The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-12-18
Tbe Lake @bore

full crops Of fruit. Apples, plums,
cherries, strawberries, raspberries,
currants and gooseberries do especial
~ well, yielding enormous crops OF
fine fruit. Pears, peaches, prunes,
sweet cherries and blackberries are
grown experimentally. A number of
good sized orchards are demonstrate
ing the horticultural possibilities of
this locality. The east and west
shores of Flathead lake are undoubt-
eddy the best fruit lands in Montana
New land is valued at $50 to $50
per acre and when cleared and plant
ed to fruit trees, at 500.
One of the most favored spots in
the Flathead valley is the region be-
tween Holt and Bigfork, which con-
sists of level bench land interspersed
with rocky timbered buttes, the lat
ter being foothills of the Mission
mountains. Most of the bench land
is free from timber and produces
large crops Of hay, grain. fruit and
vegetables. Hay yields ton to a
ton and a half per acre, wheat 20 to
40 bushels, oats 35 to IS bushels, po-
tatoes 200 to 800 bushels. and other
crops in proportion. Most of the hay
and oats are sold on the ranches for
Kalispell prices. Butter is taken in
trade at Holt and Bigfork at Is to 80
cents, and eggs at 20 to 40 cents.
About 100 acres are devoted to gar
den crops, this being the best place
in Flathead county for gardening
The earliest fruits and vegetables
come from here and the east and west
shores of the lake and command
fancy prices. Melons, tomatoes,
pumpkins and squashes are grown
near the lake in a small way, but can
not be grown in other parts of the
valley. Fruit does about as we'll here
as on the east and west shores Of the
lake. while the market is nearer and
the land easier to cultivate. Some
of the largest and best orchards in
the valley are between Holt and Big
fork. The best farming lands are
valued at SIS to 800 per acre. North
Of the lake a couple of miles it is
held at about $50.
Niger prairie is a small body of
open land about five miles east OF
Holt. A little farther east is Rost
lake, beautiful sheet of water sur
rounded by a stately forest.
tending west from the Kootenai
mountains to within a couple of miles
of the Flathead river is heavily
wooded plain. The trees are princi-
pally pine, fir and tamarack, and the
saw timber is valued at 81 per thous-
and feet, board measure, in the tree.
Several logging crews are now at
work putting logs into the Big Fork
river. where they are worth 1925 per
thousand feet. Land from which the
saw timber has been removed is val
ued at 81 900 per quarter section.
Hay. fruit and vegetables are grown
in small way along the river.
The proposed Jocko cutoff, which
will connect the main lines of the
Great Northern and Northern Paci-
fic railways, will run along the east
shore of the lake, with a station at
or near Bigfork.
Mosquitoes are great pest be-
tween Holt and Bigfork from about
June Is to August /.
The fruit grower has no insect or
fungus pests to contend with except
the apple aphis, which can be held in
check by dipping and spraying The
codling moth has been found in one
orchard. Strong efforts will he made
to exterminate the insect next year.
Ex-Governor Smith has an orchard
near Bear Dance and Senator Bren-
men one near Bigfork. The latter is
one of the largest and best cared for
in the valley.
Wood for fuel and fencing is abun-
ant and cheap. being valued at 25
cents per cord in the tree
Bigfork is destined to become a
popular summer resort.
Wild oats is a great pest in the
grain fields, bnt can be exterminated
by summer following and growing
hoed crops. Blight cuts the potato
crop short, but sometimes they yield
400 bushels per acre.
Among the extraordinary yields of
fruit reported are w. J. Brennen's
ten bushels of Green Gage plums