74 The Commercial Apple Industry 



IDAHO* 



The following four fairly well defined, yet more or less 

 isolated, apple sections are found in Idaho: Payette Val- 

 ley, Boise Valley, Lewiston district and Twin Falls dis- 

 trict. Idaho was somewhat behind Oregon and Washing- 

 ton in the time of the development of its fruit industry 

 and probably has a greater proportion of young trees 

 than either of the other two. The commercial production 

 of Idaho exceeded 3,600 cars in 1919. 



Payette district. 



The apple acreage of the Payette district is largely in 

 the Payette Valley, with extensive plantings in the vicin- 

 ity of Fruitland, Payette, Weiser and New Plymouth. 

 This district represents the heaviest producing area in the 

 state. Its production has exceeded 2,000 cars in a single 

 season and an even greater output is promised on account 

 of the new acreages just coming into bearing. 



As in all of Idaho's plantings, the Jonathan grows to 

 perfection and is the predominating variety. Other 

 important varieties of the Payette are Eome Beauty, Gano, 

 Ben Davis, and Winesap. The northwest box system of 

 packing and general orchard management is used through- 

 out this region, although there is not the intensity of cul- 

 tural methods, nor quite the high state of specialization, 

 as in the Yakima and Wenatchee districts. Severe frost- 

 injury has destroyed the crop in certain years and frost 

 liability has somewhat deterred the development of the 

 region. The Payette district was known as a hay and 

 stock raising country long before an impetus was given to 

 its apple industry. Although the orchards are small, con- 



