The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-09-01

The Ranch, September 10, the horti-
cultural editor will commence a series
of articles that VIII run indefinitely,
probably a year or two. The title Tor
this series of articles will be Orchard
Problems. OF course matters OF this
kind are receiving constant attention.
in this department, but this will be
systematic treatment Of such matters.
They will be written from the stand
point of the practical fruitgroWer In
the Pacific northwest. First, there
will be the matter of location and the
kind of soil adapted to our deciduous
fruits. Then will follow articles on
the selection of trees, including that
of varieties to plant for money-making
in a commercial orchard. Then Will
come the preparation of the trees
how much pruning of both top and
roots The distance apart for plant
ing the different kinds of fruit, apple,
peach, pear, cherry and so on, will be
duly considered Then will come the
treatment of the young orchards, in
Guiding culture and pruning. Inc
question of thinning the fruit and
how it should be done will not be
overlooked 1t goes without saying
that no such series of articles can be
complete without the discussion OF
insect pests and all kinds of diseases
and the methods of combating them.
When the fruit is raised will come
the question of picking, sorting, grad
ing. packing and the kind OF pack
ages to use whether boxes or bar
rels How to successfully market the
fruits is a vital problem, and all these
things will be discussed in due time.
The matter of keeping fruit over
winter. whether in cold storage or
otherwise, will come in for proper
consideration.
Some one may say after reading
the above, why not write a book at
once?" That is the very thing intend
ed. If these articles meet with fair
degree of approval and the life and
health of the writer is spared, they
will be finally arranged, enlarged and
otherwise improved and published in
book form. This matter has been
pressed on the attention OF the edl-
tor by his friends for some time and
this is his response to their urgent
appeals. AS some two years or more
must elapse before such book can
finally make it's appearance, those
who are interested in these problems
and do not wish to wait for the book
that is in contemplation, will have
to read them in what is offered IN
The Ranch.
We do not usually look for heroism
among fruit growers, but occasionally
we find SUCH An example OF this
in, q article
written by H. M. Williamson, the
able editor of that sterling paper, the
Oregon Agriculturist and Rural
Northwest, and is to be found in the
biennial report of the board OF hortl-
culture of the state of Oregon for
1905. This report has before been
mentioned in these columns and was
commended as far superior to any
thing that has been furnished by the
state of Washington, Notwithstanding
the fact that Washington spends more
money. if we are correctly informed,
for the advancement OF horticulture
than our neighbor, the state OF Ore
gon. Had we the space to spare we
would republish this entire article.
AS it is we must content ourselves
nv giving a brief epitome of this heroic
act. According to this artlcle, Hen
derson Lewelling transported OO
grated or budded trees from Salem,
Iowa, to Milwaukee, Oregon, in the
year 1847. There were some shrubs
and vines included in this collection.
That would be a simple thing to do
now, but then it was done by hauling
this embryonic nursery 1000 miles in
an OK wagon. They were set out IN
two boxes made to just fit into the
bottom of his wagon bed. They were
kept growing from April till Novem-
bor. uvbilo thew were hauled this long