The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-09-05

highest hills, and when we were told
that the only rain since last April was
shower on the night of July 10Th, we
were convinced that it must be a very
superior climate and soil that gives to
the fruit of this section an excellence of
flavor and luxuriance of growth excelled
by no other country in the world. The
soil is sort of loan, mixed with vol
canic ash, which makes it mellow, easy
to work, and very rich. The long, sun
ny days and gentle breezes that come
direct from the ocean every afternoon or
evening are also important factors in
giving to the fruit it's fine flavor and
beauty of color.
1t vas with pardonable pride that Mr..
Highly led us still farther up, pointing
out billowy stretches OF vineyard on the
way or else stopping for a moment to
direct some of his men who were at
work with a stumping machine and
busy preparing a large tract of new
ground for orchard this fall. Hero at
the request of one of the gentlemen,
who said that he was tired and did not
care to go any higher up, we all sat
down on tree which had just been
uprooted, and looking off over the ORCH
ards on both sides of the valley, we were
able to take in at glance many of the
Improvements which have been made
since the Columbia River Fruit COM
pany assumed ownership about year
ago. 1t was indeed a beautiful sight to
look down upon trees heavily laden
with fruit and swaving to and fro in the
summer wind. Two of our party who
had been on tour through California
were not only loud in their praise of
the picture before them, but said they
had never seen anything of the kind
that would be worthy of comparison.
It was with considerable enthusiasm
that one of them exclaimed: "Why,
Mr.. Highly, II tell you 1 am pleased.
can write home letters of praise and
say many mplimentary things after
get there, because see before me some
thing that exists and substantiates all
that ever heard. There is no pretense
in this; it goes away beyond my expect
EationI"
While sitting on the fallen tree the
conversation turned to the finding of a
market for such vast quantities of fruit,
but this was not difficult to see through
when it was remembered that region
with so many natural advantages for
| fruit producing must necessarily yield a
product that will claim first place in all
| the larger markets, consequently the
Columbia River Fruit company look first
to the markets of the Pacific coast and
then to the larger towns of Montana,
Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah,
where Mr.. A. E. Dunham, the general
manager of the company, informed us
they would be able to market carload
shipments, just as soon as they could turn
them out in quantities that large. .If
for any reason the market for raw fruit
should be dull in any of those places, !"
said Mr.. Dunham, eve shall take care of
it ourselves by either drying or canning,
and then market it farther east. In
| Chicago, for instance, there are commits
sion houses that will take all the dried
prunes we can supplyi'' All were un-
animous in thinking with Mr.. Dunham
that the superiority of the fruit raised
| by this company would cause it to take
first place in the markets anywhere.
| It is not our intention to weary the
reader with long narrative of our visit,
but, fearing that such may be the case,
we regret that he could not have been
with US as we descended in different
course through the orchards, and were
continually meeting with wonders that
called forth our admiration. On reach
ing the foot of the hill, we came to the
homestead of the fruit farm, and which,
by the way, is an unpretentions, but
comfortable frame house, partly sur
rounded by peach, prune and apple trees
that weave their limbs caressingly
around it. The thoughtfulness of Mrs.
Highly here manifested itself as she
came to the porch and asked US if we
would not like some peaches and cream.
We availed ourselves of the imitation,
so kindly given, and found while enjoy
| ing her hospitality that "the lord of>the
manor" was not the only one who could
be entertaining at Grand View Fruit
Farm. Many summer will pass into
autumn before we forget that pleasant
afternoon, nor can we yet help but
think that our lines had fallen in pleas
ant places for the day, as we recall our
/ genial host and hostess saying: Good
bye, come and see us again ~
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