The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-07-15
HORTICULTURE
F. WALDEN


and an enemy in another. Much
depends on the kind of fruit we grow.
| want to write further on this matter
in some future issue. In the mean
time if any one knows certain kinds
of birds to be friends or enemies to the
fruit grower and will write out what
he knows, we will gladly publish what
he has to say. Don't be afraid of con-
tradicting what l have said. Give the
facts in the case and if l am wrong
shall be only too glad to make the
correction am not an ornitholo-
gist, except to limited extent; wish
knew more about birds and l intend
to know more
This is an introduction of what
friend writes from Mill City, Oregon.
he corrects me in some particulars.
Let others write what they know about
birds and then l may have something
to say as a kind of finality to this
matter. Joseph Hutsby, referred to
above, writes as follows under date
of June 20: "In reading over what you
wrote in The Ranch of June Is, l see
you speak of the farmers friend, the
sap sucker Now, | think you made
d MISTAKE dUOul us USluS SOOu Ullu
for it is a very bad one. If you had
said the small woodpecker, which it
resembles, you would have been cor
rect The sap sucker has more red
on it's head and neck and a yellow
belly. If you will catch one and ex-
anime it's tongue, you will find it soft
and hairy like a small brush-Just
the thing to collect the sap. l have
seen trees killed by them. They make
so many holes that the trees bleed to
death. So | kill all l can. Now, the
woodpecker is a good bird and If you
examine its tongue you will find 1t is
hard, sharp, long and barbed, so that
when it sticks it into the grubs it
holds fast and pulls them out of the
holes. A great many class them as
one Now, about the robin: | think
we could get along very we'll without
him. In the spring he is all right
because there is no fruit then. But
wait till the strawberries are ripe,
then cherries, raSpberries, currants
and wild cherries. AS long as there is
any fruit he is there. Take the black
bird, wren, blue bird, tom tit, blue cap,
bush sparrow, snow bird and many
others l know; any one OF them IS
worth more than many robins. like
to read your orchard writings for you
seem to say what you know and no
guess work about it. | would very
much like to see your orchards"
My experience with the robin does
not tally with that of friend Hutsby.
With us the robin is a great worm
eater. 1t is true he eats fruit and lots
of it but | believe that he more than
pays for it.
Robt. G. Bailey writes me from
Dixie, Idaho, making inquiry about
the country near Seattle as suit
able place to invest money and to go
into the poultry business and the
raising of fruits and especially small
fruits. In answer to Mr.. Bailey's in
quiries | wish to say that | do not
undertake to give advice to any one
about making investments, either
about Seattle or anywhere else. Such
things are beyond my ken. H. l..
Blanchard, the poultry editor OF The
Ranch, can tell about the poultry bust
ness He is an expert in such matters.
I am a good judge of a chicken when
it is cooked-that comes in line with
my professional life-but | can't give
any information about raising poultry
Small fruits, such as strawberries,
raspberries and blackberries, can be
raised as successfully in the rich val
legs contiguous to Seattle as in any
other place with which I am acquaint-
ed. The best thing l can say to Mr..
Bailey, or any one who makes similar
inquiries, is Come and see." | doubt
the wisdom of any one deciding to go
to any country to settle until he has