Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-07-13
LONG VALLEY.


A0DVES-4SO0 - AUAs 49,
The much spoken Of Long valley
lies as all the rest of the agricultural
lands Of Boise county in the west
end Of the county, or, rather, the
northwest part of the county. In
extent it contains more tillable land
than all the rest of the county put
and we are told it is the
largest tract Of tillable land in the
Territory on which there is sufficient
water for its irrigation.
Long valley is divided into two
parts, Long valley proper and Round
valley, but in reality they are only
one valley with a very low range of
foothills separating them. Round
valley is in the very southern end Of
Long valley when they are consid.
cred as one, and is about FIVE miles
long and probably four miles wide.
Considering the two in one it
makes Long valley about sixty or
sixty-fve miles long and will average
six miles wide. 1t is entirely sur
rounded by mountain ranges, one
down the west and another down the
east. The surrounding mountains
are high enough that those on tho
west are covered. in spots, with snow
the year round. There is one pecu-
liar difference between the eastern
and western boundary ranges. On
the eastern side of the valley almost
its whole length there are the most
beautiful foothills one could wish for,
covered with fine pine timber and
timber grass. On the west side of
the valley there are no foothills at all.
The supposition is with this valley
as with most valleys, that it once was
a lake, and the rock being softer
where the canyon now is than else
where, or that it happened to be
lower there and the water cut its way
through, thereby draining the lake,
leaving its bed, except the portion
that is still lake in the northern end,
Long valley.
The soil in the lower two thirds of
the valley is rich, black sandy loan
aud the upper one-third is granite
gravel probably not SO good for gen.
eral agricultural purposes as the
southern part. The whole valley is
at present covered with the finest
kind of bunch grass from end to end.
The mountains on both sides are
covered with forests of fir, pine and
tamarack, giving the best possible
advantage in the world for timber
There is no timber to contend with
on the tillable land at all, as in mos'
of these valleys. The valley itself is
as clear and free from trees or brush
as the plains of the Mississippi basin
Tamarack is found principally in the
north end of the valley.
n. Al. o~4,oo ,ar+b ocJ of +b<
valley are situated the great Payetts
lakes. These are series of two O.
three lakes; really only one, as they
are all connected. Taken as a whole
they are about twelve miles long an,
In the widest place about five mile
wide. On the west, north and cas-
the lakes are bounded by low noun
tains covered with pine, fir, and nea
the lakes with tamarack. The south
ern boundary of the lake is the north
ern end of Long valley; the valle'
being simply elevated enoug h to form
dixie for the lake. For about
mile or mile and half south of tn
lake the valley is covered with tama
rack timber, which, as you will see
entirely surrounds the lake with tim
Der. The water in the lake is dee
enough its whole length to carry an
) kind of boat desired and the lax
full of the finest kinds of fisl
7 Squaw fish, trout, salmon and re
> fish being the most abundant. Thes
red fish appear to be a mystery
s every one in this section of the cour
f try. The question is whether the
migrate or not. 1t appears that II
! one sees them in the lakes the who
year round, and no one has any ev
t dence that they move down or up II
: river at different times of the yea
e If any one is more familiar with the
s nature than the parties with who
Q the writer has spoken, or know whetl
# er they migrate or simply chanf
: their color and remain there, the
# will do favor by forwarding sut
xo-otl.r 18th ha. ox