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


benefit may come in part from what the
editor is able to furnish from his own
experience and from his studies in the
department of pomology, and it may
come in part from what he can secure
from other fruit growers. Under the
first head we wish to call attention to
a testimonial from M. o. Tibbits, of
Cashmere, Wash. He wrote for in
formation about the distance apart
for planting apple trees in the orchard
and also about the propriety of using
filters. The answer was given in the
issue of The Ranch for December l.
Under date of December 10, Mr.. lib
bits writes as follows: Il thank you
for the prompt reply to my inquiry re-
garding the distance apart at which
orchard trees should be planted. 1t Is
exactly the information wanted and l
shall act upon it." 1t is a pleasure to
know that our information furnished
IN answer TO inquiries is valuable to
our patrons. That is what we are here
for Another somewhat similar testi-
monial comes from a new subscriber
to The Ranch. Last summer H. Il.
VanDeman, the noted pomologist, who
acted as judge of fruits at the Lewis
and Clark fair, brought to the Yakima
county booth an old friend and intro
duced him with high testimonial as
to his moral worth and his proficiency
as a horticulturalist and recommended
him to subscribe for The Ranch. This
friend of VanDemanS is the Rev. M.
NJ Burtner, who lives on rural route
No. 2, Walla Walla, Wash. Under date
of December 7. 1905, Brother Burtner
writes as follows: 81 want to tell you
how much | appreciate The Ranch, and
especially your department. In my
Judgment it is the most up-to-date and
original farm paper in the northwest.
1t teaches us fasteners how, when and
what to do in this country where rolls
the Oregon That is just what we
need, not a lot of selected articles from
eastern exchanges, few OF which, IL
any, are applicable to this wonderfully
strange country. We need to know
what can be, and actually is being,
done in the northwest. Continue your
search for facts and practical exper-
ience." Fried Burtner has this to say
of his old and cherished friend, H. E.
VanDeman Il did not know he was
at the fair until l received a letter
from him a few weeks before | visited
the exposition, telling me he was on
the coast and hoped to see me. The
last time we had met previously was
in 1900, at his summer home on the
Atlantic coast, on the eastern shore OF
Virginia. What a fine time we did
have fishing for fish, crabs and clans.
He is a genial, tireless sportsman,
thorough horticulturist and, above all,
a Christian gentleman"
In a recent issue of The Ranch l
asked those who are engaged in fruit
growing west of the Cascade range to
give their experience in growing ap-
Dles in this section of our state. We
are Just as willing to find out what
varieties do not succeed as those that
do. One mans failures may be just as
valuable in guiding the beginner as
the success of another. We want to
know what varieties to avoid in plant
ing, as well as those that prove sue
cessful. J. H. Kirkpatrick, of Custer,
Whatcom county, Wash, gives the fol-
lowing valuable testimony: "In your
notes in The Ranch, December l, l
notice YOU refer to Rome Beauty and
Winesap. | tried both. They lacked
color and flaVor-Were very INFERIOR,
so | top-grafted the trees. The Maid
ems Blush and the Rambo are failures
here. The Maiden's Blush was almost
worthless. The Arkansas Black sclons
l got from your farm two years ago
are doing fine. The growth is clean
and healthy. Next year they will bear;
they held their fruit this year till 1t
was an inch in diameter"
II X
Hon. ]. F. Cass, of Skagit county,
sends the following valuable communl-
cation on the varieties of apples adapt
ed to the Sound country. Mr.. Cass is
6 Al. boo+ ,,+boritiac in thp state