The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-03-06
EARLIEST TREES
KNOWN IN west
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE IN
TERESTING SERIES ON TREE
ANTIQUITIES
T. f. Irish, Pioneer of the County.
Finds Information Relative to
Old Apple and Olive Trees

The antiquity of the apple has
been given new and added interest
by Thomas E. Irish of Williams Val
ley, who comes into the scene with
information concerning the introduc-
tion to the Pacific coast of the apple
tree antedating the Stevens county
history of the king of fruit by a full
century. In presenting the matter,
Mr.. Irish first offers the story of the
first apple tree in the state of Wash
ington, written by Walter E. An
drews, which, omitting a photo
graphic reproduction, follows;
OLDEST APPLE TREE IN WASH.
(By Walter e. Andrews)
The other day | had the pleasure Of
meeting Robert r. Reid, an enthusias
tic fruit grower near Seattle. He
gave me the accompanying picture
and supplied the following informa-
ton about a historic old tree that
comparatively few people ever heard
of:
This is conceded to be the oldest
apple tree in the state Of Washing
ton, if not in the entire North Pacific
coast 1t is possible there are some
older trees in the old mission districts
of California. but this is doubtful, as
] believe the life Of apple trees in that
region is shorter than in more north
erly sections.
THE tree was planted by the Hud
sons Bay company in 1926 at their
post near what is now Vancouver.
Wash 1t is located in one corner
of the army barracks near the Co
lumbia river
"As will be seen, three large
branches of the tree have been re-
moved recently. which was due to
their being broken in a sleet storm
three years ago New growth has
started on the single branch that was
cut back only about half way, and
understand the tree is forming a new
head. A picture is to be taken in
the near future to show what progress
it is making.
"Fhe variety of apples produced rs
not definitely known, but probably
the tree is a Seeding of the Rhode
Island Greening, as the apples re-
semble that variety more than any
other.
AT its annual meeting last Febru
airy the Western Washington Horti-
cultural association appointed a COM
mittee of three members to take
charge of the tree and see that it has
the necessary care. 1t is the purpose
of the association to see that the tree
wants for nothing during its declin-
ing years
"Of course it is matter of specu-
lation how long the tree will live,
but we hope to see it go to par at
least"
Compared with the east, civilized
mans handiwork is not very old in
this great. new, western country but
here is tree with a pedigree worth
entering in the hall of fame
Mr. Irish observes that on two Wis
it's to California in the very re-
cent years he took occasion to in
quire about the first introduction of
fruit on the coast. In the inclosure
about the old San Diego mission,
which was established about the year
1857, there are two trees that were
in bearing in 1901, and must have
been planted some years before. In
two of the other missions in Cal
ifornia, which date their establish
ment late in the 18th century, there
were apple trees over 100 years old;
and feeble though they were, they
were still struggling on in the re-
production of their species. But
the old patriarch in the San Diego
church yard had evidently tired of
the task and was content to follow
in the habit of the changing seasons
by putting forth each spring few
leaves and tossing them to the
breezes in the fall. "While found,
says Mr.. Irish, mo authentic date
on which the first apple trees were
planted in California, / did learn
that the olive trees were first plant
ed in San Diego in 1881, and my in
formant suggested that the apple
must have been planted about the
same time. One could not doubt
the great age of the olive trees when
it was noted that the trunk of one
of them which had broken appeared
ossifed, rather than having retained
its fibrous texture"
Mr.. Irish observed, also, that the
old bell which still stands in it's
original frame and calls the people
now to worship as it did $50 years
ago, was cast in Spain in 1867, and
swung in its place in the new world
in 1859, long before the declaration
of American independence. Placing
together numerous circumstances
touching the establishment Of the
mission he believes, in the absence OF
authentic records of the fact, that
the same mind that directed the