Best Sites for Orchards

Choosing the best sites for planting orchards is not a haphazard affair. So many things must be considered: growing season, climate, terrain, soil types, water resources, tree varieties, labor availability, markets, costs. Since the time of the western migration, ambitious folks have investigated and experimented with what it takes for a successful orchard development. See Kittitas Valley Orchard History for more on the ups and downs of orchard development in our part of the country.

To help those late 19th century farmers and orchardists make the best possible decisions regarding their agrarian futures, The Rural Science Series of books was published by The Macmillan Company. Titles in the series included: The Soil, The Spraying of Plants, The Fertility of the Land, Fertilizers, Irrigation and Drainage, How to Choose a Farm and The Principles of Fruit-Growing.