The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-08-15

we PICK our peaches one udy anu the
next they are in the markets, while
California fruits are several days on
the road. 1 would not plant many of
the early peaches for the reasons
above given, but if l should plant any
| should think the ones sent me by
Mr.. Phelps would be admirable.
+
J. Wright, of Coupeville, Wash, asks
the following questions: What is the
best forage plant to SOW on wheat
stubble for winter pasture? Has any
one made a success of raising peaches
and grapes in the Sound country? If
so; what varieties do they raiser"
The first question asked by friend
Wright has been turned over to a
more competent person than I am for
an answer. l am horticulturist, and
do not like to wade out into the other
departments of farming for fear l may
get in over my head. He will find this
query answered in another issue of
the paper.
Y
Peaches have been successfully
raised in Whatcom county. My friend,
Wayland Clark, who had charge of the
Whatcom county exhibit at the Lewis
and Clark fair at Portland, surprised
us by the fine exhibit of fruit from
that county. He showed some as fine
peaches as I ever saw. My remem-
brance now is that the peaches that
he exhibited were all early peaches.
Finer Hale's Early peaches I never
saw than the ones from Whatcom
county. l do not know with what sue
cess the later peaches, like the Craw-
fords and Elbertas, could be raised.
I have some doubts about this, how
ever. The cool weather that prevails
so much in the summer time on the
Sound is not congenial to the ripening
of peaches. Very late peaches, like
the Salway and Orange cling, certainly
would not ripen here If anyone wants
to know more about what can be done
in Whatcom county let him address
J. Wayland Clark, Bellingham, and |
think he can learn more than I can
tell him.
+
One thing should be borne in mind
and that is that peaches will not do
as well in all parts of the Puget Sound
as in Whatcom county. The reason
for this is, according to government
experts, less rainfall in that county
than in any other west of the Cascade
range. The peach loves dry climate
1t is claimed by some people that
peaches will do no good in some parts
of the Sound country and l suppose
that to be true. In August, 1891, Mr.
Frank Spinning, of Puyallup, went
with me to look at the Yakima valley
He was born on Puget sound; was at
that time thirty-one years old and had
never seen a peach on tree till we
walked into a peach orchard in Yaki.
ma county. 1 know of few peach
| trees in the city of Seattle, one OF
them within two blocks of where
| live, but they do no good. If I owned
a farm on Puget sound I would plant
some peach seeds, and if they grew
| would bud some of them and try
them both as budded stock and seed
lings, but would not have much hope
of success. The way to settle such
things is to try.
+
AS to growing grapes. I know OF
no one who has made success of the
business on the Sound l do not claim
to be fully informed in this matter
If anyone knows of the successful
raising of grapes in this part of the
state l would be pleased to have him
report. My own opinion is that grape
growing will never be a success on
the Sound. I suppose it has been tried
| by some one, but am not informed as
to that.
+
The time was-and not many years
ago-when the idea prevailed that