The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-02-15

gaseous state, as carbon dioxide. Any
one who wants to read up on this ques-
ton should read Sarauer on Plant
Physiology, Storer on Agricultural
Chemistry, and How Plants Grow, by
Johnson and Gray, If, therefore, we
want to use potash as a fertilizer we
must put it into the soil and not on
the leaves.
M. Roe, of Chelan, Washington,
asks the following questions: l am
indebted for much that has been help
full to your department of The Ranch,
and now am wishing for more help.
Last fall l made an effort in the d1-
rection of a commercial orchard.
ordered 200 pear trees and 300 peach
trees. beside adding to my list of ap-
pies. OF pear trees l have the Bart
lett and Winter Nelis; of peaches, AL
exander 25, Bokara IL, Early Char
lotte, Early Crawford and Late Craw-
ford, 100 each, Salway 25, and alberta
500. | took varieties recommended
by the nurserymen, but do not wish to
cultivate any but good shipping vari-
cites. AS the Foster is earlier than
the Crawfords, would you recommend
worked into Fosters? If so, when
would be the best time? Could any
part of the limbs pruned from my
good shipping varieties be used! Is
the Muir hardy and fairly productive!
Would a variety that is wanting either
in hardness or productiveness be I'M
proved by grating into a stock that
is hardy and productive?'
Friend Roe is certainly productive
in questions, but we like to have our
friends come to us with their ques-
tions. | do not think he can greatly
improve the list of peaches he already
has. The Foster is not much earlier
than the Early Crawford, if it is any.
They are so nearly alike that they are
often mistaken the one for the other.
1t is a difficult matter to work over
peach trees and should be attempted
only by the man who thoroughly un-
derstands the work. Better SUCK TO
the trees you have. 1t is not best
to have too many varieties. Ii | had
Mr.. Roe's orchard l would let my
peach trees alone. If l wanted to
plant more peach trees l would add
the Foster and Hale's Early. II any
working over is attempted, the trees
must be cut back in the spring and
new sprout allowed to grow which
must be budded in August, as men
toned elsewhere in this issue. The
buds used must be taken from the
new growth that is, from the growth
that year and not the previous years
growth. Every fruit grower should
learn how to bud and graft. 1t is not
a difficult thing to learn. Get a good
book, like Bailey's Nursery Book, and
study it thoroughly and then apply
your information by trying to bud or
graft. Nothing better than practice
in trying to learn any thing. Theory
and practice combined give what we
call experience.
There are many inquiries on hand
that must go over to our next issue.
We may not in all cases answer these
inquiries as soon as our friends would
like. Be patient and we will do the
best we can. People must not expect
personal answers through the mall
sometimes this is done when the ques-
ton asked would not be of general
interest. Again, dear friends, II Tor
any reason you do not wish me to
publish what you send me, mark your
letter personal or private.
see by the papers that our friend
H. C. Atwell, of Forest Grove, Ore,
was elected president of the oregon
Board of Horticulture. A good man
in a good place, | should judge.
Our markets will be supplied only
by those who undertake specialtles In