The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-19
UP IN THE BITTER ROOT
Things are Looking Prosperous in the
Beautiful Valley.
FRUIT CULTURE EXTENDING
Large Shipments of Young Trees-
Qualities of Land For Frult-Ra-
vail County's Jailer Locked
i'm While a Prisoner Escapes.


in While a Prisoner Escapes.
HAMILToT, March iS.-Two distin-
guished honors have been paid to the Bit
ter Root country. As n county il bears
the name of Father Ravalli, one of the
grandest characters in Montana's history.
and the beautiful little flower that gives
the valley its geographical name has been
adopted as tho state emblem of this great
treasure state. High as are these honors.
they are richly deserved and no locality is
moro entitled to them Than this gem spot
of the Northwest, endowed by nature with
advantages Incompatible and with re-
sources inestimable. The valley has de-
veloped itself-not as n result of earnest
effort on the part of its settlers has il be-
came a productive spot, but rather in
spite of their neglect, for il is only within
few years that there has been any sys-
tematic attempt to improve tho valley. Ii
was formerly allowed to do just what it
would unaided and the ranchmen went
out squirrel hunting. The past two years,
however, and last year especially, have
Witnessed the immigration of n class of
farmers who are active and progressive,
and who are taking the places of the in
different men who have ranched here be-
and progressive policy, who can predict
what greatness the valley will attain?
The oft repeated question, as n OF the
fruit growing business overdone?" is be-
ing discussed again this spring. There
are n few ultra-conservative men in the
valley who view with alarm the rapid ex-
tension of the orchard business that is
now being made i'm all parts of the valley
nately, the largo majority of ranchmen
and merchants in the valley do not take
this stand. The statements of ID. G. Bass,
printed in the STANDARD some time age.
are endorsed by nearly all who have given
the matter careful tn ought. There is now
in Hamilton, as representatives of some
Utah fruit men, a man who is an expert
in this line of business. This man, SAM
uel Dinsmore, said recently TO friend
of the STANDARD: "This talk about over
doing the orchard business in this valley
is all bosh. If the whole valley we're an
orchard, there would still be n good mar
ket for the fruit"
The shipments OF young trees from
nurseries arc now becoming numerous
and boxes and bales and bundles of
apple, crab and plum trees are being sent
up the valley to men who are either en-
barking in the fruit raising business or
else are enlarging their present orchards.
There is n marked activity in this direc-
ton this season and the fruit raisers are
taking steps to systematic their business
and adopt measures to secure better ship
ping facilities aud other measures that
will make tho fruit business more profit
able aud more satisfactory to both ship
pers and consignees.
Another interesting question that has
been largely discussed this spring is one
which relates to the qualities of land that
are essential to successful fruit raising.
1t is admitted that not all lands in the
valley are adapted TO fruit culture. Some
orchardists claim that only lands which
are ''clay bottomed" will grow fruit sue
cessfully, while others assert that any
land that is free from alkalI is suitable for
orchards. The nature of q mans own land
is apt to influence his opinion regarding
this important topic. The average Bitter
Rooter is mighty proud of the valley, but
is strongly inclined TO the belief that the
land which he owns is n little better than
any other tract in the splendid area that
is Swallowed by the rugged Bitter Root
mountains.
1t is too bad that tho traveller up and
little of the fertile lands that have made
this region famous. One day last week a
Butte man came down tho valley on tho
train and was loud in his expressions of
disgust and disappointment. He stated
emphatIcally that he believed tho valley
had been overestimatcd and that there
was nothing about il that entitled IL TO
the reputation that il had gained. Inquiry
developed the fact that this man had been
as far as Stevensvillo on the railroad and
had returned the same day. He admitted
that he saw some good land around Ste
vensville, but said that the rest of the val
ley didn't amount to much. His opinion
would have been different had he driven
down from Stevensvillo TO the Burnt Fork
and Eight Mile country or If he had driven
from the county seat TO Hamilton. Snap
judgment Is unfair in such a case.
The good people of Ravalli county are
chuckling over the predicament in which
the county jailer finds himself. lie sat
down last week in the county bastile TO
play a game Of cards with some of the
prisoners, so the story goes, and became
so interested in the game that he did not
observe the motions of one of his charges,
Romerill. accused of cattle stealing, who
got up and walked out of the cell, loo king
the jailer in. Romerill has not yet been
seen, and the jailer is not taking kindly
TO the joking that he receives.
Fires have been kindled in the boilers
at the sawmi,ls and smoke is rising from
the big waste burner; cars are being run
in o the mill yards, and there is an air of
rustic all about the big plant. In day
or two the saws will be put in motion and