53 



Walhachin. 



About thirty miles further west at Walhachin another large irrigation pro- 

 ject is being established by the British Columbia Horticultural Estates Company, 

 and the Barnes Estates. Their lands are situated on both sides of the Thompson 

 River and consist of between three and four thousand acres. The water is 

 obtained from a chain of lakes in the mountains, and an extensive planting has 

 been in progress for the last two or three years. The favourite varieties are 

 Jonathan, Rome Beauty, Spitzenberg and Yellow Newtown, with Winesap and 

 Wagener as fillers. A small orchard has been in existence on this place for a 

 great many years, and has produced quantities of excellent fruit. 



B. C. Potatoes Fine Quality. 



Between here and the Coast, at Ashcroft, Spence's Bridge and Lytton, are 

 considerable areas of land that are being utilized in the production of fruit and 

 vegetables. The Ashcroft potatoes are widely known for their excellent quality 

 and at the towns of Spence's Bridge and Lytton are to be found orchards that 

 have produced fruit which has carried off first honours at many exhibitions, 

 notably the Royal Horticultural Exhibition at London. 



As the Coast is neared a section is reached which is better adapted for small 

 fruits, and at Mission Junction, Hatzic, Hammond and New Westminster, small 

 fruits are freely grown, a large portion of which are shipped to the prairie markets. 



Vancotjvek. 



The city of Vancouver, the metropolis of the Coast, provides an excellent 

 market for fruit and up to the present time, owing to various conditions, the 

 local supply has not been equal to the demand. Consequently high prices have 

 prevailed and large importations are of necessity made from the ports in the 

 United States to the south. 



There are a number of important fruit firms here, which during the season 

 conduct a very extensive business, several of which were interviewed. It has 

 been freely stated by British Columbia growers that preference was being given 

 to American-grown products, to the disadvantage of those produced in their 

 own province. Upon investigation it was found, however, that large sections 

 of British Columbia were not able as yet to compete on equal terms with the 

 fruit brought in by water from the south. As a rule the dealers have not found 

 the grading and packing of British Columbia fruit to be as uniform or of as good 

 quality as that which their southern competitors send into this market. At the 

 time of our visit there was an excellent demand for all fruit of good quality that 

 was being offered, wholesale prices ranging from $1.50 to $3 per box and 

 retailing from $2 to $4.25, depending upon the variety and quality. 



More Fruit Needed. 



During the past two or three years the dealers have not been able to secure 

 a sufficient quantity of local grown small fruits to supply the trade, and conse- 

 quently prices have been abnormally high. At the present time there is an 

 excellent opening for a very great increase in the production of small fruits, for 

 which the Lower Mainland is particularly well adapted. One reason, possibly, 

 for the tardiness with which the Coast grower undertakes to supply the growing 

 demand for small fruits is the difficulty in securing satisfactory help at reasonable 

 prices. This could no doubt be overcome by making arrangements in advance 

 and securing help for the picking season from the larger towns and cities. 



