The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-09-15

they had consulted the National Apple
Shippers Association, and that organi-
cation is opposed to such move.
1t seems strange to the people on the
Pacific Coast that this Apple Shippers
Association should not be willing for
the people who use boxes in packing
their fruit to settle what kind of box
they want. Our contention is, let
the people who use barrels settle the
barrel question and those who use the
box settle the box question. If it be-
comes evident that the National APP
pie Shippers Association dominates
the National Apple Show then Western
apple-growers will lose interest in the
show.
This Apple Shippers Association
seems to want to run about every
thing 1t wants to settle the size and
shape of packages in which apples are
packed to set the price at which ap-
pies must be sold, and boss the bust
ness generally. They seem to want
the growers to stand around with
their hats in their hands and say to
these shippers, 'By your permission,
we will do so and So" The fruit-grow-
ers in the Northwest are wide awake,
intelligent men and will not stand for
any dictation on the part of men who
are mere purveyors of fruit. The
apple-growers can ship their own fruit
and will do it before they will become
the subservient tools of any class of
men.
| learn from Prof. Dumas that the
conference that was to have been held
in Tacoma in September will not take
place There is much dissatisfaction
in the East and Middle West over the
Lafean bill now before Congress. 1t
is believed by wellinformed fruit men
that if the proper effort is made the
bill can be killed. 1t ought to be.
Prof Dumas wants representatives
from the fruit-growers in Washington,
Oregon and Idaho, Montana and Cali
fornia sent to Washington, d. c., this
coming winter to fully acquaint the
members of Congress with the rank in
Justice that turks in that bill Let
congressman see the matter as we
do and such a bill will never pass.
1t is with profound regret that
learn of the death of M. O. Tibbits of
the Wenatchee valley. He was one of
the leading fruit growers of that
famous valley. I remember meeting
Mr.. Tibbits and his wife at Wenat-
chez some years ago when | was in
attendance at a Farmers Institute.
They impressed me as excellent people
and | have never had any occasion
to change that first impression. A
good man has gone home. My sincere
sympathy is extended to his bereaved
family What a great thing it will
be to meet when the roll is called
up yonder."
1t was my privilege to hear Luther
Burbank in a brief address he gave
in the Auditorium on the Fair Grounds
Sept. 2. Whatever may be thought
or said about Mr. Burbank as the
producer of new forms of vegetable
life, one thing is certain: He can
never rank high as public speaker.
He stated in the outset that he was
no public speaker, and his effort veri-
fed his statement. He read an old
paper that was published several years
ago. He was very frank about the
matter and stated the facts in the
case The paper deals with plant
breeding" and has nothing in it not
known to the careful student of plant
life long before it found utterance by
Mr.. Burbank. So far as I know, Bur-
bank has in no way enriched our
knowledge of the underlying princi-
pies upon which ne and many other
experimenters in the. development of
new forms, have preceded. Whatever
renown belongs to Luther Burbank in
his chosen field will be for what he
has done, and not for what he has
said or taught pertaining to the under
lying principles.
There is much controversy as to the
value of Luther Burbank's pro-
auctions. He is being assailed bit