The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-05-01
Edited by r. Valdez

fruit is poor or the top damaged, cut
back and bud or graft and u is
saved in time and vigor by utilizing
we'll established roots.
But another serious objection | have
to the use of peach trees as filters
is the fact that in many localities
where apples can be successfully
grown peaches cannot. There is nc
question that the area where peaches
may be successfully grown is very
much smaller than that where apples
may be grown. l know nothing about
the location where the company rep
resented by Mr.. Wright is located as
it relates to peach growing, but l an
confident that the area of successful
apple growing is ten times larger in
the Pacific Northwest than is the area
for successful peach growing. Those
who have peach orchards in the ia
vored localities have veritable bo'
nanzas, but those who try the bust
ness in the unsuitable places are
doomed to disappointment.
r +
A man called me up by telephone
not long ago since to get my views on
planting an orchard on dry land and
wanted to know how much rainfall
| would make the business profitable
On this point, I had to say that
did not know. Perhaps | cannot dc
a better thing than to quote a state
ment from a folder that I wrote last
spring for the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railway:
"One of the o~ft-recurring questions
is, DO you have to irrigate?' In parts
we do and in some parts we do not
The line of this great railway passes
through much country where irriga
ton is not necessary and in some
cases not possible. In the Palouse
country great crops of wheat, oats ano
barley are raised without irrigation
Here also many carloads of fruit
chiefly apples, are raised without If
rigation.
lean as good apples be raised
without irrigation as with it?' Just
as good, provided always there is
enough water. The function of water
is just the same in plant life, whether
it falls in the form of rain or runs
along in an irrigation canal. All wa
ter in plant growth comes down from
the sky in the form of rain, ONE OF
it directly, and some runs in a canal
before it reaches the place where it
is needed. The ultimate source is the
same in either case. Not only is
this true, but this water, however il
may reach the field where it is used
J must enter the soil and take up dis
solved mineral salts from the earth
and carry these soluble salts into the
tree or any other plant through the
roots. Water is only the means Of
tility. SO it makes no difference how
it gets to the roots of the tree as Ions
as it is there in sufficient quantities
The advantage of irrigation, provided
there is an adequate supply of water
is that you have it when it is needed
In a semi-arid .non-irrigated country
the water supply must be secured by
the conservation of moisture by cult
] walton and pulverization of the sur
face of the soil, or by mulching, which
restricts evaporation. Keep the wa
ter in reserve and it will perform its
work.
(which is the better fruit, tina
raised under irrigation or that with
out? There is not, and cannot be
any difference, provided there il
enough water in each case. The func
ton of water, as before explained, il
to carry the food material to the RICH
place. 1t is the spoon out of which
the food is taken and not the food it
self. AS well charge the quality o
the food or medicine to the spoon ou
of which they are taken as to charg'
the benefits to the water in irrigation
or without irrigation.
"As fine apples as can be raised il
the world are raised at Hood River
oregon, where most of them ar
raised without irrigation, as there i