The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-12-16
Ten Acres and a Living

ne nad come TO the conclusion that
by devOting his attention very largely
to small fruits, five acres would be
enough.
This opinion is shared in general
sense by Earl Grey, governor general
of Canada. After visiting the fruit
districts of Canadas Pacific province
he made statement to the effect
that he believed there were thou
sands of comparatively well-to-do
families in the old land who would
be very glad, indeed, to have the OPP
portunity of attempting to make
living on only five acres of first class
fruit land.
The Reason Why.
How can living be made on ten
acres of land? Are you sure that 1t
is not faddist's theory? Is it really
being done by practical men and
women or is it only the half-baked
vision of dreamers and worked out
in one or two instances.
The answer is emphatically in the
affirmative. 1t is a practical thing,
has been, and is being worked out
by practical men and women. month
after month, year after year. There
are many reasons in support of an
affirmative reply, to these questions,
the most important of which I shall
touch upon briefly.
Firstly, and perhaps the most i'm
portant, is the natural fertility of
the soil and it's adaptability to the
growth of fruit Most varieties of
apples begin to bear the third year
after planting, while some of the
earlier varieties bear slightly the
second year. Were not the soil and
climate we'll suited to the growth of
apples and other fruit this would not
be possible.
Secondly, it is not necessary to use
expensive machinery as is the case
with general farming spraying
outfit is the most expensive part of
fruit growers equipment. Add an
ordinary one-furrow field pillow, a one
horse cultivator and a few smaller
tools. none of which are very expen-
sive, and the machinery list is COM
plete.
Thirdly, the fruit grower and his
family can do practically all the work
themselves: there is no heavy expense
for hired help. What he makes is i
profit.
Fourth, there are no granaries 70
be filled with seed to plant another
crop. The initial planting of The
trees is all that is necessary. Ma
ture does the rest.
Fifth, and by no means the least
important. the financial returns ara
very satisfactory.
In two seasons Wenatchee man
sold $500 worth of apples off nine
acres of six-year-old trees This was
the gross output, but after paying al
expenses he would have a very hand
some net income. Another energetic
grower in district farther north sold
$50 crates of strawberries off two
fifths of an acre He received $3.50
a crate for them, total of $665.5O.
Or at the rate of 1864 per acre. An
exclusive strawberry grower does al
most as well proportionately with a
larger acreage, for in recent years he
sold over four thousand dollars
worth of strawberries from four
acres of land 1t will be seen that
peaches are very profitable crop i'll !
A good season, when I mention that
Yakima man sold the product OF I
IN acre and a half of peaches for
s2137. 1t is not to be disguised that
-hese figures are above the average :
'eturn, but it only illustrates the pos :
'ibilities. 1t goes without saying
hat the most energetic horticulturist
gets the best results.
Two hundred dollars an acre me-.
after paying all expenses, is consid-
sred to be fair average return. In
me year a careful study Of the oper-
atoms of the growers in the Wenat-
'hee valley reveals the fact that the
'eturns averaged two hundred dollars
IN acre for every acre of orchard in
he valley
Crop Failures Almost Unknown
A crop failure in the fruit districts
S almost unknown To be sure.
here are seasons when the returns
re comparatively small. but an alb
olute failure is out Of the question
or the simple reason that the grow
r. in the irrigated districts, at least,
s protected, by insurance of the rain
vhen-you-
Irrigation is making thousands of
lcres of desert and arid land valu-
bile. Without water it is almost
-alueless. With water it produces
ONE Of the finest fruit in the world.
The wheat grower of the plains is
It the mercy of the elements in the
natter of excessive moisture, or the Z