The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-01-13
A FRUIT COUNTRY,
What Il Practical ~Nurseryman Says of
Orr Fruit Growing Pos
sibilities.
Orchards in the State That Bear
Fruit Worth $500 Per
Acre.

That well known Minnesota nursery
man. Mr.. Emery, writes as follows to the
Minneapolis Tribune:
Noting the location of Montana upon
the map, and being supposedly within
the arid regions. the natural impression
prevails that this wonderful state is de-
void of anything in the line of fruit, and
that its culture is impossible.
such ideas are very erroneous. Few,
if any, of the states of the union are bet.
ter watered than this Queen of the
Rockies. the Missouri traversing the
central and eastern portions of the state.
and the two great feeders of the Column
bla the western part, are fed and aug.
mented by countless smaller streams,
whose great fall and rapid flow bear a
vast amount of water within their bounds
without making the show that eastern
streams do whose current is much more
sluggish. These water courses rising
from springs in the mountains have made
for themselves canyons n valleys, the
soil of which is very fertile and rich. and
as a rule. from their mountain heads to
the state boundaries are lined with fruit
bearing plants. The red raspberry is
found wild of such size, proportions and
quality AS to Iival the celebrated tame
va. ieties. The wild strawberry is fire.
quently found that is as large as a wal
nut and of delicious flavor. The wild
plum grows along the valley of the
Missouri and in many Of the mountain
valleys very hardy and the fruit of sutii-
Gent good quality as to render it worthy
of domestlcation. The currant is found
in red, black and yellow, and in great
.profusion, and the native gooseberry is
superior to the Houghton.
Thus we note a duplication of the com
domestic garden fruit, while groves
choke cherries everywhere along the
water courses tempt the passer-by with
their wealth of really appetizing fruit.
sorts of lIaws abound. fully
equal to the eastern Iiaw, and the IIaw.
thorne is the sole representative of the
Pyrus Malus or apple family. Then
there are fruits to the east.
the Buffalo or bull berry. horne in clust
ers on a thorny. bushy shrub, very much
resembling the Russian olive, and is
To be par excellence the couing
hedge plant. The fruit riDens with the
Early frost and is gathered by heating it
the trees into blankets spread on the
ground. The berries are about an
eighth of an inch in diameter, of a
beautiful rich scarlet color and very
tart and acid, making IA perfect
for the cranberry. The
berry or June berry is of two
sorts, the common sort growing along
creek bottoms in rich soil. frequently at
"A height of eight to ten feet.
the dwarf kind is found growing
On dry hillsidcs. seldom being over two
'eet in height. and in the fruit season
being a vivid red in color. which later
gives way To IA rich purple hue. almost
in it's blueness. This fruit is the
OF all in quantity and value. "A
ault it possesses for preserving being
Is lack OF any appreciate accidity,
which IL often corrected by an admiyt
Ire of the Juice of the buffalo berry. the
combination making IA delightful sauce
n pie.
Cascade county has IL remarkable
its owner, James Austin. of
Hardy, Mont, having harvested between
40 and 400 bushels of apples of supcria-
i've quality, Il number of Duchess Of
.)llenburg trees having each produced
Upwards Of 1000 pounds of fruit, mark
ted by the owner for > cents per pound.
low many of the famous orchards of the
car show $50 per tree from a single
rop! Wherever the hardy small fruits
ave been planted and properly tended
hey have done phenomeually well, and
has the writer seen such plant :
evclopment or fruit production. Stand ,
lg over SIX feet, | have seen many cur-
bushes more than my height and
,aded to their fullest capacity with fruit :
( the finest quality. Two gentlemen, |
'apt. J. V. Stafford, of Canyon Ferry.
nd II. A. johnson, of Diamond City.
tate that their orchards and fruit netted |
hem upwards of $500 per acre in 1891.
hat their crops the present year are not
Illy as good is owing only 10 the unpre- 8