Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1921-04-08
AN OLD MAN IS
FILLED With PEP
Not a Medicine Ad, But Col,
5. J. Harmelins Wakes
Eloquent

AT $3.50 o'clock, March 3lst.
we stepped into Mr.. Hanscn's
Franklin, took in Mr.. and Mrs.
L. c. Beall, ST., and made for the
early ferry boat with the intcn-
ton Of doing the Puyallup
country.
The first stop was at the Vel
vet Fruit Ranch of the Hansen
Beall Co. This wonderful 20 acre
tract was thoroughly inspected.
Mrs. Hansen and Mrs. Beall had
taken their rubbers with them
and were prepared to 60 where
the men in the party went.
The Velvet Ranch is an ideal
one. 1t is six miles from Tacoma
on the Pacific highway. 1t is
surrounded by perennial brook
and has a sWale through
the center with a foot or two Of
water in it. The stream and the
swale or lagoon draw away dan
gerous late frosts from the berry
fields. We have seen many Of
the crack fields Of brush fruits
in the White River valley, and
believe the Hansen-Beall fields
are not surpassed by the best of
them. | never saw more sturdy
and even canes anywhere, except,
perhaps, in our old chicken yard
at Vashon. That is just the point
Of the whole matter. The grow
ers there are posted and talk of
phosphates, potash, nitrogen, and
chicken and barnyard manures
as if success depended on these
things more than on any thing
else. They buy them by the hun
dreds of tons whenever and where
ever they can get them.
Logan berries are almost a fail
ure in the river valley. We visit
ed the plantation of Mr.. Hatch
He has large patch of logans
and phenomenals. Anthracnose
and frosts have about ruined it
and he is ready to supercede them
with something more profitable.
He has planted several acres of
Damson plums and sour cherries
and will plant several acres, of
Bartlett pears. The ranch con
tains 160 acres. Mr.. Hatch aims
to have 100 acres in bush and
tree fruits.
While we took in the valley
there were seven passengers in
the easy riding Franklin for we
had taken in also McGruder Beall
and George Malpney who have
charge Of the Velvet ranch and
evidently know the business as
results show. Poor Mr.. Beall, Sr. !!
There were four of us in the back
seat. and, of course, one of the
ladies had to sit on a gentleman s
lap, or, vice versa. Poor Mr.. Bcall,
he was heroic and carried the
burden without complaint until
he got awfully hungry and then
we all HE'D away to Tacoma for
dinner and | noticed he took a
large dish of corn beef and cab
bage, ct cetra. After looking up
the tombstone yard and giving
directions for the inscription ON
the soldiers monument We made
fast time and reached the ferry.
As We came to the level of the
island and saw the power and
light office the ladies remarked
CATER all there is no place like
home and Vashon. You do not
hear of highway robberies and
holdups and bandits here on the
island as you do on the mainland
and on the great highways. Here
there is restfulness and quiet all
around. "
Now in conclusion as the
preachers say. They can t raise
logans in the silt of the valleys.
Anthracnose and winter and late
frosts are deadly enemies.
We can raise the logans and
phenomenals to perfection. We
have the great water belt all
around us and the elevation to
draw off the frosts of winter and
late spring.
We can also raise raspberries,
not, perhaps like the Beall-Hansen
ranch but very respectable ones,
if we, too, will talk phosphates
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