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IO BALMERS PLAIN FRUIT TALK. Editor The Ranch: Dear Sir: —In making a few notes on the apples exhibited at the late In terstate fair at Spokane one condition is very observable viz., the difference in size, color, and condition of ripeness In the apples from the low altitudes and those grown on higher grounds. The upland apple grower is at a great disadvantage when pitted against the man from the lower and warmer val leys. This would not be the case were the fairs held sometime after the holi days; then the upland fruit would show at its best. It is obvious it the Interstate fair promoters desire to keep up the interest of all the growers it will be necessary to make two classes, one for the upland grower and one for the man from the valleys. The dividing line ought to be somewhere between 1200 and 1500 feet above sea level. The apples exhibited this years were not in such great quantities as here tofore, but were of the finest quality. Probably the finest and cleanest fruits were those from Prosser, on the Yaki ma. Pity they were not correctly labl ed, and shown to the best advantage. The plate exhibit in apples was very good, and quite fully represented. Alexander was in good shape, one or two plates being exceptionally fine. Arkansas (syn. Mammoth Black-twig, Paragon, Arkansas black, etc) —was in a bad mix. There is need of pomo logical education here. Arkansas is a fine dark red apple, and one of the most useful for large plantings in our state. Baldwin is shows seldomer than formerly. Baldwin is not a great success east of the mountains, west of the Cascades it is of more value. Ben Davis was here in all his glory. Ben is indispensable. Beitigheimer is a show apple, but that is about the only place it would be missed. Blue Pear main was shown in good shape. A useful fall and early winter apple. Esopus (Spitzenberg) was well rep resented with about a dozen plates. A valuable apple where it succeeds, but not generally profitable, owing to its paucity. Fall Pippin is always more or less confounded with Gloria Mundi. The two have much res emblance. Fameuse, a fine little apple and holds its own well amongst its big neighbors and is always shown in goodly quantities. Gano has come to the west to stay. It is a fine fruit on hill or valley lands, and a good keeper and shipper. Gravenstein, pretty ripe, held the boards as of old. Jonathan becomes more and more popular from year to year. It is a good variety to tie to. King was in good condition, and is very desirable for market be fore the holidays. Lawyer was shown in goodly numbers, but will not be at its best for six months to come. Maiden Blush always looks pretty on the plates, and cannot yet be spared from our orchards. Yellow Newton is always one of the fullest exhibits, but why people on the higher lands con tinue to plant it is a puzzle. This ap ple needs a warm valley and a long season to bring out its qualities. Northern Spy, unshapely, a poor keep er and shipper, slow to come in bear ing, and a bad habited tree, might well be dropped from lists of trees to plant in the northwest. Palouse, a Whitman county seedling, introduced by Geo. Ruedy, Colfax, is a fall apple, and of very good quality. Fine for family orchards. Rhode Island is not the apple in the west that it is jn the east. It is a poor keeper here and the quality is not firstrate. Rome Beauty is one of our very best commercial ap ples; does well on the high lands, or in the low valleys, is showy, and a fine keeper and seller; ought to be largely planted for market. Wagener, is a Northern Spy type of apple, but a more valuable appley than Spy for the northwest. Its place, owing to its precocity, is as a filler in newly plant ed orchards. Not a bad apple. Waxen, not much grown east of the mountains, but valuable west of the Cascades. Winesap, always well shown. A good small to medium apple, and popular with those who like an acid apple. Wolf River is the "Bluffer" amongst apples. Wealthy, a showy, valuable fall apple, a good seller and profitable. York Imperial, shown in small quan tities, is a popular eastern variety, but will succeed in the west only in the warmer valleys; it requires a long season to mature it. The new (?) apples introduced by the Louisiana Nursery Co. are begin ning to be seen on the show benches, but the less said about them the bet ter. Black Ben Davis is the best of them, and is, I believe, distinct from Gano, and a better apple. Apple of Commerce, and several others intro duced by this firm have little to rec ommend them. The fruit, as grown in the vicinity of Spokane is very in ferior. No new apples of local origin were shown this season. J. A. BALMER. Dairy farmers of the irrigated dis tricts are interested in the following query and its answer, which appeared in the Breeders' Gazette: R. E. 8., writes: "I am feeding the following ration to dairy cows: Al falfa hay, 10; sorghum fodder, 20; wheat bran, 3, and cottonseed meal, 2 pounds per head daily. My desire is to get a good balanced ration as well as the cheapest. Where can I im prove upon this?" If our correspondent will do a little figuring, using the feeding tables, he will find that his ration corresponds very closely to the Wolff standard, and this true, it should be found satisfac tory. On the whole, no improvement need be attempted. It will be noticed that a very limited quantity of grain is fed, only five pounds daily. Read ers not familiar with the situation should remember that the protein re quirements of the ration are about half met in this case from the alfalfa hay, which supplies over one pound of that utrient. Here is where alfalfa is a great help to the dairyman. The finer parts of good alfalfa hay are just about as rich in protein as is wheat brain. Farm ers in several parts of our country are gradually coming to learn that when they are in need of protein for their cattle it is a good deal cheaper to raise alfalfa and cure it into good hay than to patronize the millers in the pur chse of bran. Bran is an excellent feeder for dairy cows, but we must not depend upon it entirely lest the prices of it soar far above our abili-' ties to purchase. The alfalfa plan is indeed a blessed one on any farm that will grow it. Let every one study this agricultural marvel in order that it may bless his lands and his live stock, and help replenish his pocketbood if the plant can be grown. W. A. HENRY, A man who dares to waste an hour of time has not learned the value of life. —Charles Darwin. THE RANCH. •■"■■ Pl Take the Short Gut to Best Results fr —R==^yyL==i4l in feeding of all kinds of live stock, either for growth [I °prsss7anD[ LJI and rapid development, putting on fat, or increasing W^£j°yvrooD|--'^ milk, etc. by feeding I I^SSfe 1 Prussian Stock Food. . fCisvL It not only increases the product thereby reducing the first cost, but li^HlS^Sa^^M it wards off disease and keeps the animals in a more thrifty and ■ I Itti^HStfjßiy houltliv condition. As a general proposition read what it has done for this man. Gentlemkn:—l have fed Prussian Stock Food to my horses and obtained splendid results. The improvement in condition and spirits was remarkable. My milk in creased IB per cent by factory weight on this food during the dry weather. I heartily endorse its we. . A. L. Smith, Dundee, Mich. Ask your dealer for it. If no agent in your town, write us for special terms, etc. We mail 68-Page Book on Stock Feeding Free. PRUSSIAN REMEDY COMPANY, ST. PAUL, MINN. Portland Seed Co., Portland, Or., Coast Agent. SHIP YOUR CREAM TO US) Commence shipping your cream to the best market in the West. We guarantee to get you more for your cream than you can get at home, and make weekly spot cash pay ments. One shipment will convince you of this fact. Add your name to our long and growing list o fsatisfied shippers. We refer you to any bank in Seattle. The MEADOWBROOK CO. SEATTLE, WASH. THE HAZELWOOD CO., SPOKANE, Have exclusive agency for all Eastern Washington, including Yakima and Kittitas counties, also for the states of Idaho and Oregon. Improved U. S. Separators DAIRYMEN, ATTENTION *• our Exclusive Manufacture DAIRYMKH > A I f tIW I #€/#¥ of the Superior Dairy chop None other genuine. Excels all other cow feeds, with no except tion, in the largest flow of milk by actual tests. Wiite for pric. SEA TTLE CEREAL COMPANY, Seattle. COLD STORAGE. ! Newest and Best Equipment in the Northwest. Brick Buildings. Low Insurance Rate. Wharf and Rail Connections. 'j WASHINGTON COLD S TORAGE WAREHOUSE. Oriental Readman and Occidental Wa rehouses. Oriental Dock. 30,000 Tons Capacity. ■ .. . U. S. Bond and Free UNITED WAREHOUSE CO. SEATTLE.