The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-10-01

for many years, Jn1S m0dHS IudJ Tic
quantity of barreled stock has been
materially reduced We feel safe to
say that the apple crop to be harvest
ed this season is not so large, by a
good deal, as was promised by in
dications a month ago."
1t can be seen from what we have
presented from these very reliable
sources that there is wide dis
crepancy between the estimates of the
growers and the dealers as to the
size of the apple crop with the pre-
ponderance of the evidence decidedly
on the side of the growers. The
farm papers very generally side with
the growers in this case and would be
foolish not to do so. 1t is the inten-
ton of The Ranch to keep it's readers
posted on the conditions of the fruit
crops In this way they can the better
know what to demand for their fruit.
Many testimonials have come to us
as to the value of our reports. We
want the fruit growers of the Pacific
northwest to know that we are their
friends and will stand by them.
l am in receipt of a very valuable
bulletin entitled picking, Packing and
Marketing the Apple This bulletin
is from the Idaho experiment station
and was prepared by Lowell B. judi
son, the horticulturist of that station.
Our readers know something of Prof.
Judson, for he has enriched our col
umns by contributions from his pen.
This bulletin shows the careful work
for which he is noted. It's illustra-
tions are most excellent. I know of
nothing equal to it in this respect.
Well do | remember how my sons and
| worried over the difficulties of prop
erly packing apples when our orchards
began to bear. How such a bulletin
would have helped us at that time! We
have largely mastered the difficulties
that confronted us at that time, but
this experience of ours only the bet
ter fits us to judge of the merits of
this bulletin. After years of exper-
fence we find some things in this bull
letin that will help us. How great,
then, must be it's value to the mex.
perienced beginner! l would recon-
mend all who have apples to pack
to get this valuable publication if they
can.
l am sorry to learn that Prof Jud-
son has resigned at Moscow and has
accepted a position as assistant horti-
culturist at the Geneva experiment
station, New York. The surroundings
will be very pleasant at Geneva. But
we regret to lose such valuable man
from the northwest The editor of
this department esteems Prof. Judson
as a personal friend and certainly
wishes him abundant success in his
new field. We trust we may even yet
be able to enrich our columns occas-
ionally from his contributions.
: F. L. Sargent, of Nahcotta, Wash,
writes: 81 would like to know what
is the best time-whether fall or
spring-to spray fruit trees to rid them
of lichens or moss; also the best pro-
portion of I've to water" The spraying
should be done during the dormant
season, any time from the falling OF
the leaves in the fall till the buds be-
gin to start in the spring. The pro-
portion of I've to water usually recon-
mended is one pound of good concen-
trated I've to five gallons OF water.
Spray the trees on which the lichens
are found, thoroughly. Strictly speak
ing, what is commonly called moss on
the fruit trees is not moss at all but
lichens. 1t matters not SO much to
the ordinary fruit grower what the
growth is called, the main thing is
to know how to destroy it. Lichens
belong to what are called the cryp-
gamia in botany; that is, they do not
produce flowers and consequently are
seedless. They are reproduced by
spores as the fungi are. The thing
to be. done in getting rid of such
.,1a NC ic % lzill the SnQraS ThA same