56 



and Gravenstein can be grown successfully, and he has also planted several other 

 varieties in an experimental way. Italian prune, Columbia and Pond Seedling 

 plums are satisfactory and profitable. Bartlett and Bosc pears have done well 

 and the English Morello and Olivet cherries are both good sorts. Mr. Brydon 

 has no doubt one of the best, if not the best orchard in this portion of British 

 Columbia. 



During the course of our ride many small orchards were observed which 

 showed considerable lack of care and attention, with the consequent results. It 

 would seem that the growing of fruit trees in a practical and commercial way at 

 the present time in this part of the island is confined to comparatively few persons- 

 and should admit of considerable extension. 



GRAND FORKS. 



We arrived at Grand Forks, in the Kootenay district, on December 1. In 

 company with Mr. J. D. Honsberger and Charles Lawrence, a drive was taken 

 through some of the principal orchards located here, some of them of sufficient 

 age to prove that the conditions here are very favourable and justify the large 

 planting that has taken place within recent years. The fruit output is now 

 assuming considerable proportions, some forty or fifty cars having been sent out 

 during the past season. This will be largely increased in the near future by ship- 

 ments from the younger orchards which have not as yet come into bearing. 



The favourite apples here are Wealthy, Mclntosh Red, Jonathan, W^agener 

 and Northern Spy. Winesap, Delicious and Red Cheeked Pippin are also being 

 planted but are not as yet proven. 



DOUKHOBORS AS FRUITGROWERS. 



There are quite a number of experienced men who have selected this section 

 as being one of the most promising in British Columbia for fruitgrowing. Large 

 settlements of Doukhobors have taken considerable holdings and are laying the 

 foundations for extensive orcharding in the near future, having already planted 

 several hundred acres. These people being frugal and industrious and quick to 

 adapt themselves to new conditions, are likely to be successful in their undertak- 

 ing. They have established a canning factory which will take care of surplus 

 fruit for some time to come. There is also a considerable local market, and the 

 facilities for long-distance shipments are very good, from the fact that no less 

 than three railways pass through this section. 



In conversation with one of the leading fruitgrowers, a practical man with 

 no land for sale, this gentleman stated that a net profit of ten per cent could be 

 shown at present in this section, under good management, on land valued at 

 several hundred dollars per acre, allowing a sinking fund of ten per cent per annum 

 in addition. A fine orchard of Italian prunes, about eight acres in extent, adjoin- 

 ing the city, has produced during the last seven years an average of three thousand 

 dollars per annum. 



SNOWFALL AMPLE. 



Between Grand Forks and Nelson some very extensive orchards were ob- 

 served, but there is still a large territory undeveloped. At Nelson considerable 

 progress has been made in opening up the different valleys located on the Koot- 

 enay Lakes. Here we visited the orchards of James Johnson and J. J. Campbell. 

 On the latter property during the last few years Mr. Campbell has developed a 

 large area of land from virgin soil which required clearing from the forest, and 

 he now has a fine lot of fruit trees of all kinds well started, and beginning to pro- 

 duce comparatively large crops. Mr. Campbell contends that there is absolutely 



