230 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
THE EARLY FRUIT BELT 
By C. T. BREITHAUPT, Richland, Washington 
The earliest fruit belt of the Pacific Northwest is probably 
located in Benton and Franklin Counties centering at Kenne¬ 
wick and Richland, Washington, and comprising a valley up 
and down the Columbia River about 40 miles each way and 
not more than 10 miles to 15 miles at its widest place. This 
little valley was but a few years ago a barren, sand-swept 
plain where the jack-rabbit and coyote held full sway. But 
with the western movement of man came the master-mind 
who conceived the idea of irrigating a small portion of this 
barren desert and the results obtained from this were so 
marvelous that it almost reads like a fairy tale. From this 
first venture, capital has seen where it was possible to reclaim 
this acreage and make it the abiding place of man and 
incidentally gather in a few golden shekels. 
There is probably not another area of like size that has 
gathered to itself so quickly the reputation for being an early 
fruit section. This section has gone extensively into the fruit 
business, raising strawberries as the principal crop between 
the rows; while the trees are coming into bearing. These 
begin ripening about the first of May and reach their prim.e 
in a week, for when two weeks old, every man, woman and 
child takes themselves to the strawberry fields to help gather 
in the blushing berries. The berries on account of their 
earliness command fancy prices, bringing at the opening of 
the season as high as $15.00 for 24 quart crate and gradually 
dropping in price until the end of the season finds them selling 
at $ 2.00 per crate. The 1912 crop averaged better than $2.65. 
Hundreds of acres are being added each year and yet the 
supply is inadequate. So much for the strawberry, though 
planted extensively it by no means monopolizes the whole 
field. There are many acres planted to asparagus which 
comes on at the first of the season, commanding the best 
prices. Another plant that is coming into its own more each 
year is rhubarb, which grows to perfection. In the bush 
fruits we have the gooseberry, currant, the raspberry and 
the blackberry, which find their way to the market very 
early. 
In the ;tree fruits everything that has been tried out gives 
the best results that it is possible to obtain. These again are 
the first to find their way to the fruit counter where they 
command fancy prices, having practically no competition. 
The climatic conditions are such that there are but two 
seasons, summer and winter, the transitions from one into 
the other being so gradual that it is hardly noticeable. The 
summers are warm and dry, as the rainfall for the season is 
but seven inches and this falls mostly during the winter 
months. The winters are very mild, the thermometer rarely 
going below zero and then only for a few days at the most. 
The irrigated sections have advantages which probably 
none other enjoy, in that the farms are seldom larger than 20 
acres and more often only five acres; this means a thickly 
populated territory, which brings social, religious and school 
advantages only equalled by the city. 
The rural school house is a thing of the past and the 
centralized school with its newer and better way having taken 
its place. Bus-drivers hired by the district, bring in the 
scholars in the morning and return them to their homes at 
night. By this system all grades are taught and the high 
schools are on the accredited list permitting its graduates to 
enter any of the state schools without passing an examination. 
Other advantages are the telephone and electric light ser¬ 
vice in every farm house where wanted; these together with 
the Rural Free Delivery combined with a parcel-post make 
ranch life a life to be envied by the city man and not a life to 
be pitied. These conditions find their ideal place under 
intensified farming and more especially under irrigation. 
The nurserymen throughout the United States will be 
interested to learn that Mr. Norbert Levavasseur of the old, 
well known firm of Levavasseur 8 c Fils, of Ussy and Orleans, 
France, will visit this country with his wife, leaving Havre 
about May 3 ist, they expect to join the through nurserymen’s 
train for the Portland Convention at Chicago on the morning 
of June 17th. It will be a keeri pleasure for Mr. Levavasseur 
to meet again many old, personal friends after quite some 
years of absence, when last he visited the United States, 
calling upon many of the nurserymen with whom this firm 
has maintained the most agreeable relations. 
“ THE MONTHLY SUMMARY OF COMMERCE AND FINANCE ” FOR MARCH, 1913, GIVES THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF 
IMPORTS OF PLANTS, TREES, SHRUBS AND VINES. 
ARTICLES 
MARCH — 
SEVEN MONTHS ENDING MARCH — 
1912 
1913 
1911 
1912 1 1913 
Quantities 
Values 
Quantities 
Values 
Quantities 
Values 
Quantities 
Values 
Quantities 
Values 
Plants, trees, shrubs and vines: 
Fruit plants, tropical and semi- 
tropical, for propagating 
purposes^.free. . 
2,035 
19,571 
220,375 
947 
19,419 
251,044 
• 
22,284 
1,708,771 
928,384 
3,372 
1,813,793 
1,071,140 
Bulbs, bulbous roots, or corms, 
cultivated for their flowers or 
foliage.M. . dut. . 
All other.dut. . 
1,965 
2,027 
1,546,530 
869,509 
215,469 
287,673 
T otal. 
241,981 
271,410 
2,416,039 
2,659,439 
2,888.305 
