The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-02-01

the IrulI growers Oh lndl Ule lSldllu
that the fruit was condemned by men
in California that ought to be above
suspicion and was then again con-
demned in Seattle by the local fruit
inspector and sustained, as | under
stand, by the State Horticultural Com
missioner The inspector here in Sc,
attic informs me that he not only
found the work of this insect, the
Japan Fruit Borer, but also some scale
and a fungus growth. Whatever may
be the merits of the point at issue, 1t
seems proper to suggest that the fruit
growers of that fair island should do
all in their power to check and con-
troll any and all pests that may be
found in their orchards. l have never
visited Orcas Island, but from all |
can hear from what seem to be relia-
BILE sources, there is bright future
before the fruit growers there if every
thing is done that can be done to keep
their fruit clean and then to have
it put up in the very best shape posi-
BILE. Even if the people there have
been wronged, the incident may turn
out to the good of the island as a
whole, if it should lead to more thor
ough work in combating insect pests
and gungous growths. How l would
like to visit that far-famed island
and meet the fruit growers, and may
do so some time.
Mrs. ]. J. Mclaughlin, 7706 Second
Ave. N. E., Seattle, Wash left at
The Ranch office two apples affected
with bitter rot She says that they
have five trees, and that the same
treatment was given to all of them,
but while four of them were free from
this disease, one was not, and she
wants to know why this difference.
do not know | would have to know
what the. treatment was and all about
it's application before | could venture
to express an opinion as to the cause
of the difference in the results. AS
stated before in this paper, the bitter
rot is prevalent in many orchards in
Washington, both on the west side
and east side of the Cascade Range.
We must be prepared to meet it's raw
ages by thorough work or it may cause
us much loss. l have recently given
the method to pursue to check it's raw
ages and will do SO again before time
to commence the ngnC.
H. Waechter, Montborne, Wash,
wants to top-graft some trees that
have been set out six years, and wants
to know if he would better put in all
the CRAFTS the first spring or part
of them the next spring. 1 would
put all in the first spring, but leave
some limbs to be cut off the following
spring. l would select from three to
five limbs, SO as to have balanced
top, and then graft all of them at
once, but would leave any other limbs
not needed and let them grow one
year Keep the suckers off the newly
grated stubs not only the first year,
but till they cease to grow. This
whole matter of top-grafting and top
budding will be treated in our next
issue. But don't fail to cut your
CRAFTS while the trees are dormant
and keep them as I have often direct
ed in these columns.
The month of March will be the
best time to spray for the San Jose
scale, so | will try in our next issue
to give directions for preparing the
material and the spraying of it on
the trees. We don't fear the scale ii
we can get at it with our lime-sulphur
wash. Don't let anyone persuade you
to mix blue stone (sulphate of cop
peri with your lime-sulphur wash. Our
chemists tell us that a combination is
formed in such cases that will not be
so effectual in killing the scale.
The Washington State Fruit Can