The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-05-02

Spokane, Wash, May 2.-Officers
Of state horticultural associations
and commercial organizations in
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Mon
tana say in reports to the Spokane
chamber of commerce there is every
indication that the fruit crop this
year will be the largest and most
profitable in the history of the four
states. There is no danger of late
freeze, but should the unexpected
happen the owners of commercial
tracts are ready to do battle with
hundreds of thousands of smudge
pots or orchard heaters. 1t is pre-
dicted that higher prices will prevail
as a result of the heavy damage to
the fruit crop in the middle western
states.
F. A. Huntley, state horticultural
commissioner, says that Washington
will produce twice as much fruit in
1910 as in 1908, the year of the rec
ord crop. Including peaches, april
cots, cherries, berries and other soft
fruits the yield will be at least dou-
bled owing to the increased acreage,
he adds, while the apple crop will
show an increase of about % per
cent. Oregon, Idaho and Montana
will have equally large crops as the
result of increased acreage and trees
coming into bearing this season.
With increased transportation ia
cilities and the steady influx of set
tiers, the early attempts in the val
leys and uplands have become more
pretentions, sustained and systemat-
ic. Dry farming is practiced extern
sively and irrigation plants have been
established by private individuals
and corporations, also by the United
States government, which is expend'
| ing enormous sums in retaining the
volcanic wastes so wonderfully rich
and fertile and SO peculiarly adapt
ed to raising fruits, unblemished and
perfect in size and color. The apple
is king. More than $4,000 acres Of
lands are devoted to orchards in the
four states and pomologists estimate
the value of a full crop would un
doubtedly equal $175, 100000.
Northwestern apples are in de
mand in the eastern and middle
western states and in Europe and
| Australia and the markets are being
extended year by year. American
and foreign experts, who have stud
! led conditions in the Northwest, re
/ fer to the Pacific states as "the
Worlds Fruit Basket" adding there
! has been established in a compare.
! lively short time a domain where the
first foot of soil, properly cultivated
is worth more than all the mines
| from Alaska to Mexico and all the
forests from the United States boun.
/ udIy W tuc AICtlC SEQ.
| AS gold was the strong magnet
which sent the first Americans across
| the unknown wastes of this continent
to the California coast in 1849, sc
today the apple, the emperor OF
fruit, is attracting thousands to the
western orchard belts. Millions OF
dollars have been invested in apple
lands west of the Rockies during the
last decade and beautiful orchards
OF young trees today mark the spots
where but yesterday was waste OF
brown, barren sagebrush-covered de-
sert.
Romance never played such part
in the world as in the fruit growing
districts OF the Northwest today
There is the romance of development,
of commerce and of life that rivals
the stories of centuries ago, when
new empires were suddenly uncov-
cred by people who never even
dreamed of their existence. Just as
the mystery and danger faded from
the Far West when once it was dis
covered" so has that vast stretch OF