Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-06-06

Beautiful Vtneland, the paradise
OF the Snake River valley. A land
upon which God seems to have pro-
nounced His sweetest benediction.
A soil SO generous 1t gives ample
competence to all who come, and
work. A cline so mildly temper
ed that the songbirds linger long
into the winter months before
spreading their wings for flight
towards the Southland.
Nature. assisted by the hand Of
man, has made Vineland what 1t il
today-the garden spot of this beau
tiful valley. Irrigation tells the
whole story, for without water this
beautiful Eden would still be q bar
rem desert, while now there are hum
dreds of orchards growing every
kind Of fruit, such as peaches. pears,
cherries, apples, plums. prunes, ap.
ricots and nectarines, while the
gardens and fields produce all va
rieties of berries and every vegeta-
ble that is grown, besides water
melons and cantaloupes.
Almonds also thrive In vineland.
The writer saw quite a number Of
large trees that were loaded with
them.
Less than two decades ago this
Eden was q barren waste. thirsting
for water. What nature had failed
to bestow upon it the brain Of man
found the way. and irrigation be-
came a fact. Various ideas and
plans for irrigation were suggested
by engineers. One was to take the
water from the Snake river far
enough up to give 1t fall onto the
land about vineland. ..,
Finally it was left to a graduate
engineer from the East, who had
tho nerve to undertake and solve
the question, and the capacity and
courage to carry out the undertak'
ing. Asotin creek was the source
from which the water was obtain
ed. This proved to be the most
available plan, and soon the watel
was brought to the territory o.
Vineland. Orchard tracts were sold
trees planted which thrived mos
wondrously under irrigation. and II
few years were producing larg'
crops. True, there have been par
tial failures of the peach and cher
ry crops. but these failures were no
the fault of the soil. Frosts cam
while the trees were in blossom, ant
the owners had not yet learned hov
to grapple with old Jack Frost! s.
much confidence had they in tn
climate, the soil and irrigation tina
they slept peacefully during tn
night, while frost was playing hav
oc with the buds on the trees.
Then someone said 'smudge." an
this they did this year, with the re
suit Of one Of the biggest crops eve
known In vineland. This smude
ing was no new thing. It had bee
done in France over 100 years az
to save the vineyards, and had OF
tanned throughout Canada to sav
the wheat crops, in Georgia fo
the peaches and in California to sav
the oranges. Now the question
big crops In vinsland and over tn
fats has been solved. and IL all du
to the ingenuity of man. This va
the first year that the smudge ha
been used In cooperative and sy'
tematic way IN vineland, and tn
result today II that the trees al
laden with fruit and the only que
tion that II agitating the minds
the orchard growers 10 Where sha
We get help to harvest the crop
berries and fruit that Is coming!
Why this question of help shou
be q worry to the growers can NJ
zee. There 10 no scarcity OF labo
either in Idaho or Washingto
There will be hundreds Of pickle
that win come from Spokane Al
other cities In Washington, and u
result will be that the crop. larl
though it is, will be gathered wit
out waste or loss to the owners
the orchards.
This year there will be three CO
neries to handle the surplus crop
nuit. and they will be kept bu
curing the frnit season. The ear
varieties Of fruit from the orchar
OF Vinsland bring high prices in I