The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1873-04-17

ready do our agricultural and stockgrowing nteresti
begin to rival the importance OF our mines IN the
value OF their productions. Even with the presen'
primitive and unsatisfactory methods OF CULTIVATION
In vogue amongst our farmers. their crops OF 81
kinds of small grain exceed by onc-ha the ORDINARY
Weld of the best titled lands in the Atlantic states
while the more than luxuriant abundance in which
nearly every variety of vegetables Is produced VIII
doubtless be treated as fiction by many persons un
acquainted with the wonderful fertility Of the valleys
/ West of the Rocky Mountains. As instances OF the
richness of Idahos soil: have known farmer
here to harvest 1900 bushels Of wheat from twenty
Ave acres of ground, rs the result Of the second
wears seeding: another who harvested 500 bushels
from ten acres and still another who realized 16 800
pounds of potatoes from thirtytwo acres OF ground
for which he received three cents per pound; and
well authenticated accounts Of similar yields OF cab
bages, beets onions, carrots. tomatoes, and every
description of vegetable usually grown in northern
climate come from all parts of the Territory. Expe.
rments in grape culture have already demonstrated
the feasibility of making that, within few years.
lucrative. as it is charming. and desirable pursuit
saw grape vines, few days ago. twenty-five feet
long the roots or sets of which were shipped here
from the State Of Ohio in the Spring Of 1871 These
vines are strong and substantial Of stem. notwith-
standing the unprecedented rapdy of their growth,
and will bear largely Of fruit this year. Apple pear.
peach Plum and other varieties of fruit trees.
now bearing fruit in Boise Valley; strawberries.
raspberries and currants also flourish here.
The amount of valley lands in the Territory. suited
to the purposes of agriculture. may be stated, !
think at fifteen thousand square miles without dan
ger of exaggeraon; and there is much greater ex-
tent Of sage plain which actual tests have shown to
be of equal fertility when irrigated. with water for
rrigating ii plentiful and convenient, SO that the
total tllabe surface Of Idaho may safely be estimated
at forty thousand square miles. OF the remaining
portions of the Territorial domain thirty thousand
square miles may be set apart pasture land; and
it win be found to afford pasiurage for stock. equal
to the best in any other country The grass on the
mountain sides and hills is Of the variety species
popularity called bunch grass. and is nutritious
as timothy. SO excellent is the range. that our
butchers drive cattle and sheep into the towns aud
mining camps. aud slaughter them at all OF
the year; aud the mea, killed during the Winter and
Spring months. is just fat, juicy and tender as
that killed at any other time OF year.
The only manufactures in the Territory OF which
have knowledge. are tho "Oneida Salt Works."
few Touring mills. the Boise City Soap Factory. and
two dis,ieries. What the producing capacity Of
either Is. apprehend is not known. The salt manu-
factory. has, so far believe. proved itself equal TO
every demand made upon il: aud the salt produced
Is OF a superior quality. The amount OF whisky
manufactured is necessarily regulated rather by the
demand for the article than by the ability of the
uac,urers to suppyi,. The quality is about good
as anything which is all bad can DO. and is better
than the mos, Of the villanous stuff imported into
the Territory aud sold whisky A haif-dozen -four
ing mills supply the home trade with an excellent
quality OF aour. made from whea; grown In the Ter
r!tory.
A species OF brownish gray sandstone. used for
building. easily worked. durable and elegant. is
found in the immediate vicinity of Boise City. which
Is said TO be unlimited as to quantity.
The mountains. and In many instances the foothills
and even portions of the valleys osergrown with
dense forests OF timber consisting mostly Of pine
ar aud ianarack. Of the s,aeiics, growth from which
thousands of millions Of feet OF lumber conld be
made wlthou, danger of cxhaus,ing the supply of
timber. Cottonwood. alder and some other varieties
Of trees found on Nil Of the streams.
Idaho Is severed from East 70 West by TIE clark's
Fork Of the Columbia and Snake rvers-,he .rst and
fourth In size of the rivers Of the Pacific coast These
rivers and their tributaries abound in trout salmon.
trout. whte-hsh and others Of the Anny tribe; and
the lakes OF which there a great number In the
contain. besides those, spccies-or per-
haps genus--of fish known here "red fish," Their |
bodies of bright vermillion hue aud heads and
fms Of deep green. Like salmon, they ascend |
The rivers TO spawn, travelling in shoals, sometimes |
four or FIVE hundred: and more agreca-
BILE sight Is rarely witnessed than of these shoals
moving leisurely along under a bright sun, and in
clear water Many have pronounced them the mos.
delicious of fresh water FISH, but It has not yet been
that they can be preserved in q manner
retain the peculiarly delicate flavor for which they
ire distinguished when fresh.
The climate Of Idaho varies with the various alt-
udes OF her uneven surface very low temperature
being frequently reached in the winter on her
high mountains. In her valleys the climate Is at all
seasons OF the year both genial aud salubrious and
he temperature singuiarly even the mercury rarely
ever, descending below zero, or rising above ITO
line much higher temperature rules here than in
corresponding latitude in the Atlantic Statcs-a pe
uliarity observable throughout the whole region
Vest of the Rocky mountains.
In as much as the opinion seems to prevail to a con-
iderabe extent at the East that the people of Idaho
re all characterless advcnturers thieves and cut.
hroats, will here add by way of disavowal thereof
hat there are as few desperadoes in this Territory as
mong like number Of people anywhere else that
no laws are as well enforced property as secure;
fe as well protected and safe and capital crimes
ess frequent, as statistics will amply show than in