The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1910-08-19
IGRAND OLD ORCHARD

.o,eity for production of the soil in
An immediate vicinity under condi-
,,os the chief of which is artificial
,,,us Of supplying the requisite mois-
us In its natural state, owing to
As inadequate fall of rain, the land is
sd or at least semi-arid. and the
.,rtiiying elements that are awaken
! into life by the life-giving influence
vster lies dormant, unproducing and
muoducable. Unfortunately the in
uauction Of irrigation as means of
,elsmation, old as the hills in prac-
ds has only been of comparatively
wsut date in the Okanogan valley,
nd hence the miracle-producing intlu-
nee Of that element in creating vigor-
v and luxriant Vegetation has few il
btrsti0ns hereabouts to demonstrate
pthe natives, and the strangers that
Uus among us, the capacity and capa-
Ntity Of soil uninviting and unpromis-
by in its originallstate. Elsewhere in
wsrn Washington, where fruit grow
ng has become the predominant in
jyry, ,insuring enormous incomes from
snail holdings to those engaged there
n md giving to the land a value that
xems out Of all reason, irrigation has
been longer in vogue. and many thrifty
orchards give ocular proof of what may
+ b expected Of the soil under favorable
ambitions. This evidence is what Gre
as demand for the land and keeps
| livs ready market for real estate de-
voted to fruit growing. 1t is seeing
vhst can be, and what is being con-
sanity, done with a few acres that
ruuses desire on the part of those
vho have none to become possessed of
xrss that yield so prodigally of the
nut saleable commercial products of
he vegetable kingdom.
Unfortunately for this immediate Vi
entity there are not many orchards in
barring to show just what the land can
b depended upon to produce to back
he claim of its adaptability to orchand
culture, and yet there is one striking
lntance near the town, which in itself
demonstrates that no part of the state
an surpass this locality in the quantity
ND quantity Of fruit that can be pro-
duced, or the longevity of trees that
%. the producing. That orchard is
lneSn far and wide as the ''Old Okla
Dcyan Smith ranch" While within
aght, and few minutes reach, of the
Town, few of the people realize what a
uluable property it is, or the wonder
ful capacity of production of the trees.
Arip to the premises at this season
q the year would be a revelation to
lhe visitor. There is not a counter
part to this orchard in eastern Wash
ngton. Nowhere do trees yield better
lruit, or more abundantly, and so they
'ney have yielded the same quality of
fult for nearly half century. and
they are as vigorous, thrifty and pro-
anc today as any young orchard in the
tate.
portion of this orchard was set out
y Hiram F.Smith, widely and familiar
!! known as "Okanogan" Smith, in the
afiy 6Os. This is not intended as
3etcn OF that rugged pioneer, long
gathered to his fathers, but in passing
can be said that Mr.. Smith, one of
nose restless pioneers who drifted
vest as forerunner of advancing CIV
ll'ation, located on the land about the
'ear 1850. His rowing came to an end
6nen his eyes rested on OsOyoos lake,
'na the beautiful valley in which the
'narming expanse of water sits like an
'merald, and there, upon it's eastern
more, at point where Nine-mile creek
nngles its waters with the placid lake,
'mlth set his stakes, took unto himself
V indian helpmate and became a tix-
ure. All of those who made up the
'mlth household have passed away,
'ut the first trees that he planted soon
'Her squatting on the land still thrive,
'ad annually perform the function of
Toducing crops, with no diminution
The amplitude of those crops with
le flight of years.
Inc orchard is a part of an Indian
notment, and is leased by the govern
aent for the benefit of the single liv-
" heir, now a young girl. The pres
u' ieasers are George and Henry Bow
lman, and it was through the courtesy
Mr.. Geo. Bowerman that the writer
40 an opportunity to inspect the Or
nard recently. After seeing it he
fyes every resident of Oroville who
An DO so to do likewise. 1t will be II
eVeiation. The orchard is indisput-
''e evidence of the richness OF the
0'i' Here is an orchard that has per-
'Fned the function of production for
'ariy 80 years. The boles of those
'ees are of mighty girth. The enor-
iOus branches extend upward and out
ard like monarch of the forest, and
aSt now bend low beneath burden OF
le choicest fruit. 1t is wonderful
'ght, and this orchard in itself is con-