The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15
FRUIT on PUGET SOUND.
An Excellent Paper 10y One Who
Knows the subject.

I.A
Knows the subject.
John r. Blackburn. OF Nashon. is one of
the best known fruit growers in the state.
lie has made IL his business for years IN
England, in the Eastern states. and for
years in Washington. His paper follows:
There is nothing new or startling in the
title of the subject assigned me on which
to prepare a short paper There IS 10 one.
however. who has resided continuously on
Puget Sound for a period OF twelve years.
which has been my lot, and has been di-
rectiy or indirectly interested in the cui-
ture OF fruit. but viii say that there is
subject matter enough I'm IL 10 I'LL a large
volume. Fruit culture on Puget Sound
twelve years ago was very different from
what we find IL today. Eleven years ago
street cars were drawn mp and down Sec
ond avenue by horse power. Mark tho
changes. While pomology may not have
grown by electricity, she has made rapid
strides in the right direction. Prior TO the
time just mentioned IL was generally be-
lieved that the Hill or upland of the Puget
Sound country was worthless. save only
for the timber that was growing on ~. But
since then the fact has been demonstrated
beyond the shadow of doubt that our up
lands are especially adapted to fruit cul-o
ture. which has passed the experimental
stage, and when the dark cloud Of financial
depression shall have rolled away, 1t Is
question OF only a short time before tho
shores of Puget Sound. well as the In
lands, will be one vast fruit field, The
question may arise why this prediction Is
made. | answer, the conditions are all Ia
vorabie. We have the climate. the soil
and the transportation facilities to market
our fruit, which facilities viii Improve as
the volume OF fruit increases. Fruit cui-
ture has a fascination connected with it
which grows on the person engaged and Is
very contagious. 1t is not absolutely neg
essary that person should have a large
bank account before he embarks In this
one Of II not the grandest, industry In the
world. True. IL has shared with all Other
Industries the effects OF the financial depres-7
sion during the past two or three years.
and the margin of profit has been very
small and were II not for the bright star
OF hope for the future the fruit grower
might have reason to become DISCOURAGED.
But when he remembers the fAct THAR &
failure OF fruit crop Is not known in the
Puget Sound country and when he remem-
hers the amount of failures of this crop In
the Eastern states. should not this stimu-
late and encourage the fruit grower. and
also the weuld-be fruit growerR For ex-
ample. last year I received a number OF
communications from Eastern cities, say
Ing: I'VE depend entirely upon Washing
ton, Oregon and California for our pears.
plums and prunes.''
AS before stated, it is not absolutely nee
essary To have q large bank account 10 en-
ter into the business Of fruit culture. How
small tract OF land and pay for it. from
ten 10 forty acres being sufficient, or even
less. II he Is not able 70 clear up enough
OF his land for an orchard, garden and
meadow. he can plant his garden In the
orchard for two or three years. and by
thorough cultivation, the fruit trees Will .
not object very much TO the company OF
vegetables and small fruits. by so doing
ne can, the second season. receive returns
from good crop of strawberries. AZ Wen
"a vegetables. If he desires 20 plant both.
These are items OF vital tntere4 10 the In
dustrious man OF limited means. The cll-
mate IS such that he will rot freeze In win
ter. Up 10 this date, January 10. my Their
mometer has registered az It's lowest point
% degrees above zero, with from four to-
five inches OF snow. He win not be over
come by heat In the summer. the mercury
seldom reaching 30 degrees, Hllzzards and
cyclones are unknown on Puget Sound
With such a climate. were the soil almost
worthless. by mans ingenuity and the use
Of common sense IL could be made TO pro-
duce wonderfully. However. the soil OF
the Puget Sound country Is by no means
worthless but in every respect equal, tx
not superior TO that OF England. and II Is
generally known what is raised there and
how much per acre. The writer has lived
and cultivated fruit I'm England, Illinois
and Western Washington, and consider
Washington superior 10 either England or
Illinois. with reference 10 fruit growing.
So / believe IL is safe TO say the conditions
/ are favorable for the Puget Sound coun-
| try 10 become one vast fruit field IL IL
/ now laying the foundation upon which 70
/ build n structure that is bound 10 COM
/ mand the admiration not only OF our own
| nation bat Of all the other civilized ma
1 tons OF the world.
France is known as one OF the foremost
I rations In the line Of industry and pros
peritv and her prosperity is attributed
I principally 70 the fact that large por-
/ ton OF her domains are cultivated in small
| farms The same condition that has gain
/ ed for France such perstlge can and will
apply 20 Puget Sound II We follow their
/ example and We find IN large degree
that We are doing 80. Very many OF the
/ hornesteaas of 1s0 acres that were owned
Z a few years since by one family are now
owned and being cultivated by from four
I To eight families These are some % ths
stones In the foundation OF what win. In
the near future. be one OF the greatest
fruit growing sections in our country.
As before stated. fruit growing in ths
I Puget Sound country is no longer an ex-
Z pertinent as the ANIMAL crops for a num-
I Der Of years past prove. To gag that tho
/ cultivation % fruit has Increased Won
/ derfuliy during the past few years L. 10
/ state the fact ia mild terms u is not
/ many years since that our now large cities
were mere hamlets. and they consumed
I all the fruit that was grown. and the ae-
/ mand could not he supplied by home
I grown fruits These baby hamlsts have
I developed into giant cities. We now can
/ supply the demand and ship carload after
/ carload % the Eastern states. / have not
/ the figures or the number OF cars Of fruie
I shipped the past season by ons arm IN this
. city. but think about twelve OF sIawbsr~
/ rBAR ard several % plurns. pruneS. etc.
/ may saw here that the shipping OF soft.
! fresh fruits from Puget Sound Is an ox-
( pertinent OF fsgs by the Rochester Broker
/ age Company. ard as far as know II was
I a success and has IN Trash iFDoetus 20
[ the cuifisator. not 0sT OF the large and
/ aardy fruits but ali - the smaller and
/ more delicate varieties. SUCH a. the straw
/ berry. which is the king ef small fruits IN
( Western Washington. ard IL ~ an estao-
/ Ifshed fact. conceded everyNh here that
Western Washington stands at ne head ss
{ a producer OF this nohle fr3H. TWO hun
bred crates % twenty-four pounds each
/ aye grown With ordinary care and eultiva~
lson and over 80 crates have besa gath
cred from o1e r.. 4 nelgR6or os inins