The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-02-15

The Sp1tZenburg does exceedingly
we'll in some localities, as in Hood
River, Ore, and in some sections OF
the Wenatchee valley, but in some
localities it is not very profitable.
Where my farms are located l am con-
fident l can make 81 raising W1nesap,
Jonathan, Rome Beauty and Arkansas
Black to where l can make 81 raising
either Spitzenburg or Yellow New
town.
If the conditions are similar to
those prevailing at Hood River, l can
hardly see how he can go very far
wrong in raising the Spitz. Many
people are led to plant the Spitzenburg
because it sells so high. Here | must
remind the readers Of The Ranch OF
nv rule: Neither the apple that
bears the best nor the one that sells
the highest will necessarily make the
grower the most money. l must con-
fess that on our ranch both the Spitz-
enburg and the Newtown are on the
trial list. Last year we had the best
crop of NeWtOwnS we ever had, but 1t
was a disappointment when we found
that over one-half of this fine apple
had to be packed as seconds and sold
for much less than the firsts. Unless
there is improvement in the future it
were better for us, so far as money
making is concerned if our Newtown
trees were grated to something else.
We had a few Spitz that sold very
high but, alas, we had but few. Nearly
all of our Spitz were on top-grafted
trees three years old but there were
not one-tenth as many to the tree as
with the Rome Beauty, and not one
fifth as many as with the Winesap
and Jonathan top-worked trees OF the
same age. l expect these trees top
grated to Spitz to do better in future
but do not expect them to ever make
as much money year after year as the
trees worked to Romes, Saps and
Jonathans. What l raise fruit for is
mainly for the money l can make out
of it. l take a good deal of interest
in testing new varieties, but when it
comes to raising commercial apples
want to see the shining dollars"
was down on Western Avenue in
Seattle the other day and found that
first-class, for their kind four tier
apples were selling at wholesale as
follows: Ben Davis for $175 per box,
Romes So to 1928, Arkansas Black
$3.50, Winesap $2.75 and Spitzenburg
SO. At these prices the Ben Davis
will pay far better than Spitzenburg.
If I could always get these prices
would certainly never graft my Ben
Davis trees to other varieties. But it
often happens that our Ben Davis in
years of plenty bring not cent OF
profit.
A good deal is being said in the
papers about the peaches. Very nat
urally many foolish things are written
for the papers about the killing OF
the peaches. Many reporters know
but little about such things and as
result make many mistakes. For in
stance, reporters often cOnfound the
killing of peaches with the killing OF
peach trees. When any one who is
even moderately we'll informed in such
matters talks or writes about the kill
ing of the peaches he means that the
bloom buds on the peach trees are
killed and not that the trees them
selves are killed. During the cold
weather of November, 1896, the peach
buds were all killed in my bearing
peach orchard, but not single tree
was killed. Some trees were dam
aged, but that orchard of 1000 peach
trees lived and bore peaches till 1t
was grubbed out in 1908. Whenever
the temperature gets down to 70 de-
grees below zero peach buds will sue
cumb to the cold, but the trees will
survive several degrees lower tenn
perature.