THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



371 



to not only the promoters but to those who invest later 

 on in the smaller tracts. 



The plan of the organization is to sell the tracts on 

 time payments, and take care of the trees and the ground 

 until they are in full bearing. By keeping up this system 

 of continual cultivation, and with the surety of water, 

 this should prove to be one of the best tracts in Idaho, 

 if not in the entire west. The writer does not know of an 

 orchard of the same size in the western country, although 

 there may possibly be some in Oregon and Washington. 



On the assumption that these trees will pay from 

 $2 to $4 a box where the crop is sold ready boxed for 

 shipment, it can be easily seen that a fairly good in- 

 come may be derived from each acre. 



The writer requested Mr. Craven to prepare a letter cov- 

 ering the main points of the project and we are producing 

 it herewith. 



We are also presenting half tones showing the orchard 

 in its present condition, and it is our intention to pro- 

 duce illustrations from time to time as the property de- 

 velops, showing the growth and condition of the entire 

 tract. 



Under the system of cultivation practiced by this 

 company weeds are entirely eliminated and the land be- 

 tween the rows, as far as the eye can reach, is absolutely 

 clean and well pulverized. The accompanying photo- 

 graphs will give some idea of the appearance of the newer 

 part of the orchard at this time. Some of the young trees 

 have shown a remarkable growth this year, in many in- 

 stances six or seven inches. 



The entire tract is fenced with woven wire 52 inches 

 high what is known as the "hog-tight" or "rabbit proof" 

 type, and this is supplemented by an additional 2 feet at 

 the base of very finely woven chicken wire. This is neces- 

 sary to prevent the encroachment of jack rabbits which 

 prove a pest where they are allowed to get into orchards 

 or fields of wheat or other grains. As the country de- 

 velops this difficulty will be removed by the natural 

 process of killing them off or by driving them into more 

 remote sections. 



This orchard, or more properly speaking their two 

 orchards, lie directly west of Hollister, Idaho, in what is 

 known as the Twin Falls Salmon River section of the 

 state, although the water right and reservoirs are en- 

 tirely distinct from the Kuhn or any other interest. 



It is generally believed that this will prove to be one 

 of the best apple growing sections in the United States, 

 as west and south of the tract may be found orchards 

 15 and 20 years old that have produced regularly and 

 heavily, and this demonstrates to the promoters of the 

 Twin Falls-Deep Creek tract that there will be no dif- 

 ficulty in bringing their orchard up to the bearing age 

 without a set back. 



On this tract whenever a tree is found to be diseased 

 it is properly cared for at once, or is cut out and burned. 

 Furthermore, if anyone is found offering for sale, fruit 

 affected by any pest, or even wormy fruit, he is subject 

 in Idaho, to a heavy fine. 



Many people are of the opinion that there may pos- 

 sibly in time be an over-production of apples in Idaho, 

 and other western states. When it is considered, however, 

 that throughout the civilized world .the apple is becom- 

 ing more and more in demand, it is safe to say that our 

 increasing population will keep the demand in advance of 

 production. 



In the east the San Jose scale, the wooly aphis, the 

 codlin moth are killing thousands of acres of orchards 

 every year and much of the crop that would otherwise 

 be raised is killed by the frost. 



We are presenting below the letter written by Mr. 

 Craven, as mentioned above: 



Twin Falls, Idaho, August 14, 1912. 

 Mr. D. H. Anderson, Editor, 



Chicago, 111. 

 My dear Mr. Anderson : 



Referring to your recent visit here I am pleased to enclose you 

 some of the views taken of our trip through the valley, especially 

 those on the Deep Creek Orchards. In connection I wish to state 

 that my holdings and those of the company, which will combine within 

 the next year, amount to 3,205 acres. My company has planted this 

 year 1,320 acres, all set with four varieties, only apple trees; around 

 these orchards we have planted rows of shade trees, extending nine 

 and one-half miles. 



These orchard lands are situated in the valley of Deep Creek, 

 three miles due west of Hollister, Idaho, and has a water right, which 

 they purchased from the Twin Falls Deep Creek Land & Water Com- 



pany. The character of this soil is a compound mixture of lava ash 

 and what is commonly called silt loam; the latter being disposed of 

 by overflows and coming from the foot hills. We have a soil about 

 six feet of this character and then coming into gravel subsoil, which 

 has a thickness of twelve to fifteen feet, about the center of which a 

 flow of water has been tested and pronounced chemically pure. It is 

 supposed to come from the snow drifts in the mountains of the 

 Shoshone range; this never failing flow of water at the depth of twelve 

 to fifteen feet is secured upon each side of this stream at a distance 

 of three-quarters of a mile, extending through the valley. I know of 

 no other valley in the northwest so much favored in this respect. 



While this particular valley is a fruit section, it is in its infancy, 

 its future is assured from the older orchards in the vicinity just west 

 and the vicinity just south and east of this tract. They have never 

 failed to bear and one of the old settlers, John Hansen of Rock 



Headers and Separators at Work in Grain Field on Twin Falls Salmon 

 River Tract. This Ground Was Covered With Sage Brush One 

 Year Ago. 



Creek, states that he h"as been picking apples from his orchard for 

 twenty-eight years, also peaches, and that he never had but one 

 failure in peaches, which was in the year 1891, and never a failure 

 in apples. 



It is the object of the Twin Falls Deep Creek Orchard Company 

 to finish planting its entire acreage, 3,800 acres, next spring and grow 

 them under the direct supervision of the writer with the assistance 

 of the best horticulturist in the Pacific northwest. These orchards are 

 now owned by prominent business men of Des Moines, Iowa, and the 

 prominent business men of this city. 



About cultivation; the policy of this company is to give the trees 

 all the chance and to not grow anything between the rows; it is our 

 policy only to irrigate when needed and to cultivate eternally. 



We have at this time two gasoline tractors for cultivation and 

 sixteen mule teams; the orchard has been cultivated nine times this 

 season and will get two more rounds before the season closes for 

 cultivation. They have been irrigated only twice. 



Very truly yours, 



J. W. CRAVEN. 



THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FORESTRY BUREAU. 



The forestry service struck congress the other day for 

 an additional million dollars as a reserve fund to fight fires, 

 but the item was shaved down to $200,000 and now a great 

 yell is raised about it. This forestry service is becoming 

 a national nuisance and is costing the people altogether too 

 much money for the good they get out of it. Besides this 

 it is a menace to our liberties and will have to be set 

 aside some day or we will see a rebellion in this country. 

 The most notable thing about this institution is its won- 

 derfully rapid and extensive growth. If it were to make 

 trees grow, as the bureau itself has grown, the problem 

 before the people would be how to prevent the forests 

 from taking possession of all the land surface of the 

 globe outside the frigid zones. This is clearly indicated 

 by the struggle in which our people are now engaged to 

 prevent the forestry bureau from taking possession of 

 everything west of the one hundreth meridian. Already 

 a large part of the area of the Rocky Mountain and Pacific 

 coast states is under the bureau's dominion. The growth 

 of this bureau illustrates what may be done in the exten- 

 sion of federal activity. It has been developed through 

 the energy of Gifford Pinchot and the employment of pub- 

 licity agencies surpassing in activity anything previously 

 known in the history of this country and it is time to put 

 a stop to all this tomfoolery. The way to do it is to cede 

 the land to the states. The Denver Field and Farm. 



Send $1.00 for 1 year's subscription to the IRRIGA- 

 TION AGE and bound copy of THE PRIMER OF IRRIGA- 

 TION. If you desire a copy of The Primer of Hy- 

 draulics add $2.50 to above price. 



