The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-04-01


While speaking of this matter /
want to drop another word or two of
caution. 1t is a bad thing to read
or hear of some new or old apple that
is lauded by the inexperienced and
then jump in and plant it extensively.
Try all-hold fast to the good" is
safe motto. Again, avoid the mistake
of taking up with some new fruit
lauded by some nurseryman and plant
ing it extensively Some quite reput-
able nurserymen are in the habit of
having some new and wonderful fruit
that they are pushing and selling at
enormous prices. Twenty years ago
the Idaho pear was being pushed by
nurserymen as a wonder l tried to
buy a few trees, but could not get
them for less than $500 apiece. l
did not buy. Who is planting the
Idaho pear now? 1t has some merit,
but it is too big and the markets are
not seeking it. The new and wonder
full things in the fruit line that have
been heralded as of great value and
have faded away like the stars in
the morning" are numerous. They
have appeared as "nine-day wonders"
and then have 'gone glimmering with
the things that WERE" l would not
discourage these new things, but don't
rush into planting anything extensive
ly till you have seen it thoroughly
tested.
Again, avoid planting fall apples ex-
tensively. A few like the Wealthy,
Mcintosh Red, Gravenstein and Snow
may pay fairly we'll, but many will
not. Apples of all kinds are plentiful
in the fall-many of them wind-falls
and prices generally run low.
Speaking of H. e. Van Deman,
take great pleasure in saying that he
is to be invited to Judge the fruits
and vegetables at the Alaska Yukon
Pacific Exposition to be held at Sc
attic next year. l had talk with
Col. Henry E. Bosch, the Superintend-
ent of Exhibits at this fair, and he said
that the management would be de-
lighted to have Van Deman as the
judge, but has fears that he cannot
be secured. He will certainly be In
vited and would have been if l had
not mentioned it to Col Bosch. I
had several letters from Van Deman
during the Jamestown Fair, where he
judged the fruits. I published extracts
from some of these letters, as the
readers of The Ranch know. In two
of these he expressed the hope that
he might be able to come and do this
work, if invited. He did not say posi-
lively that he would come, but in one
near the close of that fair he said:
"You say l ought to be at your eX-
position as juror, and maybe | can
accept if they offer me the place, but
[ may be too busy then. However, the
summer is my season of leisure"
From this last sentence l entertain
strong hopes that he will be our judge.
There is no man in the United States
more competent to do this work-and
l have doubts if any other is equally
competent-and he is man eminent
ly fair and will do his work without
prejudice for or against any one or
any locality. 1t will help the fruit
exhibit at the A.-Y.-P. Exposition to
know such man is to sit as juror.
While the matter of the Fair is be-
fore us l want to say to our readers
that none of you can afford to miss
this opportunity to learn much con-
corning the resources of the Pacific
Northwest, the whole United States
and the world. 1t is worth far more
than it will cost any of you as an
educator. When l was at the Port
land Fair I had occasion to go to my
fruit ranch in the Yakima Valley, |
where my sons and their families live.
They expressed a fear that on account
of the shortage of our fruit crop that
year it might not be wise to spend
the money to go. l told them that if
it were necessary they would better
borrow a hundred dollars and nav in |