Show A E f A T B TT th T W WAT HA CAN f A sw my E non siller 11 H A A apfl D V L I 1 IM U 11 T aft 1 IN fill F R U IT U I 1 apple orchard that produced per acre last year and has t f averaged per ier acre per year from the bate date it was i I 1 11 ti I 1 I 1 planted eleven yea years rs ago testimonial froman apple grower W who ho vi visited I 1 sited utah I 1 7 1 I 1 11 I 1 chis paper is about to inaugurate n campaign for ithe higher development of the fruit interests of weber county and leading up to that object will print a number of communications f from rom those h ose w who ho have had experience in fruit culture in this section the first appeal is from dr roche uie ther author tholof of tho following editor standard and examiner sir I 1 make no apology for trespass ing on your space jn in the matter of fruit culture as I 1 know of no other industry which a live newspaper devoted to the interests of the tha people could more advantageously encourage than the extension of the fruit owing growing industry of this estate state familiar with most of the land in weber and box elder counties through intimate association with distinguished judges of soil suit abilities and personal examination with them of many sections in northern utah and also by many and varied experiments conducted at my own expense and by observation of like experiments peri ments attempted by others I 1 think that I 1 arn am avnie somewhat what qualified to state my opinions and deductions as being of so gome me value to those at present interested and d to others likely to become interested te in the very enjoyable and profitable business of fruit growing As in our practical age with its wideawake wide awake people the main quo question atlon Is I 1 what is in inthis this fruit growing business that spells money and what are its surround surroundings inis as regards work and health and tho the amenities of life I 1 will plunge at once as the writers of old did into tho the middle of things and show one main object lesson around which all the other points of interest and Inel incidentals dentals can be grouped or brought in by way of episode there Is the miln main question that concerns those likely to engage in the business do does it pay to prove that it does I 1 will cite the results of one orchard of eight acres planted by the rochefort Rock efort orl farm and orchard company in soll soil clai medby the survey of tho the united states soil bureau as fine sandy loam situated along a bench I 1 that drops almost vertically to an alkali flat generally covered with water from pear gear river the water table la is about 10 feet below tho the surface this orchard was wao planted in 1896 and 1897 and in 1901 it produced b bushels of apples valued at in 1902 it produced basli bushels 0 Is of apples valued at in 1903 1500 bushels valued at 1200 in bushels valued at 1800 in 1905 bushels valued at r in 1906 bushels valued at 2112 and in 1907 6 bushels valued at a total yield during the seven years valued at thus in eleven years the year of planting those eight acres produced annually 1400 and in 1907 the yield per acre was valued at those figures figure can be verified by duly koot kept accounts counts the iha T he trees are mainly den ben davis jonathans york imperials imperiali Impe rials and wine saps I 1 know of other orchards well located as to soil and surroundings roun dings of which a similar record might be written I 1 having established this record of moneymaking money making in fruit growing lot let us ua direct our attention to ta the conditions necessary for tho the achievement of those bright results and in doing tills this bring in by way of episode tho the rocks and anda pitfalls which beset the ways of inexperience por peri lence ence in vain attempts to establish on unsuitable soils a paying orchard in writing of fault growing I 1 shall confine myself to apple culture cul turp as I 1 have bolter experience in that than la in other branches of the art ul although though I 1 am aware of alio prodigious ous profits obtained in the culture of peaches etc I 1 the first and most important consideration for any person seeking a sito site for a prospective apple or orchard ehard is to satisfy himself that the land Is adapted for successful pomo culture in tills this quest lie he will be much aided ba the carefully compiled soll soil maps or of each locality prepared and issued of late by the department of agriculture and which may be obtained by any responsible anon from ono one of tho representatives in congress or even from the bureau of soils washington D C thew these maps and data will show him the character of tho soil its depth of alkalinity the depth of the water table and other necessary ini forma formati formation tiou on about the land ho he intends intend to settle on neglect 0 those these prelim I 1 inary stops steps has resulted in hu huge 9 e disi aster and a baeR set to tho the f t industry in more than ono one locality in utah I 1 I 1 made a disastrous nile mistake take myself awl I 1 had neighbors who blundered thus an a larger scale and brought suffering buffering and loss to anno innocent eat people f and all of which could have been avoided by a knowledge of vie the necessary emary I 1 condition of the sall to insure suc success cesa I 1 and the noc esstry of drain ago age to keep the growing trees in a 4 healthy condition it Is certain that a deep sandy ioan without too largo large a percentage vt vf sand and without hout to too still a hardpan w 0 o wa asi i to prevent the gradual filtering off of waiter not necessary nece sEary to I 1 th wants 0 of I 1 tho the trees is the first farst requirement the neighborhood of df a lower level land of considerable area to insure natural drainage and a continuance of the process which for ages has been purifying the tract from alkali and other deleterious salts is in my opinion a main factor to bo considered in selecting land for an orchard of course where this latter happy situation can not bo be obtained much may be done by tue lue establishment of a complete system of efficient tilo drainage Lage but thi this s adds to first ox ex as it must be dono done before an fn diio 0 planting of trees I 1 I 1 consider it also a wise precaution to plant pl ant a row of carolina poplars on a line 40 to 50 feet the lines of the fruit trees land arid round the tract these grow tip up in six years cars and protect the orchard from high winds and in a measure from frosts which have caused havoc in certain sections A double line of these tres tress s surround the orchard alre already atly referred to and have a favorable influence as compared with other orchards without such protection the propinquity of a lake of water iso is also a great tive of the tha e evil v ia eff effects acts of frost As compared avith colorado and other states ou loss in fruit from frosts Is 19 very ilga llant and this vas noticeably so in the ve year i ar 1907 when men a prospective settler has decided on fh the e lan land for 6 r orchard and elf of the irrigation supply and ana I 1 its ts quality and proy pro erly prepared the tract by previous cultivation of a cemal crop that will not exhaust his land the next step will be to secure his trees in this connection there are as many any opinions as althere there are varieties of apples but I 1 believe that the gen general e ral consensus of opinion is that the red winter v varieties are the best paying fruit il although though there la is a good local demand in tho the nearby cities for a good deal of summer and tall fall fruit the old ben davis and its progeny them the gano are main stays in an orchard and the jonathan baldwin york lm imperiali imperials Impe rials are excellent excelle fit fruit bearers and readier of sale ty than an the don ben davis the wealthy is a beautiful apple and a fine bearer and aili I 1 attractive to buyers in august and I 1 september but igind the tree is much subject to blight th the e r red ed Ast astrican lan and many others are also fine sellers and producers I 1 apple trees unless where one I 1 chooses to plana plan such varlet variety Sr as the missouri between lits his permanent stock with the view of taking out tile the short lived trees at tho the end of the first decade should be planted 30 feet apart and for tho the sake of appearance and facility of cultivation in rows that 1 range from all points of view that ate are possible mv ally experience has been that a two acar y earold ear old ld stock is the safest and the best beet grower although the eight acre orchard referred to was planted with trees one ond biear amr old I 1 am a believer in starting the branches not more than three feet from the ground and it ia important that the whole area of the orchard be entirely free from weeds and grass during its existence otherwise the weeds will take away tho the nourishment needed for tho the trees and beco become ifie a refuge for mice and other rodents whose inroads aro are very destructive to young orchards As to tho necessary pruning spraying and care against aphis and other posts pests directions to carry out and combat same will bo be found in the various bulletins of the utah state agricultural department and in the circulars issued by large fruit growing associations as aa well as in the newspapers de voted to agricultural interests it if one selects his land aright plants the right trees and in tho the right manner and takes proper care of them success proportionate to the ratio of rd returns given for the eight acre liard Is as certain as that night follows day A word may mav now bensaid be said of the labor tools horses aud and other items tor for cul tiva ting and han harvesting eating expenses necessary cessare to carry on successfully an or chairl iid proposition my aly experience is that it takes loss lags outlay for tools and leu lesa labor etc ec to operate an orchard than it doss doas acre for acre to earry carry on beet raising and other ranch crops with the possible exception of alfalfa of course the returns are not at alt all proportionate proportion ato ja n comp comparison arlson it takes less water vater to irrigate prop erly an orchard than for any crop that grows on watered land and in fact act many make a grievous mistake in over irrigation it if tho orchard be kept clean all that is necessary sa Is to rill the water wa tei s as to keep tho the trees tree in a living and healthy condition conditi om too much forcing pr of growth Is an cyll to be esch eschewed owed 1 tho the cost of picking sorting boxing and hauling apples to a rail road point Js roughly given at 35 15 cents per box inclusive 0 01 o boxes and nails nall the me cost of course varying vary ing with tile the necessity or otherwise of the fruit I 1 grower hiring outlive out lite labor I 1 As to the I 1 gnoss of th tho a a mccu ci i I 1 pat a it isa is really cally am sion necessary necessary ec essary to t balti alk upon tho the theme since ada adam dolve il 11 I 1 anil and evo eve spun the race has enjoyed tho the best health la in agricultural and horticultural pursuits and thip is true of both mind and body horticulture possess the advantage over general agriculture ri la in that during winfer months when nature puts all plant life to sleep in preparation for a spring opening little labor is required and the rest thus obtained can be utilized in the pursuit of knowledge pleasure and happiness nor does horticulture require the exposure to the weather or the necessity for severe labor that ordinary agriculture dem demando deman aads dB hence a life in thel the former pursuit is easier and so to speak safer than that en joyed by the ordinary farmer moreover the operation of the horticulturist or fruit grower is confined to a comparatively ively small tract from which he derives a larger revenue from less locomotion co and wear and tear than does doea tha ordinary farmer from the much larger area I 1 would therefore affirm that it is a fact that in profit and enjoyment of the amenities of t life the fruit grow ord has an advantage over the erdl ordinary agriculturalist and in most instances stances e s over tho the toiler taller in cities who is marked and perma permanent As to the market value of apples grown under careful conditions in utah I 1 quote the following extract from a letter of mr air james mccaughan a fruit grower of canyon city colo wh crop wu was ruined by the frosts of 1907 and who was sent out here with others to superintend the shipment of apples abble sold tx to a largo colorado purchaser 1 i 1 I have never seen in colorado or anywhere else anything equal to the apples in this orchard the eight acres referred either as to quality or quantity in the whole estimate of boxes 90 per pei cont cent are fancy grades and nearly 10 per cent choice the wormy apples do not exceed 2 per cent and the alie finest variety are almost corn coni plemely free from them I 1 have no conception rep tion that kiich an orchard of such apples could be grown in utah and with every desire tobo patriotic to my nativo native state I 1 am compelled in honesty to state that wo we ate are out done as Is ia probably any part of the united stater by this orchard anil and if there be moro more orchards like this in utah the state has a bright future in tho the apple industry I 1 think this voluntarily given testimony from a qualified outs outsider idez j js worth worth more than any inside testimony that could be biven given and a nd I 1 will f urther further state fear of contradiction that there were many orchards orchard in bear river valle valley and els in utah in the year that deserved 1 an equal recognition from the alii I 1 hope mr editor that iCom competent observers with tho the necessary empei experience will vil 1 furnish I 1 data in reference to peach h gra growing azg and other branchesi branches of horticulture I 1 beg be g to remain yours truly I 1 signed FRANCIS ID ROCHE I 1 |