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8 Ranch and Range. ISSUED EVERY THURSDAY. In the interests of the Farmers, Horticulturists and Stockmen of Wash ington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah aud British Columbia. Official organ of the Northwest Fruit Growers' Association, embracing Was-hington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. Subscription (In advance) $1.00 per year MILLER FREEMAN Editor Address all communications to 634-535 Pioneer block, Seattle, Wash. Branch office at North Yakima, Wash. As the winds blow cold and send the forest leaves scurry ing to the ground; as the chill blasts make our little homes seem cozy and the humble hearthstone fire gives out its cheering warmth, we who have not gone to Klondike and have beeni considering ourselves indeed unfortunate for having been compelled by force of circumstances to remain at home, begin to feel less and less envious of the thousands now struggling over mountain passes in their wild scram ble for the magic gold. It would be impossible to foretell the amount of suffering that these maddened hordes will have to pass through ere the spring of ninety-eight brings them relief. Starvation is almost sure to be the fate of many, while many more will be stricken down with sick ness. ' As we think of these things we hug our little enter prises with a tighter grip and conclude that after all while we are not on the high road to fortune we are earning "the necessities of life, and the recompense that comes with honest, well-directed effort. RANCH AND RANGE will take pleasure in investi gating for shippers the standing of any commission firm or produce dealer in any of the Northwest states. Inquiries made by farmers as to information of this sort we will give our prompt attention to. Those who have reason to believe that they have been ill-treated by commission dealers may make reports to us and we will take the pains to look the cases up and give a correct report as to the standing of such concerns. This is something that the farmers should not hesitate in doing, and when they find a firm that is dis honest make it a particular point to write us immediately and we will at once commence an investigation. If we find our correspondent's suspicions confirmed we will not hesi tate to publish the facts and thus prevent others from los ing money. We believe that if the shippers will co-operate with us it will not be difficult to prevent such losses by shysters as have been complained of in the past. It will also be a good deal harder for irresponsible fellows to start up without capital or reputation in the spring, fly high in the summer and "bust up" in the fall. How about it ship pers? Let us hear from you. Any bright young man or woman can make money by canvassing for subscriptions for this journal. We pay com mission or salary, or both, and award full remuneration for all work done. It is not necessary to leave home, but good lists can be made up right in the neighborhoods in which they live. A golden cover for our journal is symbolical of this year of jubilee and its golden harvest. It is a singular coincidence also that it is much the same color as a gold dollar, which is just exactly the price of a year's subscription. We guarantee that each issue will be a veritable gold mine. M. J. Lehmann, of the well-known Seattle milling firm of Lehmann Bros., calls our attention to the fact that while in its original intent the state grain inspection law is a good measure, that its purpose is being misinterpreted by those who are in authority, and injustice is being wrought by taxing those who ship grain to be milled in Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane and one or two other large cities in this state. Orain inspection is all right in cases of dispute between buyer and seller, but there is no possible advantage in hav ing shipments of grain for milling and feeding purposes in spected, where a definite understanding exists between the parties making the transfer. This matter was recently taken RANCH AND RANGE. up in a law suit by Lilly, Bogurdus & Co., and was decided in their favor, but an appeal has been made by the state, and it will be rather interesting to see what the final decision will be. Such firms as Lehmann Bros, have been making considerable importations of corn from Nebraska, and al though every car has probably passed inspection before leaving there, and also in spite of the fact that every car is paid for before shipped, making outside interference un necessary, the local inspectors have been asserting that they have the power to again go through the form of an inspec tion and charge up 50 cents for each car. Well, it looks to us like it is a fiasco, and we agree with Mr. Lehmann when he made the statement that it would be more graceful and productive of better results if these gentlemen would pass the hat around instead of making the attempt to distort the law for pecuniary gain. While grain importers and mill men in the larger cities are compelled to meet this demand, there is no inspection in any of the smaller towns, is that millers and dealers in Everett, Olympia and other points in the state are not subject to this tax. It is not right. Wm. A. Conant's excellent article in our journal of two weeks ago on the "Value of Good Blood" has brought out a communication full of sound thought from S. M. Shipley. This is a fertile topic and well worth thorough discussion. Jno. L. Smith's article in this issue will be the means of giving some valuable ideas to every grain farmer of the Northwest. The Skookum Box Factory of Seattle and the South Bend Box Factory have been consolidated under the name of the former company. It places the Skookum Box Company in a position to furnish spruce boxes from their South Bend mill at prices that cannot be discounted. We have yet to- hear of a case of ill-treatment by this firm of a grower in this state. Next year they will be in a position to handle a much larger number of orders. As indicating what vigorous, systematic effort can accom plish in fighting noxious insects we note that in '92 the • gypsy moth (a very difficult insect with which to deal) in fested an area in Massachusetts of 200 square miles; that through the efforts of the Board of Agriculture of that state the pest is now confined to an area of about 75 square miles. It sometimes comes handy to utilize a row of shade trees for fence posts (and they make good ones), more rows of trees should be planted with this end in view. The wires should not be stapled directly to the trees, but laths an inch thick and two or more inches wide should be first nailed or bolted to the trees and the wires stapled to the laths. It seldom pays to retain strawberry plants more than two years. S. Powers, strawberry specialist to the Florida Ex periment Station, says that a careful, energetic grower, can turn his beds under every spring and replant them outright in the fall more cheaply than he can fight crab grass all summer, laboriously scrape and pick it out of the beds in the fall and refill the many missing places. To adopt this bold course he should make sure of generous provision of vigor ous young plants early in the fall or late summer, then he may do it fearlessly. In France, Spain, Italy, Austria and the South American states having pure food laws the sale of salicylic acid has been forbidden. And in Pennsylvania its use in food has been prohibited by Mr. Wells, the Dairy and Food Commis sioner. This acid hinders fermentation and is contained in many of the food preservatives sold as being entirely harm less, although its action is directly opposed to the process of digestion. For this reason its use is being quite generally condemned. Sound fruits, carefully prepared and properly heated and sealed, are O. K. without resorting to the use of preserving compounds. The progressive, wide-awake and industrious farmer will have a few coins to jingle in his pocket this fall and he will invest a large amount of it in good stock of various kinds, including sheep, hogs, horses, cattle and poultry. Our agricultural fairs are the places to go for such invest ments. Attend our fairs. They are the great educators of our agricultural classes. It pays financially and socially. —Vancouver Columbian.