The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-03-17

The Northern Pacific railroad and
the Washington State college Friday
carried up to the fruit growers of
North Yakima practical demonstra-
ton of scientific orchard work. A
thousand people, it is estimated,
heard and saw what the men travel
ing with the railroad fruit demonstra-
ton and the scientists special had to
offer. Some of these remained
throughout the two hours and more
while the lectures were in progress.
Others came and went as their time
and engagements permitted.
Not only were the lectures interest
ing, they were highly. instructive.
They conveyed to the people present,
in tabloid form, the regular work,
the short course work, the experiment
work and the best Judgment of the
scientists of the state. The things
told were the seasonable things.
Spring ESSeut1dlS GuViIncu.
Bearing in mind that this is the
spring of the year each lecturer de-
voted himself to telling the essential
matters in his subject which the or
chardist must deal with at this time
of the year. The lectures of a mid
summer or fail trip of fruit demon
stration train would have contained
other matter. This being the spring,
timely topics were talked of. Prof
Thatcher spoke of irrigation and cul-
tivation; Prof. Thornber told of prun-
ing, and Prof. Melander OF spraying.
The general value of the National IT.
rigation congress was related by Ar
thur Hooker of Spokane.
Features of the Train.
The train consists of fiat car bear
ing a power sprayer and a portable
orchard. In a box car is a general
exhibit of pests, sprayers, books,
Ifrostfighting stoves or smudges, pack
ing facilities and such things A pas
senger coach is carried as a lecture
room in rainy weather and there is
car each for the scientists and the
railroad men. Those who composed
the party when it reached North Yaki-
ma were: Prof r. W. Thatcher, d.
rector of the experiment station;
Prof. w. S. Thornber, horticulturist
Prof. A. l.. Melander, entomologist;
| o. M. Olson, farmers institute spe-
cialist; w. M. Mann, field assistant
entomologist; William Evers, electri-
clan; all of these from the state col
lege. The railroad was represented
by H. N. Kennedy, general agent;
w. j. Jordan, general agent at Lew
iston, Idaho; James Shannon, train
master. Others were Arthur Hooker
of the Irrigation congress and H. H.
Scudder of the Spokesman-Review.
Highly Successful Trip.
The railroad men said that already,
including North Yakima, the lectures
had been heard by 1000 people in
this valley and practically all these
were actual, practical fruit growers.
Mr.. Jordan said that in his opinion
no demonstration train of the kind
ever run in this pact of the country
had attracted so much general atten-
ton. James Shannon said that the
crowds were everywhere alert, capa-
BILE men who caught at once the points
made and their application. He had
watched the crowds closely. he said,
from the point of view of man ac-
quainted with this valley and its peo-
pie, and such few doubters as he had
encountered he knew, personally, to
be amongst the most unprogressive
citizens Of the district. Messrs. Han
Ike and Kennedy, who have been on
other trips of a similar nature, said
this had appeared to be one of the
most interesting to those to whom it
was addressed of any they had expe-
rienced. The crowds had been unus-
ally large, considering the size of
some of the towns and the distances
to be Travelled, and in one instance
the ranchers had remained until long
after dark to hear what was said and
were apparently anxious for more.
Too Much Wsster Is Bad,