The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-03-22

Apples, peaches, pears, plums,
prunes, apricots, cherries, nectarines,
etc, seem natural to Washington,
and are noted for color, flavor. aroma,
size and yield. Berries of all kinds
mature quickly, produce beautifully
and possess fine flavor. Various kinds
OF nut bearing trees, notably English
walnuts and japanese chestnuts, do
we'll. Peach trees bear the second
and third year Grape vines are
early bearers. Two or three will es
tablish bearing orchard. Ten acres
of trees will make a living for family
and it is clean and healthful business.
Conditions vary in different localities.
On Puget Sound the rainfall is ample
but country east of the Cascades Is
drier and irrigation is necessary, par
ticularly in the central portions of the
state,
The Pacific coast is the only section
of the country where prunes can be
successfully grown. The different va
rieties of Washington, equal those
produced in Turkey, Italy and other
foreign countries where the inhabi
tants are not distinguished for clean
ly habits and among whom the most
dreadful maladies prevail. Disease
germs, insect specks and filth cannot
be seen in the dark colored imported
fruit, but they manifest themselves in
the form OF sickness which comes SO
| mysteriously.
The fruits of Washington in every
respect equal any grown in California,
in fact many varieties are better.
The market is ample when it is I'M
derstood that Washington is much
nearer to Helena, Butte. Great Falls,
ST. Paul, Minnesota, Duluth, Mil
waukee and Dhicago than is Calitor-
MIA. The mouths of fifteen or twenty
million people ale therefore to be
reached quicker and easier with Wash
ington green and dried fruits than
from California. 1t was about fifteen
years ago that California began snip
ping fruit by the car load to the east
and now the traffic runs into thousands
OF cars each year, the total in 1893
amounting to about $4,000 cars or
over 800 million pounds. The territory
quickest reached from Washington
consumes several thousand car loads,
and with the small average of five
pounds to each OF the 90 millions in
this northern territory the total is 100
million pounds. The market exists
and is growing, The thing to do is to
raise the fruit and this is possible.
The Wenatchee valley, the valley of
the Columbia and the Lake Chelan
district will some day be filled with
orchards, vineyards and wine presses.
The berries of Washington are re-
markable for yield, size aid flavor.
Blackberry bushes grow to the house
tops. Gooseberry bushes reach such
size that the birds in the air lodge in
their branches. Strawberries are also
productive to a wonderful dgree.
They have been made to yield from
$4OO to $500 per acre. Rev. Walter
Laidlaw, of Fairhaven, during trip
to New York, delivered lecture in
which he mentioned the prodigal
fruitfulness of Washington's trees,
bushes and vines, and said strawber-
rler grew so large that nine of them
would ill quart measure.
1t was we'll said that minister was
authority for the statement ell his
words might have been doubted.
Photographs have been made of straw
berries as large as two silver dollars
side by side. President J. T. Black
burn OF The state Horticultural Society
says neighbor of his j. C. Gorslich,
OF Vashon, gathered and sold of straw
berries from three acres Is, 800 pounds
or CLIO pounds, to the acre. The av-
erage price, $3.50 per crate of 25
pounds, gave returns of STA per acre.
Northern Bulletin.