24 The Commercial Apple Industry 



the next twenty years, but all were used for stock- 

 raising. 



In 1853 the first apple orchard planted by an American 

 in this region was set out on the Jesse D. Carr place, now 

 the Sillman homestead. This orchard was about two acres 

 in extent and contained a mixture of fruit. Some of 

 these trees are still in bearing. The second apple orchard 

 in the Pajaro Valley was planted by Wm. F. White in 

 1854. These first two plantings were home orchards. 

 The first commercial orchards in the Pajaro Valley were 

 set out by Isaac Williams and Judge R. F. Peckman in 

 1858. One planted thirteen acres and the other six acres. 

 The early varieties grown were Smith's Cider, Rhode Is- 

 land Greening, Gravenstein, JSTewtown Pippin and Belle- 

 flower. The first shipment of apples from the Pajaro Val- 

 ley was made in 1867 by Isaac Williams who sold his fruit 

 in San Francisco. Increased demand for fruit stimulated 

 .apple planting and a large number of the present orchards 

 were set out in the period between 1880 and 1900. 



The output of the Watsonville section was assuming 

 commercial proportions many years before such sections as 

 the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys in the Northwest had 

 come into prominence. 



It is generally thought that the oldest apple orchards in 

 the Yakima Valley were planted about 1875 to 1876. 

 Near Fort Simcoe, twenty-seven miles south of North 

 Yakima, stands an orchard planted by an Indian, Klickitat 

 Peter, in 1877. This is probably the oldest apple planting 

 in what was later destined to become one of the premier 

 apple-growing regions. 



In 1888 there were a few family orchards in the Yakima 

 district, but probably the first commercial planting of 



