The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-11-04

DN6o4 NA4S ISAAJ
of the main office of the Furey-Culver
Land Company, owner and selling agent
of irrigated lands in the Methow valley.
The company maintains offices at Seat
tie and at Twisp, Wash. The Carlton
townsite, owned by the company, had
been established below a natural bench,
but was moved above because the land
below was too valuable for a mere town.
1t was easy to move, for there are only
three houses in Carlton now: one the
store and p~ostofice (new, built on its
present site) n the summer home of
Mr.. and Mrs. F. H. Furey, a rustic
house built several years ago among
the trees at the entrance to a small
canyon, out of which issues a stream
furnishing pure water for irrigation and
domestic uses. This building was re-
modelled by Mr.. Furey and is a delight
full, cool, coy summer home.
In the tract surrounding Carlton the
Furey-Culver company has sold 1913
ranches from five to forty acres, on most
of which has been planted apple orch
ards. The company has still for sale a
number of tracts in sizes to suit at
prices $3.50 per acre for choice of I'M
developed land, 1875 an acre for choice
including clearing, l%eveling, blowing,
planting purchasers selection), irri-
eating and %cultivating for three years,
turning over the orchard to the buyer
at the beginning of the fourth year.
The company has a large force of men
at work, and was short-handed at that,
Notwithstanding a wage of $3.50 a day
and board at actual cost. The new
orchards present a vigorous appearance
and are making good growth. Many
tracts have been sold to prominent rail-
road officials, as an anchor to leeward
in case OF head winds or storms, and a
number of eastern men and women.
On the return trip the party stopped
at the beautiful home of F. D. Culver,
of the company, and inspected n of
the few old orchards in the valley. 1t is
a small one, containing a dozen varie-
ties. This orchard was never sprayed.
No fruit pests have made appearance in
the Methow valley. Mr.. Culver offers
a box of apples for every wormy fruit
which may be found. One may bite
into a Methow apple in the dark with
out danger Of breaking up a happy
family. Great, luscious, highly-colored
fruit hung from the trees in clusters
that threatened to break the branches.
In this ranch there are 179 acres, which
the Messrs. Furey-Culver are planting
to apples. 1t lies beautifully, with
a gentle slope to the Methow river, is
easily irrigated and will become a for
ture producer in a few years.
The season in the Methow valley is
two or three weeks later than at Wenat-
chez. Fall apples in the latter valley
become winter fruit in the Methow.
Words at command of the writer are
inadequate to describe the Methow.
The word itself means beautiful water.
High mountains rise in every direction,
some snow-capped. The winding river
furnishes abundant water for irrigating
and domestic purposes. The bends in
the valley produce splendid air drainage
and prevent high winds. The soil is
of a depth and fertility equal to any in
the world. The great lack is rail trans
portation. By the time new orchards
are bearing this dissideratum will have
been provided. A railroad has already
been projected, and an electric line is
promised. From Methow to Pateros a
freight rate by team of 10 cents per box
is now charged for apples. From Pa
teros transportation to Wenatchee is
absorbed by the railroad rate to market
points. On the boat down two carloads
of apples were loaded at Chelan landing
for Wenatchee, and smaller quantities
at other places. A scow was towed up
from Wenatchee to a large ranch to be
loaded with apples.
Not much fruit is being shipped out
of the Methow. In six years there will
be approximately 1000 cars of freight
annually. When that time comes all the
kings horses and all the kings men can
not keep a railroad out of the valley.
The tourney hack to Wenatchee was