The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-12-16
A GREAT MEETING IN JANUARY
Annual Session of the Washington State
Horticultural Society at Prosser,
Benton County

promises to be the best meeting the
fruit growers have ever had. E. F.
Benson Of Prosser, acting president o.
the association, urges upon orchardists
the desirability Of their attending in
large numbers.
Mr.. Benson succeeded to the posi-
tan of acting president only few
weeks ago. At the meeting in Wenat-
chee last January w. T. Clark of that
city was chosen president and Mr.. Ben
son first vice president. Mr.. Clark was
called to Colorado few weeks ago by
the serious illness of his son, Wear
Clark, and as he could not care for the
work of attending to the details prelim-
mary to the annual meeting, he resigned
the presidency of the association.
At the Vancouver apple show last
month a majority of the executive COM
mittee of the association was present,
and meeting was held at which Mr..
Benson was chosen president; Mr.. Ritz
Of Walla Walla first vice president, and
T. H. Antiat second vice president.
Secretary Munroe, formerly of the Spo-
kane Chamber of Commerce, now Sec
retary and assistant manager OF the
association promoting the San Diego
exposition, to be held at the opening
of the Panama canal, though he has
removed from the state, attended the
meeting Of the executive committee at
Vancouver. He is as enthusiastically
interested in the horticultural associa-
ton as ever, and will retain the position
of its secretary for the present, coming
up from San Diego in ample time to
attend to details prior to the Prosser
meeting.
The arrangement Of the program is
largely in the hands of President Ben
son, and he is taking hold Of the work
in the same energetic manner that he
handles everything entrusted to him.
He has quite determined to secure
the attendance of William E. Smythe,
one of the best known irrigationists in
the United States. to lead in discus
sion on that subject. Mr.. Smythe is
at present in San Diego, at the head OF
what are known as the Little Landers,"
an organization Of the tillers of the soil
whose two notices are, as much land
as one family can cultivate to its high
est state of perfection without hiring
any help" and mot to acquire wealth,
but be sure Of a good living" The
Little Landers" have each but one
acre of ground, and within that limit
are demonstrating, under the guidance
of Mr.. Smythe, the desirability of the
methods advocated by him, and every
one of them is doing well.
Mr.. Benson says that fruit growers
of Washington are not SO much con-
cerned in what they are doing, as in
the way they are doing it, and he be-
Heves NJ. Smythe can bring out points
in irrigation work which will be OF great
value to all fruit growers.
Probably the most important discus
sion, according to Mr.. Benson, will be
that on marketing, in which E. H.
Shepard of Hood River has promised
to take the lead.
There is not bit of question but
that the Pacific Northwest can grow the
fruit said Mr.. Benson, but we have
a great deal to learn on the subject Of
marketing. Ii is my opinion that upon
the solution OF that question depends
the future prosperity OF the fruit grow
ers of Washington. Mr.. Shepard has
brought the Hood River organization
nearer to satisfactory settlement on this
question than any other growers organ
ization except, perhaps, that Of the
California citrus growers, and, while ne
maintains that fruit growers unions are
absolutely essential to profitable mar
keting for the growers, those who op-
pose this view will have ample oppor-
tunity of advancing their opinions, that
the growers may profit from the present
alton Of both sides Of this question.
If State Senator Paulhamus Of Sum-
ner can possibly be spared from his leg
islative duties for day or two, he will