The Delta independent., 1898-05-13
Figures on Fruit.

Mr.. A. A. Miller, president Of the
Grand Valley Fruit Growers association,
on return from his recent visit to Califor-
nis, gave the Grand Valley Sun. Of
Grand Junction. the following article on
fruit raising and marketing. What he
says OF the Grand Valley is equally true
q the Gunnison and Uncompahgre
valleys:
II have often been asked, since my re-
turn from California, what l learned
there about fruit growing, but a. my
stay was rather brief, too much should
not be expected Of me; however l will
oake short statement Of my views,
which will include the problem OF mar
ksting as well rs growing fruit. as
think they should be considered to-
gether.
"As grower Of fruit myself, believe
there Is as much to be solved in deter
lining the best way to prepare and mar
kst fruit as there is in raising it; and in
this statement will aim to show that.
- matter through what channel my
fruit is sold, l am the one who has to
give that sale more thought than anyone
e1De. II try to market an inferior lot
a fruit, there is no one but myself that
sands to lose a cent in the transaction.
xhsre is no business man in any line
tAAt will purchase or take any chances
nsancially on inferior fruit; therefore it
must be consigned to the commission
houses. II the commission man gets one
dollar above freight then one dollar be-
longs TO him. We all know what kind
q chances the railroads take-none at
I'll; and they make just as much profit
hauling inferior fruit as the do on first
class fruit. So. my experience in Califor-
Nh has proved to me, beyond the perad-
venture OF doubt, that there is only
oee thing left for us to do. and that is to
raise better apples and peaches than any
oeher country in America. and fully
bslieve We can do this in Western Colo
rn1c.
eBut, some may ask how can we do itr
tonswer we can do it. and it can all be
Inc by labor. What labor cannot do,
Noture has provided-cliuste, soil aud
Ser. Therefore. Ne must thoroughly
49, ene -. .-and uhst mean BY
a dUu19-VuDooVae6so o-ie-o-0sa16o9sao.
stiniag Of the soil from the time the
fruit , formed until it is nearly ready
for market. By 20 doing and using less
watse ne will have = much healthier
tres. aid we all know that it requires .
healthy tree to produce good fruit. By
using too much water We grow large
but not . healthy tree. 1t is isunnecessary
for - to grow a. much annual wood a.
We have been doing; it only makes more
work fos %. and 4 kind OF work. too,
that ve all seem to be behind in-prun-
ing. Az pruning. especially in the peach.
is ooe Of the most essential things. it TO-.
lows that every tree OF that kind, when
filled with buds, should be carefully and
thorou9hly pruned. thinned out properly
and every limb shortened back to hold
about the required amount offruit. And
by % doing. the laborious work Of thin
ming. which We all dread 80 much. will
be found to be but slight task. We
slould alec try to apply machinery that
will cultivate closer to the roots OF our
tresa. % that the surface roots near the
trunk instead Of the weeds will get the
moisture FROM below. In spraying We
should also forge TO the front. II insects
are psrnittcd to prey upon the trees, all
our laboe is thrown away.
"TAs following figures, if found correct.
will peove what have said above-that
the growing and marketing offruit mu, {
be coosidered and figured on together.
Thee figures will probably cause us TO
call 10 mind what Grand Valley did in
1891. and what che might have done;
{ estfors they are for the growers TO