The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-01-15

woe that are being handed around by
the country papers that do not know
the real reason for farmers not get
ting better prices for their fruit. A
horny-handed tiller of the soil drops
into the country newspaper office and
denounces the commission houses OF
the large cities for not paying him
more for his fruit The editor rushes
off to publish to the community that
the farmers are being swindled by the
commission men. If he would ask the
farmer a few intelligent questions as
to cultivation of the orchard, picking,
size and quality of fruit, nature OF
packing, grading, etc., he would nnd
in nine cases out of ten that the fault
lies with the grower himself-not with
the commission houses.
The commission houses sell what is
sent them, and they get the very best
prices they can to send to the ship
per. If the fruit is of fine quality,
uniform in size and color, free from
insect injuries, properly graded and
nicely packed, with the growers name
on the end of the box in large, at
tractive lettering, the apples will
bring more than the average run OF
prices on the market. The trouble is
that the farmers do not appreciate
the Importance, in fact, we should say
the necessity, of paying the closest
attention to the several features men
toned above. Did they do so and
always sent a uniform quality of fruit
to the commission houses their fruit
would speedily become known among
the consumers and the demand for
this particular fruit would soon be
so large that the grower could not
supply it, even at the top prices.
In the first place, to get good prices
on the commission markets, it is alb
solute1y necessary for the grower to
pay particular attention to the care he
bestows on the orchard-clean cult
walton, thorough spraying, proper
thinning, careful picking. Then, when
the fruit is picked the grading and
packing are of paramount Importance.
Separate the various sizes into two or
three grades, as the case may be, and
pack each in separate box, making
four or five tiers, according to the
size of apples. Allow no dirt or rub
bish to adhere to the boxes. Put
your name and the name of the apples
on the box in attractive shape. Many
other points will suggest themselves
to the grower who does a little think
ing as he proceeds.
Placed on the market in this shape
the apples are sure to sell well and
to net the grower more than the Ordi-
nary run of prices 1t is impossible
to secure good prices for lily assorted
apples, or for apples that are off color,
poorly packed in unattractive boxes,
or bear evidence of having been tam
pered with by insects. Our advice to
those who raise this class of fruit is
to keep it at home and feed it to the
hogs, letting the carefully handled
fruit come to market and realize the
highest prices without having to
knock off few cents because it hap
pens to be in the company of some
very bad looking fruit.
Advertising in The Ranch Pays.
Just before the issue of The Ranch
for December 18th, 1905, was made up
an order for space and copy came
from S. l.. Watkins, of Grizzly Flats,
Cal. The advertisement was immedi-
ately set up and inserted in that num-
Der, and a marked copy sent to the
advertiser. Evidently the copy did
not reach him, as he wrote under date
of January 9Th as follows
1--WE learn that our advertisement is
running in your paper, because we
have already received replies from it,"
This means that replies began reach
ing Mr.. Watkins three weeks from
date of the issue in which his adver-
tisement first appeared. 1t is very
good proof that advertising in The
Ranch does pay. Mr.. Watkins very
wisely ordered that his advertisement
run four months, in order to get the