The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-11-01

storage facilities mere ana can take
care of anything you may send at any
time"
regret to say that this letter. writ
ten on October 3, did not reach me
till the twenty-se cond of the same
month. No one is to blame for this
delay, and it is useless to go into
any explanation. Had l received this
letter while l was on my fruit ranch
during our apple harvest, l could, and
would, have made a selection from
some of our best varieties that would
have been a credit to any community
AS evidence of this, l may mention
the fact that when Messrs. Stark AND
Irvine were on our ranch, September
2, | showed them some of our trees
loaded with some of our best varie
ties. On October Mr.. Stark wrote
me as follows: 1--WE desire to Sc cure
several specimens of varieties of ap
pies for new catalogue plates. We
would like to have some Black Ben
typical specimens Of Spitzenberg and
Newtown, also some Winter Banana
Grimes Golden and Jonathan" In re
Spouse to this request I sent Mr.. Starl,
the finest box of apples ever grown
on my ranch, consisting of from Il
to 20 each of Newtown, Banana, Black
Ben, Spitzenberg and Grimes Gold
en-. We had shipped all our Jonathans
but some culls 1t would have been
my delight to have sent even larger
collection to Secretary Howard.
may be able to send collection from
some apples I have coming to Seat
tie for my own use, but anyone knows
how much better is the opportunity
to make selections while the apples
are on the trees, or as they are com
ing into the packing house from the
field. I can scarcely think Of bet
ter opportunity to show the people
of the Middle West what we can raise
in the fruit line than the one offered
by such a gathering.
The Fruit-Grower for October is
just at hand. There is much in this
number about fruitgrowing in the
Northwest, when Editor Irvine de-
scribes what he and Mr.. Stark saw on
their recent trip. Our space will not
permit me to quote very much from
this magnificent issue. 1t seems tc
me that friend Irvine has very impair
TALLY described the different sections
of the Northwest through which they
passed 1t may not be satisfactory tC
some men, for they think, or at least
pretend to think, that there is no sec
ton equal to theirs for fruitgrowing
Some little fellows think that they
serve their part of the country best
when they praise their own section
and run down all others. Such course
soon brings these little fellows into
contempt, and they lose their infu
ence with all sensible people. The
fact is there are many sections on the
Pacific Slope where apples and other
fruits can be raised of the very high
these columns, some varieties of ap
Piles do better in one section than in
some others.
Perhaps it is pardonable for me to
quote what Mr. Irvine is pleased tc
say about my fruitgrowing. 1t Is as
follows:
GAIL down the Yakima River are
splendid fruit districts. The Parker
Bottoms is a famous section, and
around Zillah are some Of the best
known orchards in the state. VIZ
stopped off at Toppenish and visited
the ranch of F. Walden, horticultur
al editor of The Ranch, at Seattle
Mr.. Walden was one of the pioneer
fruitgrowers of the Zillah district, and
has been very successful. He has re
tired from active management of the
comes out during the summer months
est type. AS I have often said in
the work. However, the elder Walden
and helps to look after the crop.
when his first orchard was planted
ranch, his two sons now looking after
of apples, and his work of testing
these varieties has been very helpful
to those who have planted orchards
since then. Most of these varieties
Mr.. Walden included many varieties