The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-05-01

did not do 1t, for they were all
WetherS!
The question is often asked what
kind of crop is best to raise in a
young orchard. My answer is: Moth
ing. But many persons need to get
some income from their land while
they are waiting for their trees to
grow and l will have such in view in
answering this question. If the trees
are small be careful not to grow some
thing that will overshadOw them.
Last year in setting out a new peach
orchard we tried planting corn among
some of the trees and found it to be
a mistake. The peach trees were
small and the corn grew to be very
rank and nearly smOthered the young
trees. 1t is remarkable what diff
ference was made in the growth OF
these peach trees where there was
corn and where there was nothing.
Of course, where apple trees are
planted wide apart corn may be
grown among them but should not be
grown very near the young trees.
Beans, white or cOlored, may be very
profitably grown in a young orchard
for they, being legumes, gather nitro
gen from the air and store 1t up in
the soil. Potatoes may be grown in
an orchard without serious damage.
Always leave space about the young
trees where nothing is grown and be
sure to keep that very clean. Weeds
not only sap the soil of nutriment,
but take up the moisture and the trees
need that Remember that, however
much fertility there is in the soil, it
can not benefit the trees in the least
except it be in the liquid state. II
weeds drink up the moisture the trees
will starve with their roots buried in
nutritious soil.
I have frequently called attention
to the most excellent work of Eldred
Jenne in making observations on the
cooling moth In the Yakima valley
two years ago. These observations
are to be continued this summer and
some new features are to be added.
The editor of this department is in
receipt of the following letter that
fully explains this work:
Dear Sir: 1 am in receipt of your favor
of April 6, and in reply would say that
the Horticultural Union has agreed to
pay 5000 toward the expenses of the
Yakima county Investigations into the
cooling moth. 1 fancy that the total
cost will be in the neighborhood of $500.
We will put Eldred Jenne in the field
beginning today and continuing for six
months, or a 44.le over, and in addition
to that we will put Ernest MacKay in
the field for about three months, begin
ming when the spraying begins. Lilly,
BOgardus &c Co., of Seattle, have loaned
a power sprayer which we will use
throughout the engagement. We will
rig it up here before starting it, so as
to have it in good working order. Prof.
Melander will go with it and will start
the work there. We nave gone over all
details of the experimental work with
Prof. Aldrich of the university of Idaho,
a very competent man who is also ia
miliar with the Simpson experiment in
southern Idaho. I think we may get
something valuable out of it.
BY the by, suppose you have re-
ceived copies of our "WOrmy Apple" bull
letin, and we will soon send you Jenne's
preliminary report. Yours truly,
E. A. BRYAN, President.
II
One of the things that should be of
vital interest to farmers is what is
called the parcels post. The agricul-
tural press of the country has been
urging the necessity of this privilege
upon the attention of congress but
without much advancement thus far.
Too many of our congressman, and es-