The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-07

Inc reports or county inspectors through
out the state disclose an exceedingly favor
able prospect for a fun crop Of fruit.
Even Yakima county, where it was re-
ported in February that the aprico, buds
had been killed, now reports that an abun-
dance OF the buds are intact, sufficient for
a full crop In all the warm valleys Of
Eastern Washington the buds of frui.
trees have swelled and the early bloom Is
nearly ready to open. In many counties
the inspectors have been obliged TO employ
deputies in order 10 get over their terri
tory at the most advantageous time fer in
srection. before the opening of the buds
The work o. spraying has made coed
progress and Is being pushed with the ut
most vigor. The benef. Of former spray
ings is evident in the reports that orchard
pests are generally on The decline, where
this has been Systematically done In former
years.
The prrne growers at Vancouver seem
to be In particularly good spirits over their
prospects. An investigation OF this section
short time since showed an exceedingly
encouraging state Of affairs This is the
sea; OF the great prune industry Of the
state. the development OF which in recent
years has been rema able. Two years ago
the dried product OF this section amounted
20 l50 carloads shipped to Eastern points
Last year the crop was less than ten car
ward spring which seemed to prevent the
polenation OF the fruit bloom. thereby
causing the greatest loss the growers have
experienced since the industry was estab-
lished
Larger Crops Lately.
The paintings of late years have heen
extensive, and with the increased vlgor
Of the trees, due to age and growth come
larger crops, 1t is estimated that go car-
loads of dried prunes are likely 30 be
shipped from Vancouver this season " oil
continues as favorable as up to the present
time. and this amount seems likely to grow
to 800 carloads in five years time. SO
attractive las this form OF orchardirg be-
come and so large Is the annual Increase
Of It. II is reckoned that growers owning
their own evaporating plants and doing
the most of their work within their own
families. so combining themselves TO twen-
ty or twenty-five acres OF orchard, are
able 10 realize in the nelghborhood Of 500
an acre for each full crop. Larger or
chard plantings would have been made
here the present season had not he sup
ply OF prune trees become exhausted with
the nurseymen
The nurserymen of the Pacific North
western states have generally sold nearly
the last tree on hand lit for setting I'm
chard. and large orders can no longer he
filled by them, condltion unprecedented
in late years.
Orchardists Use vetches.
The prune orchardists of Vancouver, and
In Oregon to some extent, have adopted
plan of keeping up the fertility Of their
orchards by sowing winter vetches among
the trees. which would be generally advan-
tageous to the fruit growers of Western
Washington.
The seed Is sown late In August or early
in September. and the plants grow ell win
ter during moderately warm weather. 20
that the green crop is ready to pillow under
in April or May. This being a plant
rich In nitrogen affords an abundant sup
ply of food fer the trees.
Efforts Is being made In this section to
establish a fruit growers union or asso-
Gle ton, with view to a hetterment IN the
product In curing and grading and 10 main
tain prices \ meeting of the leading fruit
growers Of Washington. oregon and Idaho
Is called at Portland for March and s.
for the purpose OF effecting permanent or
ganlzation for the marketing Of the pro-
ducts TO which Vancouver. Walla Walla
and North Yakima will send large ielesa-
t'uns This IS likely TO prove an extreme
ly interesting occasion, to which all sruit
growers are cordially invited. Reduced
fares have been granted by the railroads
TO those who attend.