, 1892-04-07
FOR BETTER FRUIT.
The Thurston County Horticul-
tural Society Its Object.
The Great Good Contemplated for
the Advancement OF Thurston
Ceunty's Interests -The Officers
and How They are Interested.

GAhS AOVaMCGAAGAe U OE AhUFSUDn
Ceunty's Interests -The OFficers
and HOW they are Interested.
Articles of incorporation Of the Thurs.
ton County Horticultural society have
been executed. The society is the out
come of interest manifested by residents Of
Olympia, who have realized the advantage
Of exchanging ideas and knowledge on the
subject
The officers of the association are M. g.
Royal, president; r. o. Dunbar, vice
president; Robert Whitman, treasurer;
Miss May Sylvester, secretary. These Off
GERS, together with three members to be
elected BY the society, will constitute the
board Of trustees, Up to the present time
about 40 persons have signifed their inten-
tion of becoming members of the society.
Membership is opened to any person who
| is interested in the cause, and contribu-
tions and suggestions on topics of interest
will be gladly received by the secretary.
The first annual meeting Of the society
will be held some time in Jene.
Professor Royal, in speaking on the sub
! ject today, said: "The objects of the So
ciety are many. While the attention will
be directed in the main TO the dissemina-
ton of knowledge concerning methods Of
fruit and flower culture and the introduce
ton of broadly intelligent spirit Of ex-
pertinent and investigation along horticul-
tural lines, yet it is quite evident that to be
successful in the largest sense, the society
must partake more Of the practical than
| the merely theoretic."
cit is believed that there are fruits which
are adapted to our soils and climate which
are not in general cultivation, but which
upon experiment would be adopted by our
| fruit growers. In Clarke county where the
natural conditions are not greatly different
from those Of Thurston, peach, grape
and apricot culture are conducted
with profit. The introduction Of
new kinds of fruits may we'll
occupy the attention Of this society,"
"What has been said in regard to the
steady outpur Of money for fruit may be
repeated with regard to trees, plants and
| seeds. II the sum Of money sent East for
roses alone this spring were known it
would be surprising. Why not raise such
things? 1t would certainly be refreshing
to find on the tables Of our good and enter
prising ladies at least one catalogue of
flowers sent out by Thurston county
dealer. Our mild climate, admirably
adapted to the culture Of roses and most
other flowers, might, with enterprise, be
made famous as the center Of that in
dustry.
Prune culture is just in its infancy.
That our land is admirably adapted to the
raising of that valuable fruit is unques-
toned. The quality of the Washington
prune is the best. 1t is high time that
large areas of land were converted into
prune orchards. The era of plating town
lots cannot always last, and the era of
prune planting will have its day. Tostim-
ulate the growth of this and other fruits it
is well worth the attention of every citizen
OF the county. When the area of planted
orchards will will justify, then efforts can
beintelligently made for establishing dryers
and fruit canning establishments, a thing
that cannot be done while fruit commands
so high price as to make demand for
sale in the fruit stall while in a fresh state.
These are a few of the matters which it
is thought this association will attend to.
But there are many others of great mo-
ment, for instance, the matter of warding
off the attacks Of fruit and flower pests !;
the best methods of destroying pests; see
ing that the laws pertaining to fruit pests
are observed, and the like.
AS to how the association will seek to
attain the above-named objects or part
of them need not now be mentioned but
their success will depend largely upon the
helpful interest accorded them by every
body. 1t is reasonable hope that every
one in our best county in the best state will
assist to the best Of their abilities"
The officers Of the society are
all practically interested in hor-
ticulture. Prof. Royal, on his Spring
wood" property in the northern part of the
city, has growing more than 1000 each of
strawberry and raspberry plants, and sew
eral hundred prune and apple trees. He is
also experimenting with various kind OF
peaches, grapes, strawberries, apricots,
ounces and other fruits, for the purpose
Of ascertaining what varieties are best ad-
apted to this locality.
Judge Dunbar, the vice president of the
society, has recently become the owner of
ITO acres in the vicinity of South Union, in
| this county. A force Of men is now en-
gagged in clearing for the purpose of get
ting in a large area of fruit. Judge Dun
bar has had an extensive experience in this
line while east Of the mountains
The treasurer, Mr.. Whitman, has gained
considerable prominence with his prune
orchard, which is located on the Whitman
place in the northern suburbs of the CITY
His success as a fruit grower is we'll known
/ to everyone. The excellence of his prunes
strawberries and other fruits, has become
proyerbial among the fruit men Of this re-
gion.
Miss Sylvester has one hundred acres
some miles north of the city, which is be
ing cleared preparatory to being planted
extensively in fruit. Miss Sylvester has
manifested the greatest interest in The
formation of the society and is exerting
every effort for its success.