The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-16
MONTANA FRUIT GROWING
Nv. b. Harlan Writes Interestingly
Of His Experiences in Mis-
Soula Rounty.
Climatic Conditions That Make
It Difficult to Arrive at
Conclusions.
Arha Result of Ten Years Experience
Warning to Farmers to Look Out
for Agents.

In n recent issue of the Bitter Root Times
w. B. Harlan writes Interestingly and in
atrnotiyely on the subject of fruit growing
in thu Bitter Root. He has devoted ter
vears to the business and no man in the
state ia more competent to talk on tho sub
liant. While the article deals particularly
with his own section. tho facts are of inter
ast 70 fruit farmers all over the state, and
cha article Ia given entire. Mr.. Harlan
says:
IA / am constantly in receipt of inquiries
reperdinp varieties Of fruit trees to plant in
this section, / think it may be of some gen.
oral interest to publish what little l oan say
nnon The subject. First let me premise by
saving that / do not know half as much
about the subject as / thought l did five
or ten years ago. We in Missoula county
are subject to climatic conditions that
make il especially hard to arrive at
any satisfactory conclusions. While
re are south and west of the
region of severe cold and hllzzards. and
east Of the warm moist winters of the coast.
vet We feel a touch Of each. Trees of the
half tender varieties will do we'll for three,
four. or five years. and will leave the new
orchardist to believe that he can raise al
most any of the old we'll known kinds of
apples. plums and pears. Then will come a
winter when all but the most hardy IRON
clads will suffer severely, many be perma-
nently injured or killed entirely. Such
winters serve to cut down the desirable list
20 small proportions. Then along comes
such a winter as that of 1878, when every
thing in the orchard is killed or black
heated except the Siberian crabs. Happily
such winters are few and far between, so
that we have some encouragement to plant
with a reasonable expectation of n profta-
Bile succession Of seasons before another
comes.
There are dozens Of varieties Of apples,
pears, plums, and cherries, that have been
introduced from Russia by Prof. Budd, of
the Iowa Agricultural college, and by the
department of agriculture. that have proven
harder in the tree and fruit-bud than any
of the old w~ell-known sorts of the eastern
states. For lists and descriptions of these,
those interested should send to Prof. Budd,
Ames, Iowa, for the latest catalogue of
hardy fruits. There are also some apples
that originated in the north and northwest
that have proven reasonably hardy and
valuable, such as Wealthy, our best late
fall apple. Pewaukee. SCOTS Winter, Wolf
River, Salome. Whitney, etc. But OF long
keeping winter apples We have nothing that
has been proven to have all the necessary or
desirable qualities of tree and fruit that
the Duchess and Wealthy have for fall use.
The fruit growers of Missoula county could
well afford to pay $40. 600 for an apple equal
in all respects to the Wealthy that would
keep until April l. l have no doubt such
an apple will yet be found. but at present,
althnuuh havn Ovay thirty kinda nf winter
apples in bearing, ! am at loss what kind to
order for my spring setting of 1000 of late
keepers.
AS to plums, pears. and cherries, it is not
worth while to set any but tho Russians,
except of plums, a few OF the Iowa and
Wisconsin natives, such as Wolf, Desota,
Wyant, etc. The Russians as they come
into bearing are proving themselves to be
good, prolific, and hardy. l have now in
bearing some sixty varieties of apples,
forty of plums, and about fifteen each of
pears and cherries. From this number.
many. many times too large for profit, 1
hope in time to settle on some half dozen
kinds of each which will nave the most of
the desirable qualities of tree for profit end
pleasure. Until then, at least, l will be
chary OF the advice ! give to others as to
the best kinds of plant.
While 1 fully believe that fruit growing
can be made profitable in western Montana,
j III SQudkly CcItdlA tlns plSScsa Al hoU
be attained without close attention being
given to the selection of varieties and locn-
ton and care IN the cultivation ana pro-
lection of the trees during the years after
setting until they come into bearing.
But little attention need be given TO
the prattle of agents as to the relative
merits of the different modes of root-Rraft-
ing, budding, etc. l have blocks of trees
from one to 800 in number, of piece root
gratis. and budded trees. set from ten to
five years, and l defy any tree agent to
detect the difference by an inspection of
tree or crop. And in this connection l de
sire to speak of q matter that concerns
to iniute any honest man or his calling, it
is too we'll known to be ignored. that q
large part of the business done by the tree
agents in this country N the past fifteen
years has been of a fraudulent nature. Had
the swindling which the a!mer hive en-
dured with scarcely q protest, been perpa-
trated against any other class of our people,
merchants, bankers. ETC., many of the
rascally tree peddleGs who have infected
our section would now be doing time in
the Deer Lodge penitentiary. But the
farmers as a class are an easy going
people, and some of them are almost open
to the hat 90 of loving to be h~umbugged
and swindled. While there are many
honest men selling trees who will dc
as they agree, and who are dong a greG
good in encouraging fruit culture. yet there
are many OF them who are the most bare
faced swindlers out of jail. and it 10 hard tt
distinguish them until it is too late.
certificate of agency from g reliable nursery
is no assurance of honest dealing upon thu
part OF the agent, as we know to our soE'
row, for two of tho very worst swlndlors o
the fraternity who have been the duly &C
credited agents Of the Bloomington nur
aerv. of Illinois, and the Jewell nursery. o
Lake City, Mimi, both OF the highes
standing. Neither is the possession OF pol
ished me smooth tongue. or fuen
language for any criterion to judge by. -
showing fashy ch.omos of impossible fruits
with the largest obtainable specimens place,
III magnifying Jars with exaggerated an
untruthful descriptions, they obtain order
that they would not get If the truth hat
been told. But the worst and most com
mon practice is TO take orders for cholc
and high priced varieties. and then fill tn
order with cheap, worthless stuff, labelling
way thousands of dollars have beel
stolen from the people of Nilsson!
county, to say nothing of the time
labor. aud land devoted to the tree
until their worthlessness has been discov
cred. Orders for favorite kinds of hard
apples have been filled In dozens of case
with other kinds. tender and worthless
Fine varieties of plums have turned OF
after years of careful cultivation TO /
nothing but wild seedlings, besides whic
Dur common choke cherry is a ~luseiou
fruit. And remember that in every cas-
the very highest price has been asked an
paid, n scale Of prices that if applied to an
other line OF goods would cause the propose
seller to be booted out of any community
Now, | admit that this is strong Language
but much harsher language would be Jul
aifleH nv tho Ontrpnanul franfnent axRt