The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-06-15


GOOD soil under which lies a layer
of cobble stones and then mixture.
Your able articles in The Ranch please
me fully as we'll as they do old fruit
growers in the valley with whom l
am acquainted"
While | wrote Mr.. Simmons private
w and briefly, l give the substance of
nv reply here, as it may prove of
value to others: The altitude above
sea level is not so important in peach
growing as having our peach orchards
on ground higher than some other
land nearby What we need is what
fruit men call frost drainage" This
can be secured only by having lower
land near by From the description
given | am not certain whether this
frost drainage" would be secured
in that location or not 1t would be
we'll to consult other growers similarly
situated and learn from them as to
frosts at or after the blooming of
peach trees. If there is current OF
air by night then the peach trees
would be secure. | could not endorse
the varieties named as suitable for a
commercial peach orchard. | grow
all of them in my old peach orchard
near Zillah, but none of them in my
new peach orchard. Tie Alexander is
a hardy peach and an early one, but
it's quality is not good. 1t is fit for
nothing but to eat fresh. 1t is
poor seller have 60 trees that have
been bearing for years, but they have
never paid we'll We must remember
that by the time we have our AL
exanders in the markets, southern
California is sending in it's big yellow
peaches and people will not buy many
such peaches as Alexanders when they
can get Crawfords and Fosters. Mr..
Simmons could not make much
worse mistake than to plant Alexan-
ders extensively.
The Globe is very fine peach, very
much like the Late Crawford and rip
ems at the same time. But l know
no peach more tender in bud. If any
peach on my farm is hurt by the frost
the Globe is sure to be among the
ones injured. You can raise other
peaches that will sell equally we'll
and be much more certain of crop
in case of frost. l have discarded
it for this reason.
The Salway is fine peach and very
late Sometimes it is too late and
is caught by an early freeze. But
my experience is that it does not sell
as we'll as the Elberta and the Craw-
ford. The demand for peaches seems
to fall off after the main crop and
only the very finest will find a ready
market. | would not plant many OF
the Salway. The peaches that pay
the best with me are the Foster, the
Early Crawford, Late Crawford, Cham
pion, Elberta, Crosby and the Wonder
full. The Champion is white peach
and ripens with the Foster and the
Early Crawford. All the others named
are yellow peaches. The Wonderful
is the latest of any named above, but
not as late as the Salway. The Or
ange Cling is a very late peach and
is the finest peach | ever saw. If |
planted any early peach in a CONNER
cial orchard it would be Hale's Ear
ly. 1t is not SO early as the Alex
ander but is a much better peach and
sells fairly well.
While | was in Eugene, Oregon, l
was taken out for drive by lawyer
of that city by the name of Wells.
My old Iowa friend, Dean E. G. San
derson, accompanied us. One of the
things shown me is what they call
"the Big Cherry Tree" This tree
was planted about fifty years ago by
Eugene Skinner and is, | think a
Seeding Mr. Skinner took up a do
nation claim where the city of Eu-
clio dc
named for him, taking his Christian
name instead of his surname, which is
the usual course. The tree now
standc at the edge of one of the