Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-05-07
GREAT FRUIT CROP
is PREDICTED In NORTHWEST
STATES THIS YEAR.
Smudge Pots and Orchard Heaters
Knock Fears of Late Frosts-In-
creased Acreage and Trees in Idaho,
Montana, Oregon and Washington
Will Result in Boomer Crops.

ations and commercial organizations in
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Mon
tana say in reports to the Spokane
Chamber of Commerce there is every
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 own
ers of commercial tracts are ready to
do battle with hundreds of thousands
of smudge pots or orchard heaters. 1t
is predicted that higher prices will pre-
vail as result of the heavy damage
80 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 record crop.
Including peaches, apricots, cherries,
berries and other soft fruits the yield
will be at least doubled owing to the
Increased acreage, he adds, while the
apple crop will show an increase of
about 25 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 facili-
ties and the steady influx of settlers, the
early attempts in the valleys and up
lands have become more pretentious,
sustained and systematic. Dry farm
ing is practiced extensively and irri-
cation plants have been established by
private individuals and corporations,
also by the United States government,
which is expanding enormous sums in
reclaiming the volcanic wastes SO won
derfully rich and fertile and so peculiar
ly adapted to raising fruits, unblemished
and perfect in size and color. The
apple is king. More than 100000 acres
of lands are devoted to orchards in the
four states and pomologists estimate
the value of full crop would un
doubtedly equal $175,00o,0oo.
Northwestern apples are in demand il
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 studied conditions in thu
northwest, refer to the Pacific state
as "the World S Fruit Basket" adding
there has been established in a com
6iaratively short time a domain wher'
the first foot of soil, properly cult
waited, is worth more than all the mine
from Alaska to Mexico and all the for
10,
to the Arctic sea.
AS gold was the strong magnet whicl
sent the first Americans across the un
known wastes of this continent to tn
California coast in 1s49, so today tn
apple, the emperor of fruit, is attract
ing thousands to the western orchar'
belts. Millions of dollars have been IN
vested in apple lands west of the Rock
les during the last decade and beautiful
orchards of young trees today mar
the spots where but yesterday was
waste of brown, barren sagebrust
covered desert.
Romance never played such part /
the world as in the fruit growing dis
tricts of the northwest today. There
the romance of development, of con
merce and of life that rivals the storie
of centuries ago, when new empire
were suddenly uncovered by people VIII
never even dreamed of their existence
Just as the mystery and danger fade
from the Far West when once it Wa
discovered so has that vast stretc
of territory in the quartet of STATE
come into its own.
Americans are rapidly becoming
fruit-eating nation. 1t is not so ven
long since the orange was considers
luxury, and this is true much mo
recently of grape fruit. Now they a
common articles of diet. Many ha'
expressed the opinion that appl
ehould be so common and low-pric'
articles of food as bread and butte
eggs and milk. However, these ha'
at times almost become luxuries in I
cent years.
Although the domestic and foreil
demand for these fruits has increase
strangely enough, the production of t
apple has steadily decreased. The apr
crop for 1909, reported to be less TIL
Z3,0OO,000 barrels, for example, W
only slightly in excess of one-third
that for the years 1896 and 1900, a
much less than the crop for 1905, VIII
the production reached a low figure.
Statistics gathered by commercial {
carnations show that the annual pi
duction. of apples in the United Stat
is becoming less in proportion to &C
sumption each year, and has actual
been less in the aggregate the last f.
years than formerly. The figures sin
1895 follows:
War Barre
1895 ......-.................-. 60,453,C
1896 ---..........-..-..----.. 69,O7O,C
4so7 .................-.....--. Al, 1856
100 2s. 57OC