The Orchards of Lyle: A Fruit Boom Waiting to Happen

The copy of Ranch and Range for December 29, 1898, is to hand. The statement on page 8, "Nothing like it," is slightly in error, as Mr. Kroenung's ranch is seven miles from the town of Lyle, the only landing and shipping point, but one of the best on the Columbia river. Mr. Kroenung has what will make a good fruit ranch in time. He has quite a number of young fruit trees set that in a few years will be in bearing.

The James Fitz orchard, adjoining the Kroenung farm on the west, is exceptionally well handled. Part of it has been in bearing for three years, producing fruit that is second to none.

James Morgan's ranch joins Mr. Kroenung on the south. He has a fine young orchard out. Some of the trees should bear the coming season. Mr. Morgan is a street car conductor in Portland, Or. He is an active, intelligent, go-ahead man, that will undoubtedly make a success in the fruit business.

Mr. E. W. Jones, who was superintendent of the Union Iron Works and also foreman of the Wolf Zwicker Iron Works, Portland, is now residing on his fruit farm, where he has out over 45 acres of orchard, consisting of 2,500 prunes, 2,500 winter apples and about 1,000 trees in family orchard, consisting of mixed fruits.

A. T. Higby, a farmer adjoining the Jones ranch on the east, has an orchard of 2,300 prunes and several hundred apples, peaches and cherries.

The Jones and Higby orchards are one mile from the Columbia river and three miles from the town of Lyle. Before proceeding further, we will drop back north a couple of miles towards Mr. Kroenung's and note the orchards of Emil Currand and John Tuber, both having fine young orchards that bore a few specimens in 1898. And still further north are the orchards of Mr. Botsford and the Paulsons. All the orchardists mentioned are yearly adding to their fruit areas. The Whitcomb orchards are adjoining the Jones and Higby orchards. We will now pass several small orchards on the way to Lyle and call attention to the Balfour orchard and vineyard of some 60 acres that has been in bearing for two years, consisting of grapes, pears, prunes, apricots and blackberries.

We would note that the horticultural interests of Lyle are in their infancy yet. There was shipped from Lyle last year 26 tons of green fruit and 21 tons dried. When the young orchards that are out come into bearing in the next three years at most, the shipments will be simply immense. There are a number of small orchards not mentioned, but this article is getting too lengthy. There is yet room for more fruit men at and near Lyle. — T. M. Whitcomb, Lyle, Wash.