The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-03-12
DEMONSTRATION
TRAIN MAKES
GOOD START
BIG CROWD, CLOSE ATTENTION
AND EAGER QUESTIONS

time Tuesday and the train had
hardly stopped when r. W. Thatch-
er, Director of the Washington Ex-
pertinent Station, began talking ex-
planning the purpose and equipment
OF the train.
After the preliminary he devoted
his remarks to the subject of fer
tilizers. Analysis of soils received
from no greater distance than two
miles from kcnnewick, showed that
fertilizers could be used with profit
on our high priced lands to increase
the growth and yield. More straw
berries will grow and ripcn if a fer
tilizer is used. The first one recon-
mended was dried blood in the
quantity of 400 to 500 pounds to
the acre. 1t will increase the nitro
gen supply. 1t will increase the
foliage growth of the strawberry
plant especially.
The plant and trees grown for
profit are very large potash-feeders
and the quantity of that ingredient
should be in our soil. There is only
half as much potash in a sample of
our soil analyized az in the Palouse
soil.
Sulphate Of potash is the potash
to use and in quantities of 100
pounds to the acre. Can be spread
with garden drill. Use it especi-
ally on the strawberry ground and
for the trees. Put some Of it in a
hole short distance from each tree
if no more even method of distribu-
ton can be had. Now is the time
to do it. These are commercial fer
tilizers and are very beneficial, but
it you have plenty OF barn yard
manure there is no better fertilizer
and it should be used in large
quantities.
Prof. w. S. Thornber was the
next speaker and his subject was,
pruning, which he illustrated by
actual pruning Of trees which were
set out in large tubs on the fiat car
which served as speakers plat
form for the train. A one year tree
set out and the soil firmly packed
around the roots should at once be
cut back to a point just above the
but Is inches above the ground.
The two year old tree was next
pruned back to three main branch
es and from one-half to two-thirds
OF the annual growth cut of. A
yearling peach tree shonld be cut
back TO II inches above the ground,
Where trees have grown out OF
reach before any pruning was done
they should be cut back vigorously
cutting off the insloping branches
and spreading out the tree as much
as possible to let the sunlight in.
Mr.. Thornber made the criticism
that the apples of the valley were
not as highly colored as they ough
70 because the sun light was not
permitted to get to the fruit on ac-
count OF insufficient pruning.
frof. Melander gave the same
vigorous talk on the necessity of
spraying which he gave at the farm
efs institute last winter and clinch-
ed the nail by having the power
sprayer and the hose, the bordeaux
nozzle and all the equipment before
'he eyes to actually demonstrate the
work.
Two hundred pounds prssure was
necessary to cause the spray to pene-
"ale the crevices of the tree and
reach the pests.
Al the conclusion of Mr.. Melan-
uef talk Mr.. A. H. Hooker, Sec
Ie'afy OF the Board of the National
irrigation Congress to be held at
spokane next August, spoke on the
various features of that Congress
and outlined the method by which