The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-12-30
CRAB APPLES
FOR EXPORT
Montana Promises to Be the Grab
Apple Orchard of the World.
SEND CANADA FIVE CARLOADS
Last Year, Which Was Montana's
First Foreign Fruit Export-Fruit
May Be Grown All over the State,
Though Flathead and the Bitter
Root Lead.

Horticulture being one of the mat
tiers of peculiar interest to the resi-
dents and orchardists of this section,
the chapter devoted to that subject
in Mr.. Ferguson's forthcoming report
as commissioner of agriculture, labor
and industry is good reading:
The historical records of the state
show that as early as 1864 fruit trees
had been planted in the Bitter Root
valley, though they did not come into
bearing until several years later
These orchards were set out by trap
pers from the Hudson Bay company,
who were attracted by the mission
already many years established by
the Jesuit Fathers at Fort Owens. In
1869 there was also a considerable
nursery near Helena, while in other
parts of the state the early settlers
had commenced the work of orchard
building. From these early begin
nings has sprung one of the states
most attractive industries.
Montana apples are a surprise to
all who see them and have probably
rendered as much service in securing
settlers for the state as any other
one agency 1t is impossible that
one should fail to be impressed with
country that produces such mag
nificent fruit.
For many years Montana was sin
gularly free from any and all the
pests which made the raising of per-
feet fruit so nearly impossible in the
eastern states, and as the number of
trees multiplied and came into bear
ing, it was boosted that among the
thousands of boxes of apples not a
single worm hole or blemish could
be found. In time, however, the
aphis and other pests made their ap-
pearance, brought in either upon the
trees purchased from eastern nurser-
les, which had not been properly
treated, or in the boxes or cases in
which fruit had been shipped and
which from a. mistaken sense of
economy, the farmer bought and used
again to pack his own fruit. What
ever the source, the evil grew, until
conditions became so alarming that
the fruit growers united in a demand
for remedial legislation, which result
ed in the passage of the present law
for the inspection of all trees and
fruit shipped into the state as we'll
as all the home orchards. The result
of this legislation, and the painstak-
ing work of those to whom it's en-
forcement was intrusted, is now
very apparent. The destructive enc
mics of the horticulturist are rapidly
disappearing, and both the quality
and quantity of fruit has been i'm
proved.
Every shipment of trees is careful.
ly examined and if found infected
in any way is thoroughly fumigated
and during the past year more than
400 900 packages of fruit, averaging
so pounds each, have been inspected
and the infected fruit destroyed. Com
plete eradication of the causes OF
wormy and imperfect fruit can only
be accomplished through systematic
and persistent warfare upon them
and the industry of fruit raising has
now attained sufficient dimensions t.
justify every claim for protectiv,
legislation that the growers have de
manded.
The number of fruit trees in tn,
state is estimated to be not less thai
1,650000, and the principal orchard
are located in Ravalli, Missoula
Flathead and Yellowstone counties
although many of the others raise
considerable quantity of fruit.
was thought in the early days of OF
charding that it was impossible t
mature any but early apples, and fey
of the winter varieties were planted
This resulted in an over supply o
early fruit, and low prices in the fal
while it was still necessary to impor
apples for winter use. In fact tn
apple crop came to the market jus
as berries do-a rush for a shoI
time; then none at ALL Experienc
has shown the fallacy of this ide
and the orchards that have bee
started during later years have cor
tanned a greater number of winte
varieties while many of the early al
pie orchards have been cut down.
Montana will be the crab apple O
chard of the world.
Nowhere else does this delectabl
fruit attain such perfection, and it
worthy of mention that the year 100
witnessed the first foreign trade {
Montana apples, five carloads {
crab apples having been exporte
from the Bitter Root valley to Cal
ada.
It is estimated that the yield of a
trees now bearing is about 25 pc
cent of the total consumption of tn
state, and this will rapidly increas,
as thousands of trees were set OF
during 1901 and 1902, and othe
thousands are coming into bearin
each year. Generally speaking, tw