The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-09-11
IDAHO LEADS IN PRUNEs
The Gem State Stands at Forefront
as Prune Producer.


"Not until recently has prune pro-
duction and it's attendant large profits
been fully understood or appreciated
outside of California, where for many
years it has been among her most
staple products, but owing to climatic
and soil conditions Idaho now stands
at the very forefront as producer of
high grade prunes, especially of Ital-
ian," declares NJ. D. Dobson, the well
known fruit buyer, who is thoroughly
familiar with fruit conditions the
country over, to the Capital News.
Mature seems to have highly ia
vored certain limited localities
throughout the world in bestowing
conditions highly susceptible of the
cultivation of delicacies. Champaign
in France for it's grapes, Hood River,
Oregon, for it's strawberries and
Rocky Ford, Colorado, (now equalled
by the Payette Valley for it's melons
and the Boise and the Payette valleys
for their prunes are noted examples,
each and all having national and in
ternational regulations. Just few
thousand acres in each case reach par
excellence.
"This is prominently true Of the
Emmett bench, owing to its slight ele-
walton over the surrounding country
and its close proximity to the foothills
renders it almost immune from in
furious frosts to peaches or prunes.
at may not be generally known
that all plums are prunes. A prune
being plum which can be dried with
out removal of the pit and without
fermentation. In the days not very
long ago prunes and the boarding
house was as staple joke as the
mother-in-law, but today they are
deemed one of the most delicate lux
uries among the wealthiest classes
throughout the world, owing to their
being such a healthful breakfast
fruit.
"The demand for fresh ripe Italian
prunes is rapidly on the increase, but
there is no danger of over-production
owing to rapidly increasing demands
and their lessening production in Cali
fornia, being less desirable there than
other varieties.
''Prunes require less care than ap-
Piles in cultivation and neither the
trees nor the fruit are subject to near
ly as many risks, while the lesser
cost of gathering and preparing them
for market renders their production
a permanently profitable investment.
"Prunes commence bearing at four
years of age, and even at that early
stage at the present price the value
from an acre would reach $40, allow
ing a crate to tree, which should al
ways be secured under proper condi-
tons.
"At seven years of age, produc-
ton of seven and half tons to the
acre "Oulu DS ICdCuSd Will q NdluS VI
nearly 5000 an acre, while at 10 years
of age Is tons is an average crop.
"Sales of $50 ton have been re-
ported this year, that of P Monroe
Smock at New Plymouth, which of
course is very exceptional, but at s25
or even $50 per ton with the present
knowledge of localities especially
to them, together with their
judicious cultivation insures prune |
production as being among the safest
and most profitable of Idaho indus
tries. A recent sale of so acres of
Italian prunes near Nyssa is reported !
sold for $4,000, the trees being about
II years old, and under proper con-
iitions, prune trees in Italy continue n
10 bear up to 100 years of age. These
results are only obtainable under
proper conditions, which are the right /
ocality, which always involves prop
er soil; properly prepared ground;
he selection of good trees, and their /
proper care from the day they were
set out"