Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1891-03-26
NORTHWEST FRUIT INTERESTS.

Ever since the pioneers first took their
white topped wagons across the Rocky
Mountains and conquered the canyons
OF Snake and Powder rivers. to reduce to
the pillow the wilderness Of the Columbia
river basin, wheat has been the one sta
pie agricultural crop. 1t was, to be sure,
early learned that this was the natural
home Of al the fruits OF the temperate
zone. that the apple, plum, cherry and
pear reached here superior size and
flavor. and we're produced in quantity
elsewhere unknown, and that the grape
peach. aprieo; and other fruits Of semi
tropie climes also reached high state OF
perfection, but there was no market for
such products, save in a limited way, and
tons OF the finest quality of fruit annually
rotted on the ground, while orchards
that had been planted, none OF them
very extensive in size, were neglected
aud permitted to go to ruin. All that was
left few years ago Of the early efforts at
romology were a few moss grown and
tumble down orchards and the knowl-
edge that as fine fruit as the world car
show could be grown throughout the
entire Columbia REGION. a term that is
here used to include the lands bordering
upon Puget sound and all the valleys
west OF the great backbone of the conti-
nent.
Less than a decade ago conditions be-
gan to change. One great overland
system reached the metropolis of this re-
gion and in short time Portland had
three great transcontinental systems ter
minating within her limits. BY this
time the fruit industry of California had
assumed gigantic proportions under the
impulse given it by rapid transit to east
ern markets, and if the Columbia region
had then been prepared to supply fruit
Tor shipment in carload lots it could have
at once entered the field, handicapped
only by the reputation California had
gained, which would speedily have
melted away before the superior quality
OF the more northern fruit But there
were no orchards of any size or in good
condition.
The farmers were then urged to plant
orchards Immediately and be prepared
to meet the great demand that would
inevitably spring up; but this seed of
advice fell upon stony ground. Wheat
was all the farmers could see. 1t filed
their whole horizon. To be sure they all
claimed, and truly, that there was but a
bare existence in raising wheat but none
the less they turned deaf ear to all
advice on the subject of fruit. They had
tried fruit years ago and there was no
sale for it, they answered doggedly, ut
terly unmindful of the revolution in
transportation conditions that had taken
{. place. or totally. unable to comprehend
its significance. A few started orchards,
but small ones and of too great variety
of fruits. They had not enough conf
dence in the business to plant large or
chards, nor did they understand it
enough to see that successful orchard
list must be prepared to ship large guam
titles of the same kind of fruit, while
small lots of varied kinds must be dis
posed of in the local market.
AS in the days OF old there arose
Pharaoh "who knew not Joseph" so
there eame to the Columbia basin men
who Knew not wheat, who we're free
from the old prejudices that bound the
older settlers hand and foot, and who
saw the possibilities of the fruit business.
Despite the omiIlpus predictions Of those
who had ''tried 1t years ago." they
planted orchards OF | few choice shipping
varieties Of fruit, AM of prunes for dry
ing, and bded their time until the trees
should begin to produce. These orchards
are now coming into good Tearing con-
dition, and the complete succs-s If fru;t
culture on large scale has been deIl.o-.
strated. Larger orchards are being
planted every year, and in another dec
ade the income OF this region from its
fruit trees will exceed that from any
other source. The experience of Cali
fornia will be 'epeated here, though re-
suits will be more quickly attained.
While pears, apples, plums and cher
ries are being raised for shipment in
quantities, and while the business of
supplying these delicious fruits fresh to
the eastern market in carloads, and even
trainloads, at time will increase to inn
mense proportions, the one distinguish
ing feature OF the business in this res ion
has become the supplying of dried prunes
to the general market. Nowhere else in
the world does the prune reach such a
size, richness of flavor and solidity Of
pulp as here, and the ability of this re
gion to command the markets of til
country is undeniable. The number r
trees, chiefly OF the Italian, or Fable
berg variety, that have been set out to
past three years, or will be the nx
three, reaches we'll into millions. TIN.
sands of acres of land are being deYod