The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-15

dDOuI tuG COuuJy tuSJlIuICS
among the farmers and giving them
valuable instruction by his own lee
lures and by the assistance of 9TH
ers whom he has secured to lecture in
that county. This is in harmony with
what I have advocated in these col
umns. My contention has been that
the people need instruction more than
anything else.
The highest motive that can actuate
a man is not that he is compelled to
do a thing under the lash of the
law and when a man is compelled to
spray his orchard, for instance, and
does it simply because the law de-
mands it, he will do the spraying in
such manner as to do no good. The
law is made for the punishment of
those who know no higher motive by
which to live. Besides, there is much
that the fruit grower needs to do that
is not a matter of law. The law does
not say what kinds Of apples we
should grow, how far apart they should
be planted, when and how they should
be pruned, how thinning should be
done, how the orchards should be cu1-
are all vital matters and affect the
welfare of the country, and yet we
never think of making men do them by
law. What the fruit growers need
pertaining to these things is instruc-
ton. Mr.. Littooy has gone about
among the farmers of Snohomish coun-
ty as an instructor and has benefit
ted them greatly. But he has not
been we'll paid for the work. He was
offered more remunerative work and
has accepted the position. He goes
to the Wenatchee valley to direct the
horticultural interests of the Wen.
atchee Canal company. His salary is
81 800 per year and an interest in
the company on percentage basis.
l certainly wish Mr.. Littooy we'll in
his new field. He is competent
man and will prove of great value to
his employers.
have a communication from my
friend, S. j. Harrison, of Sunnyside,
Wash, making some suggestions on
fruit growing and giving a list of
trees that he has recently set out.
This matter will be taken up in this.
department before long and will re-
ceive careful consideration. We have
not room in this issue for the list of
trees and what ought to be said on
such an important matter.
A member of Congress in a speech
in Seattle few days since, in speak
ing on the wonderful results of irri-
CATION, said that by this magical pow
er arid lands, naturally worthless, had
been made worth $4,000 per acre for
fruit growing. He said that this had
been done in the Yakima valley. Now
| am interested in the Yakima valley
and in fruit growing and would not
detract from the just reputation of that
part of our state, but 1 must say in
all candor, that the statement is far
from true. No doubt but the con-
gresham was honest in making this
statement but he had been misin-
formed Somebody had told him
half truth, but not the whole truth.
But some one may say, Don't you
know that a tract of land in orchard
sold for $4,000 per acre not long
since?" | have heard this stated and
suppose it to be true. But let me
tell another big story. Near Seattle
tide flats have been sold during the
past few months for $4,000 to $780,
900 per acre, and yet you could not
raise a thing on these flats except
ducks and CLANS, unless you first
filled them up at a cost of perhaps
$4,000 per acre. "But it is the To-
cation that makes these tide flats so
valuable" Certainly, but did not To-
cation cut some figure in selling an
orchard on Mob Hill near North Yak
ina?
u friend who raoQntlu rQnt To