people were raised 

 "back east," or "down south." These good people con- 

 tinually tell me that the eastern fruit is far superior in 

 quality to anything grown in the West. While not quite 

 a native westerner. I practically grew up in the arid 

 region. I therefore think the choke cherries that grew on 

 my father's ranch, were the best choke cherries in the 

 world and I hail with peculiar satisfaction any proofs of 

 high quality of our western products. I remember being 

 pleased to read a report of a great peach expert that 

 the southwestern Colorado peach was the finest flavored 

 peach in the world, comparing favorably with the peaches 

 of Armenia which are considered the standard of highest 

 quality. A few other instances may be mentioned. At 

 Chicago Exposition in 1893, the Idaho prune gained the 

 distinction of "finest in the world", and western fruits have 

 made important winnings at other great expositions. 

 Apples from an irrigated orchard in the Arkansas valley, 

 took second prize at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and 

 apples from the Clark's Fork, close to the Wyoming 

 line, won honors last year in competition at the national 

 apple show at Spokane. 



The proof of a pudding is both in the eating and in 

 he amount eaten and a popular demand for our fruit 

 nust indicate some elements of superior quality. I re- 

 ently ran across a report of Professor Sears, the Pomolo- 

 ?ist of the Massachusetts Agricultural College which was 

 published by the State Board of Agriculture this sum- 

 aer, that is another link in my chain of evidence of su- 

 eriority of Western fruit. 

 Professor Sears says: 



"Even the most casual observer must be impressed 

 vith the fact that eastern fruit has been almost entirely 

 crowded out of the better class of our eastern markets. 

 There are honorable exceptions, but these men have 

 personally overcome the prejudice of consumers against 

 astern apples." 



Professor Sears then enumerates seven causes for the 

 supremacy of Western apples, as follows: 



First: That the orchards of the west are young 

 and just in bearing. Second, That the apple business 



President's address, third annual meeting of the Wyoming State 

 lorticultural Society, Douglas, Wyoming. 



is a great industry with them an exclusive industry. 

 Third, That their orchards are on new land containing 

 all the elements of fertility. Fourth, That they never 

 neglect spraying, keeping their orchards practically clear 

 of insects. Fifth, That they practice the best methods 

 of packing and grading the few blemished apples that 

 they produce, being discarded and the apples so graded 

 that all in the box are exactly alike. Seventh, That 

 their climate gives a finer finish in appearance than in 

 New England. 



I beg you to note that three points out of the seven 

 given are the natural causes which contribute to the- 

 success of Western fruit young orchards, rich soils, and 

 better climate. The remaining four points are attributed 

 to the intelligence shown, in better management and 

 correct business methods. 



Now listen to the three great advantages claimed for 

 the eastern orchardist. "First he can get much splendid 

 fruit land at $10 to $50 per acre, whereas prices in the 

 West are much higher." Second, (He says) "the quality 

 of New England fruit is superior to that of the West 

 in the opinion of all good judges." "Third, they are 

 right at home with the best of markets, whereas the 

 western grower must ship 3,000 miles." 



It looks like a rather serious series of handicaps for 

 the western apple poorer quality, higher priced land. 

 greater expense of production, and 3,000 miles to market 

 yet withal, "Eastern fruits have been almost entirely 

 crowded out of the better markets." (Quotation ver- 

 batim). 



I need not reach further into this report or continue 

 the quarrel about quality, though I believe it possible 

 to at least modify Professor Sears' statements in this 

 regard. Without considering the reasons, therefore, the 

 point I wish to bring out is that Western fruit does now 

 and will continue to lead in the markets of the world. 



Wyoming as a Fruit State. 



My time and the subject of this paper do not permit 

 me to enter into any lengthy discussion of what has been 

 done or what may be done with commercial fruit growing 

 in onr own state. Enough has been accomplished to 

 demonstrate that there is no corner or altitude in Wyom- 

 ing, where grain, potatoes and hay will grow that can not 

 be made to produce a domestic supply of apples, cherries, 

 plums and small fruits of various kinds. In my own mind, 

 profitable commercial fruit production in favorable locali- 

 ties is only a question of a little time jnd development. 

 I am assured that in Big Horn County alone, during the 

 next five years, there will probably be an average of as 

 much as one 'thousand acres of commercial orchards 

 planted each year. To those who would make a business 

 of raising tree fruits for market, I would give a word or 

 two of advice: 



Protect with wind breaks. 

 Plant on alfalfa land that is in good tilth. 

 Plant ten or more acres. 



Choose known hardy commercial kinds for main plant- 

 ing. 



Practice clean culture and constant culture. 

 Watch for diseases and insect pests We have almost 

 none at present. 



Wrap young trees in winter. 

 Prune systematically. 

 Thin when the fruit sets too thickly. 

 Irrigate thoughtfully. 



I wish to discuss as briefly and as practically as pos- 

 sible, the irrigation of fruits. There is altogether too 

 little accurate information to be had. in fact too little 

 knowledge of the irrigation of fruits and it can be gained 

 omy through more study of the underlying principles 

 of irrigation fruit raising. 



The Wyoming Horticulture Society should make it- 

 self felt in a demand for more investigation not of meth- 

 ods of building ditches and bringing water to the land 

 or the mechanics of applying water to orchards and 

 small fruit plantations, but investigations which will throw 

 more light, on when and how to supply water to the 

 plant and the reasons therefor. We know how to plant 

 trees and how to apply water enough to drown the life 

 out of them. A few ranchmen have planted trees and 

 raised good crops of fruit without clean culture or any 

 other kind of culture. There has been over irrigation and 



