G34 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



been converted into a co-operating reservoir by damming the outlet. 

 Thence the Canal runs southward, again passing the town of Vernon 

 on the opposite side of the Valley, but at a lower elevation. From this 

 point it is taken south-west to Okanagan Lake, having travelled some 

 thirty miles from its original source. This great work, when com- 

 pleted, with all its laterals, will have cost £100,000. What it means 

 to the district around Vernon may be gathered by a visit to the fruit- 

 growing districts of Washington — the famous Yakima Valley, with 

 similar climate, soil, and other conditions — which to-day is what the 

 Okanagan Valley and Vernon will be not many years hence. 



In the Okanagan Valley in 1909 there were not more than 1200 

 to 1500 acres of orchards in full bearing, with perhaps another 1200 

 acres bearing very lightly in 1910, much of it being young orchard; 

 and 3000 more acres were expected to be planted in 1910. 



For comparison purposes the production may be taken at about 

 one -twelfth of what it will be when the trees already planted have 

 reached their full growth. As the trees not yet bearing range from 

 one to six years old, in another six years at the most the fruit crop 

 of the Valley (even at the present rate of yield from partially bearing 

 trees) would be between 6000 and 7000 truck-loads annually. 



To transport 7000 truck-loads of fruit in, say, a three-month season 

 would take almost one hundred trucks a day for the working days. 

 At an average of twelve tons to the truck this fruit crop would figure 

 up to about 80,000 tons. It keeps one barge busy all day to carry 

 eight truck-loads to and from the nearest lake point and the present 

 rail end ; if the same conditions existed in 1916 it would require a 

 regular fleet of barges and tugs on Okanagan Lake to move the fruit 

 crop along, without counting the output of vegetables and field 

 produce, which would undoubtedly keep pace in production. 



That the figures given above are under the mark of an average crop 

 from a fully producing orchard is shown by the following:^ — 



An apple orchard will average fifty trees to the acre. 



A peach orchard will average 100 to 150 trees to the acre. 



A full-bearing apple tree will carry more than ten boxes each year. 



A peach tree in the fourth year should yield about ten crates of 

 20 lb. each. 



Apples run about 550 boxes to the truck-load. 



Peaches, plums, &c., about 1000 crates. 



Apples, at ten boxes to the tree and fifty trees to the acre — a very 

 moderate estimate — would give one truck-load to the acre. 



Peaches, with ten boxes to the tree and but 100 trees — less than 

 the average to the acre — would give also one truck-load an acre. 



Figuring on that basis, every acre of fully bearing orchard would 

 yield a truck-load of fruit. In other words, the 15,500 acres of 

 orchard trees which will be in full bearing in 1916 would yield 

 15,500 truck-loads of fruit — a stupendous total, yet one quite within 

 the range of possibility. 



To this great total must be added the production from fresh trees 



