The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-10-24

The following article was furnished
the Echo by Mr.. AL Darlington, who
needs no introduction to the growers
of the upper valley. Mr.. Darlington
was for several years Deputy Hor-
ticultural Inspector for the district
lying between Leavenworth and Dry
den. Before taking up these duties
he had charge of the pick, grade and
pack for large Cashmere warehouse.
At present he is manager of the Sulli
van-Griner warehouse at Peshastin
and is developing young orchard in
that district. He knows every end of
the fruit business.
By A. p. Darlington
Asked by the Echo to furnish it
with an article on the Peshastin dis
trict, l will say:
Peshastin is situated in what is
termed the upper part of the Wenat
chez valley and just at the base of the
foot hills of the Cascade range of
mountains. Through this beautiful
valley runs the Wenatchee river,
which is fed from the snow-covered
peaks of the Cascades. These waters
are of the purest and clearest in the
world and empty into the Columbia
river.
Fifteen years ago Peshastin was al
most entirely forest of pines; very
little clearing had been done on the
flats, and the bench land at that time
was almost an unknown quantity.
Now these same flats and bench lands
are covered with orchards. The pines
have been cut away, the land cleared,
cultivated and planted, mostly to APP
pie and pear trees. The general age
of these trees ranges from fourteen
years down to newly set trees.
1t has been learned by the actual
experience of production that Peshas-
tin is ideal for the apple and pear
tree. Bartlett and De Anjou pears
grow here to perfection. The climate
is peculiarly adapted to growing APP
pies and pears in degree of perfec-
ton, and with flavor unknown any
where else in the Wenatchee Valley.
Being nearer the mountains the at
mosphere is tempered by a cool breeze
from the snow caps. The apple and
pear being native to northern lati-
tudes require the cool, rather than the
hot temperature of the lower Wenat-
chee Valley in which to reach the
highest state of perfection. AS the
days are cooler, so also are the nights.
Here one sleeps most comfortably I'M
der blanket even during the warmest
summer period.
Peshastin being newer country
than parts of the valley has profited
by the earlier settlers experience as
to what varieties of apples are best
adapted to . the Wenatchee Valley.
Those that seem to do the best are
Delicious, Winesap, Jonathan, Spitz,
Rome Beauty and Stayman Winesap.
The climate is regulated largely by
our close situation to the mountains,
which gives us a more even tempera-
ture. This is a great asset to the long
keeping quality of the fruit here.
The development of the fruit being
slow and steady gives the apple
harder texture than where it is forced.
In no part of the valley is the color
of the apples so noticeable, being a
deep, rich red, as it is this year at
Peshastin.
The cool nights with the dew set
Ting on the apples and the clear,
warm sunshine during the day have
surely proven their great coloring
qualities. Most of the apple crop is
picked during the month of October.
Picking the apple crop in the We
natchee valley takes almost an army
of men, women and children. Besides
the picking and hauling from the or
chards, there is the grading, packing
and warehousing, which takes prac-
tically as many more persons. This