The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-04-15

of his great enterprises and that he
is meeting with well-merited success.
No more noble-hearted and generous
man than Van Deman can be found
and he deserves success.
A man by the name of Hayden
called me up by telephone while l am
writing these notes and asked me some
important questions about raising
grapes in the lower Yakima valley
about Kiona. He especially wanted to
know what I thought about growing
the Flaming Tokay in that section.
His questions are, no doubt, of inter-
est to others who cannot talk to me
over the telephone, so I give my an
swers here: | have no experience in
growing the Tokay myself, but l know
it is grown in the Yakima valley.
Some six or seven years ago, when l
was assisting the State Fair Commits
sion in gathering up exhibits, l found
some fine specimens of the Tokay In
Yakima County. No one was growing
it extensively, so far as l could learn.
But I never saw finer samples of this
famous grape than l found near Zil-
lah. l have never tried to grow 1t,
for we are not in the grape business
except to supply our own wants, but
1 have no doubt but it can be profit
ably grown, and especially so as low
down in the valley as Kiona, in Ben
ton County. 1t may be necessary to
throw the vines down to the ground
and protect them with a covering of
dirt during the winter.
Mr. Hayden informed me that some
one had reported to him that the Con-
cord did not do we'll in that part of
the state. My answer was that such
a statement is most certainly erro-
neous. We grow Concords, Wordens,
Moore's Earlies, Delawares and other
grapes very successfully in our fruit
ranch near Zillah. Some Of my neigh
bors grow Concords by the acre, and
find ready sale for all they can ship
to Seattle and other cities A leading
commission man on Western Avenue,
Seattle told me once that finer Con-
cords never come to Seattle than those
sent by William Squires, Zillah, Wash.
The commission men of Seattle buy
Concords from Ohio and Western New
York by the carloads. This man told
me that just as soon as grape growers
in Washington could ship in such
grapes as came from Mr.. Squires by
the carload, and enough to meet the
demand, they would cease to import
from the East. There is no question
about the high grade of these Wash
ington grapes. Good money can be
made by any enterprising man who
will grow the standard grapes in car
load lots. The undeveloped resources
leo
in store, and that of growing grapes
extensively is one of them.
We sometimes say that great ad-
vancement has been made in the bust
ness of fruit growing, but we do not
half realize what this implies. The
following clipping will tell this story
in a most convincing manner:
The other day we came across an
old book with a curious item on
grating which is interesting as Illus
trating the ideas which were prevalent
at that time. The book was printed In
London in 1886 and in it we found this
passage: Now, when you have maze
Yourself perfect in the sowing, set
ting, planting and grating trees, you
shall then learn to know the effects,
wonders and strange issues which doe
proceed from many quaint notions and
helps in grating, as thus: II you Will
have peaches, cherries, apples, ounces,
medlars, Damson or any other plums
whatsoever to ripen early, as at inc
least two months before the ordinary
time, and to continue at least month
longer than the accustomed course
YOU shall then graft them upon null
berry stock And If you Will nave
the fruit to taste like spice, with
certain delicate perfume, you snail