The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-05-02
WASHINGTON AS
A FRUIT STATE
ORCHARD PRODUCTS VALUED At OVER $35,-
100000
Fruit Now in Demand in Highest Priced
Markets in the World Greatest Crop
in the History Of the State *
pected This Year

The New York Tribune Farmer. one
of the ablest agricultural journals in
America. gives the fruit industry Of
this state splendid advertisement in
its issue of April %. Orchard illus
trations cover the first page and fine
article by Mr.. August Wolf. of Spo-
kane. ia the leading feature of the hor-
ticultural department. We quote the
following paragraphs:
''The State of Washington has with
in its confines scores of orchards of
forty and fifty and one hundred acres
with from 800 to 1000 trees-sev-
eral times larger and far more produc-
tive than the world famed orchard at
Haydenville. Mass. but big orchards
are not the rule, as there is money in
five and ten acre tracts, which. with
ordinary care. have been made heavy
producers. This is true not only Of
apple growing, but is demonstrated in
peach. pear and cherry orchards. aa
we'll as in those devoted to plums and
prunes. for which the top market
prices are paid. so great is the de-
mand for Washington fruit.
1.-THE fruit is now handled in the
highest priced markets of the world.
where it brings from SO to 100 per
cent more than in the local markets.
Orchards averaging flve boxes to the
tree are not uncommon in any part
of the state. while in many of the
older orchards. containing from fifty
to seventy five trees. q harvest of from
Is to 20 boxes each is not rare.
''Growers say that the crop of 1908
gives promise of being the greatest in
the history of the state. The apple
yield in 1907 was estimated at a
value Of $40. 00U. 900,
the crop being matter Of 5. 900. 900
boxes of fifty pounds each.
'Horticulturists and irrigation ex-
perts say that more than sixty thous-
and acres will be added to the COM
mercial orchards of the state before
the close of 1910. to say nothing of
the five acre and smaller tracts in the
outskirts of the cities and towns in
eastern Washington.
"New York. Chicago. Boston. and
European buyers come into the coun-
try early in the summer to inspect
the orchards and arrange for the pur-
chase OF the fruit in the fall. Bos-
tonians literally tall over each other
for the big. red apples. while the
New Yorker. city or state. demands
Winesaps and Spitzenbergs and the
resident of Chicago wants flavor rather
than color and size. Pippins and
other varieties of size and color are
welcomed in England. France. Ger
many and the land of the Vikings.
The orient desires fruit of color and
flavor and the men and women In the
land of the kangaroo will not take
any except ruddy checked ones. The
foreign markets present many oppor-
tunlties for the growers in the North
west, more especially from the fact
that the apples grown in the Pacific
states are better shippers and will
stand almost any climate.
ssThere have been good and bad
years in the history of the apple in
dustry of the United States and Cana
da. but the records show there has
not been crop failure in the State OF
Washington since the first tree was
planted, thirty -four years ago. in the
eastern part of the commonwealth.
then territory. The export business
has been one of gradual expansion. the
high mark. previous to 1907-'08. be-
ing reached in 1yO3-'04, when 3.-
469. 1853 barrels and 413. $50 boxes Of
apples we're sent abroad. Shipments
for the season closed totaled 4.OOO.-
600 barrels. or II, 600. 900 boxes. "