The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1913-07-04
THE QUEEN OF FRUIT

1t has become such habit to boast
of the virtues of the soil and climate
of the Okanogan valley as being pc
culiarly adapted to the growth and
ultimate maturing of large fruit to
the limit of excellency that the public
has largely overlooked the fact that
while the larger hard and soft fruits
are making the valley famous, the
more modest yet none the less delic-
ious smaller fruits are entitled to Il
full measure of recognition through
the channel of publicity for the su-
periority of product in size, color,
symmetry and flavor. If the proper
elements are in the earth to put size,
color and taste in the apple and
peach, pear and plum, apricot and
nectarine, those elements carry the
chemical properties that are required
to perfect the smaller varieties of
fruits. This is demonstrated in the
quality OF the strawberries now be ing
harvested around Oroville. The fame
of the Hood river, Kennewick. Calf
ornia product is to find a dangerous
rival in the Okanogan berry, dang
erous in competition for public favor
Too little attention has been paid to
past, for the simple reason that it is
a very perishable fruit, and hereto
fore the markets could not be reached
eXpeditiOusly, a condition that is abb
solutely necessary in order to dis
pose of the crop when it is ready for
the pickers. Hence there has been
no incentive for extensive production.
With a railroad down the valley AMI
a MI Inft ~,f IA
the coast market will be opened
up that will absorb all the berries
that can be raised in this locality. In
a few years hence the production OF
Strawberries will be carried on upon
OF the largest items of shipment out
of this station.
These remarks upon that queen of
all fruits were instigated by the
quantity and quality of the straw
of them coming in from the East Oro-
vile Orchard tracts. All of the trac,
owners have patches of berries, and
in every instance the fruit is of thu,
choicest quality. The berries coming
from Fred Clarks tract have attract
ed special attention. Larger AMI
marketed in this place. The vines
are yielding with prodigal prolific
ness. The-uriformity in size Is simply
astonishing. There are no small, or
medium sized specimens in the lot.
Big red. fat, juicy, mountaineering
berries one and all of them. beauti
full to the sight and delightful to the
taste. All who see and test these
berries express surprise at the size
and flavor of the fruit They are
good to look at, and with dash OF
cream as foil to their rosy plump
ness they are dish for the gods, or
anybody else, for that matter.
The cultivation. growing and mark
citing of Strawberries is going to be
an important industry of the Oroville
neighbOrhood in future years. The
experience of the past two years has
demonstrated that the berry can be
grown in abundance, is a certain
yielder and can be made profitable.
1t requires care and attention to make
berry growing winner, but atten-
tion and care are required in any field
of endeavor in order to win success.
The crop is somewhat later than in
the more southern fruit districts, but
that is an advantage, for about the
time the earlier crops are disappear
ing, and the appetite of the public is
whetted up to strawberry yearning
here comes the Okanogan brand,
larger and better than the proceed
ing berry, and consequently sure
market and top prices are assured.
A splendid berry can he raised on the
benches of the surrounding mount
aims. The hill fruit comes in later
than the valley crop, so that the city
markets could be constantly supplied
until late in the summer With the
prime berry from the fair land of The
OkanOgan. What an advertisement
for the country will this crop be, and
what a certain and profitable source
of income is it certain to become. In
time the Okanogan valley will become
so famous for it's choice products that
there will not be room enough for all
the people who will want to come
and make the valley their home