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(it THE SHIPPING ASSOCIATIONS. A. C. Fry, the well known Seattle pro duce depler, tells The Ranch that he most heartily approves of the proposed Yakl- BM shipping associations. And will do all lie can to forward their objects. Some of his suggestions will interest The Ranch reakers and be of direct benefit in organization of the associations. All of the Sound markets depend on the Yakiina country for melons, said Mr. Fry. Last year the uncertain and irregular ship ments demoralized the trade and made lost to all concerned, where handsome profits might as well have been the result. "In one case in particular, I tried to break the glut here by sending a car load of inel ms to Olympia. I lost, personally, $18 in cash on that car, besides the total loss of the shipment to the grower. The cause was that a full car reached Olym pia from some other party the day before, and that was all the market could stand. Under a system of central control, all such overstocking and loss may be pre vented and the dealers saved from tlie blame for what is no fault of theirs, as in the case cited. Explain your idea. "Your association should include tho whole Yakima country under one central management at North Yakima. That is, all stocks should be delivered to a salea agent there, or at least be subject to his orders at other stations on the railroad. He, or a committee under whom he would act, should issue a daily price current, and all sales be made for cash only, f. o. b. He would be in correspondence with only a tew responsible dealers at each market and use the telegraph freely for any changes in the price current. "lii this way all risks would be put. on the buyer, and losses of freight charges be entirely prevented. Glutting of the markets would be unknown and prices be kept at a fair average, considering supply and demand. As we must depend on Yakima for melons, your shipping asso ciation would control the market ab solutely." How about grading? 'The water melons Bhould be graded in two sizes only. Firsts, and seconds: a certain length to determine grade. There might also be a quotation on "mixed" lots. All quotations would be by grade." In musk melons (cantaloups) similar grading should prevail; but would be more difficult on account of the many varieties, yet a system could certainly be devised. The Ranch heartily endorses Mr. Fry's suggestions. A special telegrnph code might be printed on the price current, so as to facilitate the business. The associ ation beinij co-operative, each grower would profit in accordance with what of pro luce he should put into the pool. There can be no partiality in such a system. The weak and small growers THE RANCH. stand au equal chance with the strongest. Apples and all other fruits come under the same argument, but they apply especially of course to the more perish able fruits and vegetables. PLACING THE WATER. Frequently irrigators are greatly puzzled to determine whether or not water can be placed upon a curtain part of the field, and their only means of solving th« problem is by making a ditch and tinning the water in. Quite often it is an up-grade and the farmer is out all his labor. A simple nnd inexpensive method of securing the grade for a ditch is to take two stakes ot say three fe:-t in length, allowing extra length for driving in the ground. You should have a starting point from the ditch from which you intend to take water; drive the two stakes in the water, having tin throe feet mark exactly at the water's level: then procure a third stake exactly three feet in length ami have a sec ond person hoM it at a point along the line of the proposed ditch: sight over the top of the two stakes set in the water. The length of the third stake above the level of the two "sights" will give you the depth of the cut necessary for your ditch; or if the third stake is not as high as the sights you will readily see that the spot where the "rod" is held is lower than the level of the water. Down Grade. OUR FRUIT MARKETS. In The Ranch for Jan. 27, regarding pros pective markets for our winter apples, I was quoted a3 saying that 1,500 carloads could now be disposed of in California, to which should have been added the words — and the eastern states. The proper way to market any fruit grown in large quanti ties, is to scatter it in every direction where there is any possible demand. (iood winter apples, such as Spitzenbergs, Baldwins, Northern Spy*, Eert Cheeked Pippins, stored in a low find even temper ature, will keep for several months and this section may have every point of the compass as a market. When such merchants as E. L. Goodsell, of New York City, and G. W Burnett, of Chicago, take the time to attend the fruit growers convention at Spokane, the iudica tion is strong that we may expect consider able demand for our winter fruits in those cities. 0. A. Tonnkpon. Half rate fare 3to Spokane Feb. 12 to 24; that is, one fare for the round trip has been granted by the Northern l'acitic railroad to permit of fruit growers attending the fruit growers' and shippers' convention. The Bjnieaux inixti.l i is a standard prep aration for tl>e destruction of vegetable par asites. It has been fo.ml that less blue stone (sulphate <<f copper) is needed than was used in the original ieci|jfl. The present formula id 4 11)3 bldOltOas, 4 lbs lime and 50 gallons of water. ALL SORTS. The Ranch is digging around in all dircc tioii3 tor facts—experiences—in farming and fruit growing in Washington, but its editors cannot reach everybody hand to hand. Uncle Sam, through his postal de partment, is our special authorized agent for filling The Raxch knowledge box. Any written matter properly addressed and de posited with his fcub-agents. the postmast ers, may be sent at our risk and will be re ceived with thanks. We would suggest to some of our local "hard times" prophets, who sit around the Btove and discuss the situation, that they rustle around and strike up a trade with some farmer or landholder, to clear up tracts far payment in land. Land will be worth something again before long, and it will be clear gain, if time which would otherwise be wasted, be put in at such work. The farmer who holds more land than he ever intends to clear and improve, would be benefited as well as the other party. Warden Coblentz, of the Walla Walla pen itentiary, favors The Ranch with speci mens of two kinds of hop sacking. Growers here pronounce both of good quality, but arc inclined to think them a little under weight. The price is all right, 9£c. Cal cutta suld here last year as low as lie per lb, we belieye. Perhaps the warden will give us the weight of the Walla Walla pro duct. Tho Walla Walla Horticultural Society held a reorganisation meeting on Saturday last. The new officers are: Piesiuent, D. M. Jessee; vice-president, H C. Chew; sec retary, C. L. Whitney; treasurer, John Thony. Six deleg-ttes wera chosen to at tend the Spokane convention. The ques tions of trading and packing fruit* wore discussed. D. Sinclair, 12 miles up the Natcheez, is meeting with good success with bees. He finds them to do good work on alfalfa and the quality of honey therefrom is of excel lent quality. The disposition to swarm here is very strong. Last year was not a prolific one, but in 1892 his colonies rilled 1 heir hives and stored nearly 100 lbs of frame honey each. H« has never been obliged to feed his pets in winter. The island of Corsica, ju3t west of Italy, is spoken of as a remarkable place for Ines. When it wa3 ".subject to the Romans" a tribute was imposed upon it of no less than 200,000 pounds of wax yearly. Indeed, the laurel, the almond tree, and the myrtle, in the flowers of which the bees find so much sweetness, are very common there; and the hills are all covered with will thyme an other fragrant htrbt." lit- and fruit are a practical combination anywhere. The combine is a double header. Bees help fertilize the blossom* by convey ing pollcu, and thus cause the fruit to iet, where it might fail otherwise: and the blos soms furnish honey to the bees.