New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-29
SPOKANE BEAUTY.
Largest Apple Exhibited at LOuisi-
ana Purchase Exposition. Grown
by L. B. Kinyon, North Yakima,
Washington.

..- 900. 90. d.
The size of this. perhaps the largest apple
! on record, nineteen inches in circumfer-
! ence weighing fOTty-tWO ounces, or nearly two
/ and three-quarters pounds. Mr. Kinyon in
\ formed me that he had one growing on the same
! tree this season which he thought would excel
/ its famous predecessor. but some miscreant har-
/ vested it first Sections of grape vines We're
shown upon which bunch,S 1907 long We're
! wedged in solid masses. one wonders what the
/ spies sent by the Israelites TO explore the Prom
/ ised Land would have thought had they wan
/ dered into Yakima.
Boxes Of cleaning apples packed for ship
ment piled slantingly, tier upon tier almost to
/ the roof. made a brilliant display. There was not
/ a wormy scabbed or imperfect apple in the lot
/ and so uniformly were the boxes Of each variety
| graded that close inspection failed to reveal a
! noticeable variation in the size of the individ-
/ ual specimens. Indeed no small part of the
Cret Of the quick demand for Yakima fruit is
/ its careful grading, shll-uI ana attractive
/ packing. Eastern fruit growers are missing
added profits every year because they have not
! North Yakima has an artificial ice and cold
storage plant, selling fee made from distilled
water at 81 a ton and storing apples until
June I for p cents a box. one strikngly beau
tiful part Of the fruit display large scarlet
/ strawberries and branch Of plump cherries
! frozen in clear blocks Of this pure ice.
A fine display of vegetables of all kinds filled
! the balance Of the hall. The exhibited farm
/ stock was very creditable.
INTENSIVE CULTURE.
I was fortunate in having for guide that genial
former Nebraskan, but now thoroughly con-
through the agricultural lands in the vicinity of
North Yakima was a revelation in intensive
/ culture. The native soil looks like a desert,
/ barren Of everything except sage brush. Moth
/ ing IS attempted without irrigation and under
/ its inspiration the soil and climate seem TO work
I miracles. Farms, groves meadows, livestock
/ hop yards, vineyards, gardens and orchards, all
/ spring from lFrlsauoL: IITlgaIloh mere IS az
! extensive necessity. Water rights cost from $40
I to SO an acre. The annual maintenance tax
/ for the canals ranges from 70 cents 10 81 90 an
| acre a year. The cost Of irrigating varies from
/ % cents TO So an acre for the season according
/ 10 the kind or crop raised. Inc Iand Is eN-
! pected TO net the farmer from SO an acre up
/ ward each season, and from well established
/ plants. such as orchards and hop yards, profits
OF from $500 to 500 an acre are frequently re-
! ported.
! An acre Of ground will not only support a full
/ stand Of fruit trees, but also an assortment Of
small fruits and vegetables. one Of the finest
| orchards seen was planted to apple and peach
| rows. Both plants and trees showed a health
| and vigor as in fact does all the vegetation,
/ season the branches have to be heavily
| propped TO keep them from splitting. 1t is
/ necessary TO spray every two weeks until the
! fruit is matured, and this is an expensive and
/ fruit has an evenness and perfection not exceled
! anywhere. Not wOrmy apple was seen IN any
OF the orchards.
LAND Is HIGH
John Gibson from twenty-five Salway peach
trees, thirteen years old, sold 500 boxes Of
I
/ peaches From 100 liberia trees, sold at 70
cents a box, he received a check for 81, 200 He
refused $1,000 for his ten acres Of peach trees
this summer. Mr.. Walden's forty acre orchard,
near Sunnyside produced twenty-four thousand
boxes Of good apples last year. In the spring of
the year the orchard came into bearing the
owner offered il for SO 900. He sold $4,000
worth Of apples from it that fall.
The one great drawback in the vicinity Of
/ North Yakima is the almost prohibitive price OF
! land. UnimprOved land is worth from $3.50 an
| and hops are held at $500 TO 81 900 acre
The man in moderate circumstances cannot
tread on this soil; and the poor man viii not
/ get a start here in agriculture Other success
/ full products are hogs. sheep and cattle; bees
/ and poultry; sugar beets, which excel in per-
, ! centage Of sugar and purity; alfalfa, which
yields three cuttings and pasturage, with a total
> | OF seven TO nine tons acre; and hops in
which fortunes have been made, and this year
are in fair way to be lost for many hop rails
ers held over immense crops from last year, re-
fusing 35 cents and the price now quoted is
under 10 cents, scarcely above the cost Of
growing.
The settlement OF these FIVE and ten acre tracts
gives the country about North Yakima a sub
urban appearance The town itself is progress
sive clean and substantial. The schools have a
particularly efficient corps of teachers. The eli
. mate is even and healthfu with mild winters
4 and no storms. In short, il is pleasant and
s profitable locality for the man who can pay the
2 price. Additional land is being brought under
: irrigation some distance from North Yakima at
$50 70 $50 an This has the benefit Of the
81 me- ~fAr 7ea~.a