The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-04
GATHERING
SAMPLES
Horticultural Commissioner
secures Fine Specimens.
DISTRICTS ARE REARRANGtD
Wenatchee Valley Produces Some
Wonderful Specimens of Pluns, APP
Piles and Peaches-New Inspectors
sioner.

Appointed by the State Comm!s-
sioner.
With cotton, potatoes and peanuts
growing successfully in Washington,
III addition to the many other fruits
and products that have already adVer-
tised the state, its resourcefulnes
continues to be a constant surprise,
even to the local industrial workers.
State Horticultural Commissioner
Van Holderbeke has just returned
from an extended trip to the eastern
part Of the state in the interest Of the
ST. Louis fair exhibit and matters per
tanning to his Office, and found the pro
ducts mentioned growing in the Wen
atcnee valley.
The commissioner visited the fruit
district in Asotin county, also, as well
as the Yakima VALLEY, and secured
many fine samples for the state en-
hibit. with me promise Of others. This
morning he VAS buried in work that
had accumulated during his absence.
Upon Recommendation Of the What
com county fruit growers he examined
and appointed c. P. Garfield inspector
OF that county. Just as soon as the
commissioner can wade through his
work he will make q visit to VancOu-
yer fruit district and inspect the con
diti0ns and gather samples for the ST.
Louis fair.
The commissioner has rearranged
the horticultural districts of the state
so that a smaller number Of county
inspectors can cover the field. The
smaller counties have been gathered
together into separate districts by
themselves. so that one county in
spector can attend to each group. Kit
sap, Clallam and San Juan counties
were made one district with one in
spect0r; Lewis, Cowlitz and Wahkia-
KUN another; Ferry and Stevens al:-
lllmbia and Garfield, Walla Walla,
Franklin and Adams; and Clarke,
Skamania and Klickitat will be formed
into another.
Wenatchee Valley Fruit.
One of the novel features Of the
Washington state exhibit at the St.
Louis fair will be limbs laden with
fruit preserved in huge jars. While
IN Wenatchee the commissioner secur
ed a limb two feet long, bearing Co.
lumbia plums, the weight Of which
was sixteen pounds and this is being
preserved in a jar He also secured
specimens of Wolf river apples weigh
ing thirty ounces each, which will re-
quire a jar eighteen inches in circum-
terence, and a branch containing nine
perfect peaches.
Owing to the fact that the trees
=
the samples are much better than the
average The commissioner found
that William Turner has planted half
an acre of sweet potatoes which are
doing finely. Mr.. Turner has already
proven that fine sweet potatoes can
be raised for market. The commits
siOner also saw a fine lot Of peanuts
that were in good shape AMI SOME cot
ton that was being raised as an expert
ment The Wenatchee valley, as we'll
as portion of the Yakima valley, the
latter having practically the same con-
ditions, is adapted to the raising of
such rare products. Conditions in
the Wenatchee valley showed about
a half a crop of apples, peaches light,
pears fair Italian prunes light, plums
heavy and grapes excellent. Several
fine samples Of grapes were secured
,o1 the state exhibit.
In Other Districts.
In Asotin county the commissioner
,ound conditions about the same ana |
secured several fine samples. He also
secured fine samples in Yakima |
He says there is every pros
,ect of a good state exhibit. The
and county inspectors, he
lays, are cooperating with him and
many of them are sending samples in
o his office at Tacoma from time to |
ime. He found that the inspectors
4 the districts visited were attending
strictly to their duties and stamping
Tut vermin wherever they make their
appearance. In this they are assisted |
" the growers, who are anxious to
raan WaShin gtnn state fr1lit clean Of |