Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-04-26
Senator Paulhamus on Farming.


Senator Paulhamus on Farming.
One Of the most practical and COM
prrhrnSivc addresses ever delivered
before our farmers and fruit growers,
it is safe to say. WAS that of Senator
Paulhamus. Of Puyallup, President
of the Fruit Growers Association of
that valley. in the Superior court
room. .;.>t Saturday afternoon. The
attendance was large and rtpreSen-
tativc. but it would have been larger
had those for whose benefit it was
designed known the much good that
would have resulted from careful
study Of methods suggested.
The speaker dwclt at considerable
length upon the benefits To he de-
rived from organization, not as is
usual to make a corner on prices, but
to smooth ont the corners that will
hinder progress without intelligent
and timely cooperation. Many pco-
pie seem to be deferred from action
at the outset by the inevitable eX-
pense that any practical plan of CO.
operation seems to involve in the sug-
gestion of placing men in the prin-
cipal markets, to make daily reports
of price fluctuations, at apparently
large salaries. 1t seemed to be beyond
reason; but a consideration of the
fact that the salary season is very
short, only during the berry output;
the cost was divided among many,
and the saving that might result
from speedy adaptation of delivery
of products to meet the ever-chang-
ing demands, averting positive and
at times complete loss by glut of
some particular market, far Overbal-
anced the cost of intelligent control
OF conditions for effecting sale. Here
was legitimate and effective object
for combination.
The speaker likewise showed how q
community of interest produced the
best results from cultivation. He
gave quite an extended account of
his effort at producing q splendid
rhubarb crop and securing satisfac-
tory market. He first went to his
neighbors, to find out what they
knew about growing that crop, and
they were so general in their explain
ations that he derived no practical
information. "Rhubarb! why yes,
you just set it out and cultivate It'll"
But no details were given. He then
went to Chinaman who raised very
fair rhubarb, and he was even less
clear, supplying much speech-ges-
ticulation, which if not mystifying
was by no means clear. Then he
talked with the State Horticultural
Commissioner Won Holderbeke, and
he was little more practical. He
stopped down and uncovered the
roots of plant and suggested that
if the ground was heavily MANFRED,
each year, it would tend to stimulate
and enlarge the growth. Mr.. Paul
hamus noted that the roots consisted
mainly of small tendrils and he asked
if liquid manure would not be better
from ease of absorption than the dry.
The Commissioner thought it would,
and Mr.. P. adopted it. The result is
that his rhubarb patch is one of the
best in the country, from which he
supplies the Portland market with
1000 pounds day.
And in his shipment he has applied
brain-power with equal effect. To
secure a steady demand the quality
must not only be good, but its quality
uniform, and thereby reliable. This
qualification was secured by dividing
his patch" into several sections,
corresponding to the days of the
week. On Monday, he would take
for shipment only perfect stalks from
subdivision one; on Tuesday, from
twO-and so on throughout the days
of the week. By this means, his
supply was always selected, fresh,
and in the best of condition. and the
demand was practically unlimited
throughout the season.
He applied this system to all his
products. He discovered, inciden-
ally, that his apple crop was better
than many others, and in searching
for the cause hit upon the fact that
the crop did not succeed so well
where there were no bees, and he
therefore maintains several stands of
bees to distribute life-giving pollen
among the fruit-buds. So he has
ever since kept bees to better his ap-
pie crop, instead of producing honey.
While the speaker strongly advo-
Gated establishing and keeping in
communication with prices at the
business centers during the produc-
ing season, he did not place sole re.
lance on that, as means of guard.
ing against loss. Here is his plan
for that alternative. Soon as it be-
comes evident that a crop may not
reach market from shrub or vine, in
aperfect state, it is simply placed il
quart cans, that may be obtained by
the carload at a small cost, fillel
with water without sugar. placed il
boiling tank till all air is expelled
and then the tiny hole left in the lie
f<,, SEC ocoov~o &c conloI vvv;<l, n Iro~> =,