The Press. SATURDAY,NOVEMBER 30, 1907. FRUIT-GROWING IN NORTH-WEST AMERICA.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12975, 30 November 1907, Page 8

The Press. SATURDAY,NOVEMBER 30, 1907. FRUIT-GROWING IN NORTH-WEST AMERICA.

We. are 6O accustomed to look upon California ns the orchard of tho New World that it is difficult to realise that a greater fruit-growing region is developing further north on the I'acifio Coast. Prom the orchards of tho Pacific North-West this year a crop valued at approximately four millions sterling ■will be gathered, and yet tho fruit indtietry is still in its infancy. Ten yearn honco it is anticipated that tho territory will be on© Tact orchard, employing tens of thousands of people and furnishing returns rivalling those of tho timber industry. In this aptlydeecribed "kingdom of fruit,' , which embraces the States of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and British Columbia, there are twenty-five million fruit trees, in-bearing or coming annually into bearing, and- the annual planting total* hundreds of thoneande <of tree* and buehes. An important feature connected with the in« tluetry in this territory is tbo rapidity with which markets have been found. A few years ago, the, fruit* of the North-Weat were scarcely known outside the North American continent, white to-day they are sold in tho inar|teU <rf England, Europe, ««>d .■*■«r - • ' '

Australia. The opening-up of these markets is eaid to be due principally to tho organisation of the fruit-growers into exchangee and associations for packing and disposing of the fruit on a proper commercial basis. These aseocintione have resulted m tho propagation, also, of better grades of fruit and tho discarding of common stock. The result is a general improvement of at least 60 per cent, in tho last five years, and the process will continue for many years. Hero is an. object lesson for New Zealand fruitgrowers, who, with but few exceptions, will persist in their policy of isolated effort and consequent disappointing results to both grower and consumer.

Tho profits that «re being realised from fruit in tho Pacific North-Wost aro something remarkable, but they aro only being obtained by proper methods of culture and marketing. Tho outlook is exceedingly bright. The nob receipts for tho year will, in some instances, tt is admitted, be exceptional. Tho profits per acre on apples and pears range from £20 to £200. In tho Hood River district of Northern Ore-

gon one grower averages more than £2 per tree from an orchard of 200() trees. Berries yield a profit of £80 to £120 per acre. Rhubarb returns a net revenue as high, as £100 per aero. In British Columbia, ono grower realised from 3000 apple trees 16s net from each tree. In iho same province, cherry trees gavo a profit of £-1 to £5 per tree, un<l in one fertile district a grower got £1000 from ono acre of tomatoes, while another grower realised a profit of £300 from les3 than an acre. Land producing crops that return such enormous profits naturally commands high prices when improved. In Washington as much as £400 per acre has been paid for improved land, and £50 per acre is a common price for unbrokou land. In theso places irrigation plays an important part. The soil of the whole North-West is, generally speaking, so fertile that all the districts yield heavily, but the finest fruits come from the orchards most carefully cultivated. Strawberries and cherries are perhaps the most satisfactory crops, and this year none wero more profitable. One of tho best strawberry districts is Vancouver Island, whero growers are able to get a second crop. Peach culture also promises to be a big feature of the fruit industry in the North-Weet. Tho reports of horticultural inspectors show that vigilance is exercised to prevent tho introduction of pests, and in British Columbia the orchards are inspected every year.

During the last two years competition between American and Canadian fruit growers has been Tory keen, and every effort is made to capture foreign markets. One of the largest orders placed this year was by a Berlin firm, ■which took 100,000 boxes of apples. A shipment of these apples to Australia ©arly in this year yielded a handsome profit, and British Columbia growers believe that a large apple trade will be enjoyed eventually with Australia, and that England, France and Germany will be induced to transfer a material portion of their patronage from the 'Artlatotfa to the Pacific coast of America. The production of fruits in tihe North-weet has grown faster than the ability of growers to market them. To overcome this difficulty while new markets for fresh fruits are being sought, end to provide a permanent and profitable industry, fruit oanning associations have been established, and ith majority aro run at a profit. The bold statement is made that in a few years tho North-West will crowd out California in the canned fruit markets of the world. It is further predicted that tho time is ait hand when the product of the North-Weat'a fruit packing establishments will yield a revenue greater than, that of the salmon packing industry in its best years. Notwithstanding the rapid increase in tho industry the supply of canned fruiti this year is expected to fall far short of tho demand. The fruit industry of the Pacifio North-West is another insbanco of American andi Canadian energy end enterprise, and fruit growers of New Zealand should take a lesson from what iruis been accomplished. It is true that we aro more distant than the Americans from the best markets for case fruits, but wo should not allow them to supply us with canned goods, and this is a direction in which more might profitably be dono here.