The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-17

Tt is surprising the number of peo- pie who have come from the North west and gone in for fruit growing in the interior districts of British Co., lumbia and on Vancouver Island" So | remarked J. R. Anderson, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, recently, Pres sed to give a reason for the marked influx during the last year, he referred to the extensive advertising that had been done by the present government through the Bureau of Information There was no doubt that the success of collection of the fruit products of this country in competition with the best in the other colonies was the finest possible "ad' for British Co., lumbia.
 Property in almost all districts, MT. Anderson asserted was increasing in value. In practically every district large numbers of new faces were to be found. In a word, the country was prospering, and the Indications were that within a few years the fruit out put would be doubled and perhaps trebed.
 When discussing the possibilities of the interior districts of British Co., lumbia and the southern part of Van couver Island for the growth of fruit MT. Anderson became enthusiastic. He went into detail, showing a thorough insight into the conditions prevailing in each distinct section, and predicted in effect that the future of the pro- vince from the standpoint mentioned was not yet centrally realized. He be- lieved that its output would be mar terially increased in the next year, and that ultimately its beautiful, yer dant valleys, now lying dormant, would become one immense orchard which would supply the wants of the millions of wheat growers living on the prairies, and also export largely to the market always available across the Atlantic.
 Taking up the question in his own methodical way, Mir. Andersan first pointed to the -Similkameen. Here, he explained, the extremely hot summer l experience permitted the cultivation of a variety of what might be termed subtropical fruits, such as peaches, l apricots and the grape There were large quantities of lands available in this district, he went on, which had not yet been taken up. This, no doubt was due to the difficulties met with in shipping, there being no railway within convenient distance. But it was understood that a railway would soon pass through the section, and then, I MT. Anderson said, Look out for development" He believed that the country would become settled very rapidly, and Sthat the slmilkameen would not take back place to neigh boring districts in respect to the growth of fruit
 MT. Anderson remarked that the majority of the peaches which were produced in British Columbia were grown at Peachland, but he was of the opinion that this condition of af- fairs would not last The country was going ahead too rapidly and the de- mand was increasing so fast that the growers of Peachland would soon be unable to supply it with the limited areas at their command. Where, then Is the business to go?" MT. Anderson asked. He thought the Summerland and Penticton sections would be found to enter into competition In fact many peaches were cultivated at those places now, and the areas in use were constantly increasing.
 Very little, he continued, was known about the Osoyoos, fine agricultural country lying south of Pentieton, to- ward the international boundary In this distcrict all kinds of fruit flourished, but the variety which did particularly well was the Yellow New ton Pippin. This was the fruit which was in high estimation among the consumers of the Old County. It hat a large market there MT. Anderson stated that the finest specimen of this fruit which he or his companion, Pro lessor Lake in trip through the in. terior, taken during the summer, eval saw, was picked at the foot of Dog Lake. 1t was quite equal, he said, tc the Oregon product, which was sup posed to be the best produced,
 He predicted great future, agricul turaily, for this section of the pro vince So far it had not been settled to any extent, but at the rate of the last few months development it would not be long before the best of the lant , was taken up and placed under prof table cultivation.
 Speaking of Kelowna, Okanagar Lake, MT. Anderson told of the splen did apples. sweet cherries, etc, which were grown by the ranchers there. He then spoke of the productiveness ot the district in the vicinity of Vernon especially as far as apples were con cerned
 } MT. Anderson laid special emphasi upon the recent development through out the Kootenay District. He pointed out that until a short time ago tn prevailing opinion was that frui } could not be grown to advantag there. A few of those who had display ed enough enterprise to experiment however, had found out differently and now were profiting. Recent report showed that apples, cherries and pear . thrived amid the climatic environ , ments of that country. Small fruits also, could be grown to advantage.