Old Missoula

Second Biennial Report – State Board of Horticulture – 1901-1902

In Missoula county we have three nurseries, one each at Carlton, Plains, and Missoula.

At Plains Mr. Isaac Sears has for years grown large numbers of apple, pear, apricot, cherry and plum trees and he has met with good success in his work. Long ago he found out that if he wanted trees true to name and with the vitality necessary to produce well that they must be grown at home. This led him into the work of growing nursery stock and today he has a nursery from which one can select a good orchard.

T. A. McClain, proprietor of Home Nursery, located at Carlton, came to the Bitter Root valley some twenty years ago and began setting out an orchard. After a few years of experience he concluded that to get the best trees he must propagate them in this section and he commenced the work of establishing a nursery. Finding conditions favorable to the work he branched out into a general nursery business and then and there laid the foundation of what has since proven a lucrative trade. Today there is upon the Home Nursery grounds over 150,000 trees and about 200,000 young grafts. All of the leading varieties of apple, pear, plum, cherry and apricot trees will be found, also many thousands of vines and plants, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. All stock grown will be found true to name and as represented. Mr. McClain owns a very fine and productive orchard in which all varieties are tested before being placed in the nursery.

The Missoula nurseries and green houses, owned by Messrs. Dinsmore and Dallman, located about one mile south of Missoula, cover about forty-five acres and contain about 300,000 fruit trees, consisting of the best varieties of apple, pear, plum, apricot and cherry, with some peach stock, 20,000 shade trees of such well-adapted varieties as Carolina poplars, Canada poplars and Balm of Gilead, 5,000 ornamental trees, 20,000 blackberries and raspberries and 500,000 shrubs, plants and vines. The trade of this concern now extends to the Pacific. Large, modern greenhouses in which are grown all manner of flowers, palms, bulbs and vines are located upon the nursery grounds. Flowers and plants are distributed to all parts of the state from them. A flower sales-room is kept in Missoula. This plant is among the most modern and is equipped with every convenience for handling the large and ever-increasing trade which the company enjoys. Five salesmen are kept on the road throughout the year and from thirty to forty persons are employed in the nursery. Testing grounds are maintained where all plants and trees are tested before being propagated. Mr. Dallman, the manager, is an expert horticulturist and florist. He has made a life study of the subjects and has had experience both in Europe as well as in this country.