Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-09-17
81.
Wonderful Fruit Growth.

Much has been said regarding the
abundance and excellence Of the Lewis
ton fruit yield this year. EVERYWHERE
along the bars of the river fruit ranches
are seen in various stages of develop
ment and everywhere the trees groan
beneath the load now being harvested.
We took occasion of an opportunity
Offered n few days since and made
inspection of the fruit farm of l.. A.
Porter, ON Clearwater, just above the
city. Mr.. Porter is an enthusiast on
the growth and propagation of fruit
and he has reached some astonishing
results in the past few years in that
line. We were taken first to the grape
vines. Here Mr.. Porter proceeds in a
truly scientific manner. The vineyard.
at present, is just his trial ground. He
has selected here some thirty-tour yari-
cites of choicest grapes known and is
growing them to experiment on the
results, under the effect of this soil and
climate. The result is truly wonderful.
The yield in all eases was immense.
One single vine, setting of but two
years growth, yielded this year one
hundred and fifty pounds of fine lus-
cicus grapes, some punches of which
would weigh and 8 pounds. All va
rieties had done well, and the contrast
of colors, conditions and flavors would
delight the heart of u connoisseur. Mr..
Porter has names, facts and figures at
his tongues end, that are calculated to
puzzle the mind of any one less expert
than himself on the subject. III the
matter OF the success of his work, how
ever, both the vision and the palate can
testify. FROM the best developing va
rieties Mr.. Porter has stocked fine
vineyard comprising fifteen acres.
Here next season will be growth of
grapes that will demand the highest
values of any on the market. We
were next shown through the peach
orchard. Here, as before, you are be-
wildered by varieties and flavOrs. Mr..
Porter has made the same careful study
of the peach as the grape. Only the
choicest varieties have been budded
and propagated. The trees have been
cultivated SO as to keep them low and
branching near the ground, that they
may the more easily bear their crop
and 1t may be more easily handled.
The yield this year is astonishing. The
limbs are weighed to the ground with
their burden of fruit Peaches that
would weigh half pound each fill q
branch so thick as to touch each other
to the very tip of the twig. They are
yielding fourteen boxes to the tree, and
a short calculation here will soon show
hn rnft t.l
when properly done. The boxes sell at
75c each and Il tree yielding fourteen
boxes will make u return of $lO.5O cash.
an acre will sustain 10 such trees, thus
making Il total of $ll55 as the proceeda
on one acre for single harvest. Mr..
Porter finds a ready market for his
fruits at Moscow and the OUTLYING
towns and having the choicest varie-
ties his produce always commands the
highest market price. We have only
I mentioned two varieties of fruit grown
= on the ranch, but all fruits are grown.
excellent in variety and flavor. Sweet
5 potatoes were measured and some
r found to be nineteen inches in diam
eter and others found to be fourteen
:, inches long. Mr.. Porter has about
l sixty acres now in cultivation, but
e about one hundred and forty suscep-
J, table Of cultivation. The wonderful
a effect Of soil, climate and cultivation
y can be estimatei, when we know that
Z this ranch as it stands to-day IL
= only the work of five years cultivation.
u The whole thing is the result of irriga
!. ton under skillful and careful super
10 vision. The water is taken from thu
q Clearwater. The pumping power being
d supplied by the celebrated pulsometeI
d pump. The fruit industry along thl
a river is yet in its infancy, and Mr.
- Porter's success demonstrates the posi-
t, bilities and probabilities of its develop
IS ment. The sight of this fine growth o
v fruit is we'll worth long journey, an(
= the visitor will find in Mr.. Porter an(
:. his excellent wife entertainers worthy
- of the subject. Their hospitality
!" noted and fully appreciated by all VII,
:, are favored by it.