The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-06
FRUIT IS The STUFF
D. C. Bass Talks In an Entertaining
Nay.
TELLS HOW THEY'RE DOING
In the Bitter Root the Orchards
Arc Thriving and All the
Land Smiles With Rich
Promise.

NnssoULA. March 3D.. G. Bass, man
agcr of the Pine Grove fruit farm, is in
the city for n day, and n STANDARD re-
porter this morning asked him for some
information regarding the outlook for the
fruit business in the valley. Mr.. Bass is
one of the pioneers IN the fruit growing
business in this section and his opinion is
valuable. When he and his brother be-
gan TO plant their splendid orchards,
some of their most valued friends came
TO them and counsoled them to refrain
from such a waste of time and money.
Fruit would never grow in Montana, they
said, and for the friendship they bore the
Bass brothers they advised them TO save
their money and stick to grain, hay and
vegetables. But the recipients of this
advice we're determined to go ahead with
their venture and their friends left them,
chasing them with good men gone wrong.
Now the Bass farm is one of the finest in
the Northwest and the orchard is probably
the best in the state.
In reply TO the reporters question Mr..
Bass said: "Ihe outlook is excellent.
Our trees never wintered in better shape
and every one of them is in fine condition
this spring. We have been pruning this
week and found that even the peach
trees, the most sensitive that We have, are
not affected in the least by the winter.
The wood is white and firm, which is a
good sign, as II becomes dlscolored if il
has been affected by the frost. The frost
in our orchard land is not yet out of the
ground, so that the fruit buds have not
began TO swell, despite the warm weather
of the past fortnight. This was tho only
danger that we had to fear this spring,
and this has been avcrted. l think that
our orchards will do better this year than
ever before.
"There arc moro fruit trees being set
out In the valley this spring than in any
previous season. Last year was n recorl
breaker in this respect, but this year bids
fair TO exceed last in the number of trees
planted. Below and above our ranch tho
land is being cleared and fruit trees
planted and all of that part of tho valley
will be a vast orchard in a few years. Do
| expect to SEQ tho business ovcrdone?
No, indeed. You may plant every acre of
the valley from 10 Lo TO Ross Hole i'm
fruit trees and then find a good market
for all that you can raise. The fruit of
the Bitter Root valley Is in great demand
everywhere and do not believe il possible
TO overstock the market. Tho new
orchards are nearly all made up of winter
apple trees and there is more money in n
good tree of that sort than there is in an
orange tree in "a ifornia.
ave are much pleased at the number
of new men that are settling in the valley.
They are good citizens and will be of
great benefit TO that section. There liz
plenty of room for such people in tho
valley and j have no sympathy with the
croakers who complain that the busin ess
is being overdone in the valley. You
can't overdo 1t. The market is too large.
''Nearly all the valley land is suitable
for fruit culture, except belt that
runs parallel with the river for a dis.
lance that has gravel bottom. There
fruit trees do not thrive. But i'm the belt
on which our ranch lies, where there is a
clay bottom to the soil, the trees grow
better than they do anywhere else and
bear more freely. II was this clay sub
stratum that first led me TO believe that
fruit culture would be successful in the
valley. 1t is precisely tine same that is
found in the New York fruit country, with
which was familiar years ago.
"How many apples will be raised in the
valley this year? l give that up. Ever
since last fall have been shy about esti-
mating the size of a crop. looked over
one OF our orchards just before picking
time and ordered 800 boxes for the CROP
We picked 1859 boxes from that one
orchard and since then l haven't had
much to say about the sIze OF the apple
crop. i can tell you this. however, it will
be larger than that of any previous year
and large enough TO astonish even the
warmest friends of the valley"
Mr.. Bass came d own from Stevensvillo
to engage men TO work on the ranch this
season. lie has secured them and will re-
turn in the morning, W hen he will begin
the spring work in earnest.
Among the Missoula men who are be.
coming interested IN the Bitter Root
country is Charles L. Dorman who, with
partner, has purchased the Frye ranch
near Stevensyillc aud is this spring set
ting out a large orchard on cleared pine
land. This land lies along Bass creek. is
well watered and Is in the belt which NJ.
Bass says is tho best fruit land in the
valley.