The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-10-15

valley, but nevertheless are of the
opinion that if a man carefully selects
his varieties and gives his orchard the
same care and attention that orchards
of other fruit-growing valleys of the
state receive that he would be as sue
cess full as are those in other fruit re-
gions. If we were planting apples in
your region, we would use the North
ern Spy quite largely, because of its
excellent quality and freedom from dis
ease. My second choice would be the
Olympia Baldwin, and third the Can
| ada Reinette, the latter a rather un-
common apple of the russell tribe, but
valuable for commercial purposes
PaterOs: 1.-THE rabbits bothered our
orchard last winter, and refused to eat
the poisoned grain which We put out
for them. We put strychnine on the
twigs, and though they ate the poi
soned twigs they did not die. Our trees
have done we'll the past season, and
desire very much to learn of remedy
to keep the rabbits away from them
next winter &C. W."
1--WE have never been able to obtain
satisfactory results from applying
strychnine to apple twigs to kill rab-
bits. In fact, we have generally been
unsuccessful when poisoning wood of
any kind. We have succeeded, how
ever, when applying it to cabbage,
corn, barley and such as that. Our
plan is to protect our trees with a
wash prepared in the following man
ner: Into ordinary lime whitewash
place two pounds of sulphur and one
pint of crude carbolic acid per ten
gallons of the wash. The sulphur and
acid are not at all injurious to the
trees, but are very offensive to the
rabbits. This we simply spray on the
trunks or daub it on with a swab."
Okanogan: There seems to be
popular belief that manure in contact
with the bark of trees is injurious to
the trees. AS | contemplate mulching
my young fruit trees with manure this
fall, l would thank you for advice.
"F G."
Fresh barnyard manure is detri-
mental to trees where it comes in con-
tact with the stems. 1t is very valu-
able when applied from one to three
feet from the roots of the trees. The
ammonia and other burning COM
pounds of the manure scorch and kill
the bark, especially of young trees. If
you mulch, be sure to keep it inches
from the stems, anyway
Hillyard: "Will you please advise
me which would be the safest and best
way of treating seedlings and scions
for grating purposes, and general nur-
sery stock for orchard planting? l
presume they should be fumigated in
some way, probably dipped in tobacco
solution, or kerosene emulsion, the
idea being to prevent any disease from
getting foothold. o. R."
"The best way to treat seedlings for
grating would be to dig them this fall
as soon as their leaves go off and pack
them in moist sawdust, or moist soil
to preserve plumpness, but not enough
to start them into growth. The scions
| would cut from my trees as soon as
the first hard freeze has removed all
| the leaves. Tie them in punches, and
store them in moist sawdust; or, bet
ter still, leaves that are raked up from
| the orchard or shade trees. We u.s.
ually use maple leaves for this work.
Unless they show evidence of insect
pest or plant disease, l would not
spray or dip them. They can be
sprayed easily enough after they are
in the nursery rows
Seattle: II have ten acres of irri-
gable land in Benton county, on which
| desire to plant six or seven acres of
| would be advisable to put out my Or
chard without first planting clover or
alfalfa for one season. A plan 1 have
| had in mind was to clear the land this
fall, or very early in the spring, and
sow the land to rye, then plant my
orchard in the spring and turn the rye
under a little later and plant potatoes
or musk melons, or some crop that
might do we'll On new ground. Is my
plan feasible, or would you suggest
another? L. B. c.
II do not think that the rye would
make enough growth before it would
be necessary to pillow it for potatoes or
musk melons, to interfere. We would
consider early potatoes the best vege-
table crop of your section, with can
taloupes as second choice. More
money can be made on cantaloupes,
but there is more risk of failure. Sweet
corn is very good, but is apt to be
bothered by the boil worm.
1--WE would especially advise such
varieties as Winesap, Yellow New
town and, if other varieties are de-
sired, possibly the Jonathan or Rome
Beauty, but clinging closely to the