The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-06-25
Fruit Raising III Bayfield, County.


From the southern boundary to the
the shores of Lake Superior more
land is yearly being devoted to berry
culture and fruit raisers are reaping
a handsome profit. The light sandy
loan which is prevalent throughout
the state and particularly In this
section is especially adapted to the
growth of all kinds of fruit. From
three to seven hundred dollars per
acre can be realized from land plant
ed to strawberries, and raspberries,
currants, gooseberries and black
berries do as well. In summer the
uncultivated land is covered with
wild straw berries, raspberries and
cherries, which shows the natural
adaptibility of soil and climate to
the raising of the cultivated plants.
This industry is long past the exper-
mental stage here and many farm
ers, realizing that much less acreage
and labor devoted to it would pay
far better returns than if used
in the produc ton of grain, have Civ
en- their entire time to it. The crop
from FIVE acres of berries bring
more money than from many acres
Of grain or hay, and except in the
wv months of harvest all labor can
be done without hiring. The near
ness of so many large cities makes it
easy to secure pickers, and to market
the crop. Frost has never been
known to destroy the crop Of Guilt
waited fruit in this section, thing
that can be said of fruit producing
regions.
Nor is the fruit industry limited to
small fruits. Apples, plums and
cherries are raised successfully
wherever they have been tried. A
glance at the map will show that
Bayfield, county is but one or
two degrees north of the fruit belt
of Michigan and has the same climatic
conditions due to the lakes. Expert
ence has shown that apples grow
better on the lighter soil and where
this is found on hillside sloping to
the north an ideal fruit farm can be
made. The lateness of the spring
and heavy fall of snow keeps the
trees from poisoning till after all
danger of frost is passed and the
cool lake winds and copious dew
prevents the fruit from drying or
blighting.
1t has been found by experience
that fruit trees do well upon land
that has peen merely brushed off.
If the brush are cut during the
summer months they do not grow
again and cattle or sheep pastured
upon the land will prevent a new
growth. This makes a cheap and
easy way of preparing land for some
Of the most profitable crops the farm
will produce, it leaves all roots in
the soil to decay and act as fertili-
ger, and enables a crop to be started
which requires little attention while
the rest of the farm is being
cleared.
There is a great future before
Bayfield, county fruit raisers, and
the man who secures suitable farm
here need not envy the one who goes
to Western States where the water
supply is controlled by irrigation
companies, and the profit and some
times the cost is paid to the trans
portation companies. Trees will.
produce as abundantly here as there
and since they market their fruit in
the eastern states the difference
in freight rates is nice profit
to the farmer of this locality,
and at the same time he can place
his crop upon the market so much
quicker and in so much better condi-
tiOns that in case of a surplus it
would find reader sale. 1t would
be hard to imagine more desirable
home than, on a fruit farm on the
shores of beautiful Lake Superior.
Hay and Forage Crops.
The great natural crop of the
county is grass. 1t comes forth
from beneath the snow in the spring
fresh and green and can fairly be
seen to grow. BY the middle or last
of June the first crop is ready to cut
and in couple of months another is
ready. When the pasture lands of
the prairie states or even of our
own southern Wisconsin are burned |
brown and bare by the summer sun