The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-03-21
HORSE HEAVEN COUNTRY.
4 District That viii Be Nads to Blossom
as tho Rose.

A Paradise Tor FaFmeFs-WheFe the
BunehgFass Now Grows. Fields Of
wheat will SOOn be waving.
Much has been said concerning the
country lying west Of the Columbia river,
known as Horse Heaven. This country
is already esrning wide spread popular
ity as an agricultural region.
Starting from the west side oi the Colum-
bia river a gradual ascent Is commenced,
which reaches some six or seven miles
back where plateau is srcached, but some
what broken in spots by small canyons.
The nearer the summit Of these hills is
reached the soil becomes more dark aud
less sage-brush is seen. On the summit the
soil is very dark, the best calculated for
the growing Of wheat, and on this same
land trees are produced in abundance.
This broken range extends west for over
twenty miles TO what is called Badger
springs. The eastern and western portion
Of the Horse Heaven country is becoming
populated quite rapidly but the middle
portion Is sparsely settled.
The climate Of this region Is mild and
even. The winters are mild compared to
those Of the east, the mercury scarcely
touched fifteen below zero. Last winter
during the severist weather the thermome-
ter registered ten degrees above. The
average depth Of snow is about eighteen
inches and remains on the ground from
two to three weeks. The heat of the sum
mor is not excessive, with the exception
Of few weeks, which are quite waIm. The
rainy seasons are in the fall and spring.
Decided land in this section ranges from
IS to $40 per acre. Railroad land ranges
from &3 to IS per acre. Government land
is plentiful.
The Horse Heaven country is about 20
miles long and 20 miles wide, and COM
prises over $4,000 acres Of good arabic
land, capable Of producing over million
and half bushels Of wheat yearly.
EASTERN PORTION.
The soil Of the eastern part Of this
region is similar to that Of the western
part. It is capable Of producing wheat,
rye, barley, oats, corn, and all small
grain produced in the northwest, some
producing better than others. Corn pro-
duces very well, yielding on an average
Of twenty bushels per acre on new land.
The blue stem wheat is considered by q
majority Of the farmers as the most pro-
ductive, yielding a much larger crop than
the club. Vegetation in this part Of Horse
Heaven is considerably in advance Of that
in the western part; the hills are clothed
with luxuriant growth Of bunch grass
and wild flowers blooming forth. The
green grass is already three inches high.
Fall sown grain bids fair to yield boun-
tiful crop, and the late rains will prove q
boon to spring grain.
One great disadvantage the farmers Of
this community are laboring under is the
scarcity Of water. The greater portion Of
them are compelled to haul water, but we
think this difficulty will be overcome in
the near future. Owing TO the many
springs seeping from the ground in the
ravines, It stands to reason that water is
in the ground, but what depth will have
TO be gone before II can be reached Is yet
to be determined, as but few have yet
sunken wells. It is our opinion water can
be reached at no great depth.
Six miles west Of Wallula Is the place
Of Capt. Thos. Perkins. He has 4SO acres
Of as fine laying land as one would wish
to gaze upon. The crop Of wheat that he
has sown shows every indication Of pro-
ducing abundantly. The finest timber
culture in the Horse Heaven country,
either in the eastern or western potion, is
owned by Mr.. Perkins. The trees are in
q thriving condition, and average from
one to eight inches in diameter, grown
from seed planted six years ago. Among
his trees he has one, locust, that meas
ures twenty-four inches in circumference
at the butt, and two feet above the ground
its circumference Is eighteen inches.
Among his trees he has locust, maple,
box elder and mulberry, and all are in q
thriving condition. He is planting out
5000 young trees this spring.
One mile and half west Of Capt. Per
kins is the farm Of the Kelso brothers.
These gentlemen are farming on an ex-
tensive scale. They have in this year
near 24OO acres Of wheat, portion Of It
being sown last fall and the remainder
this spring, and II all bears indications Of
producing an abundant crop. They are
making preparations to break 1000 acres
Of sod this spring, which will be put in
wheat next fall. They have timber cul-
lures that look fine; trees that are but
three years old, planted after the first day
Of May, now measure from three TO four
inches in circumference. Some Of these
trees have grown six feet in one year,
which speaks well for this portion Of the
country. Last wear they had In q small
acreage Of grain, the greater part Of their
land being summer fallowed. They have
had in operation this spring four seeders,
kIraa harunvv kaaY,,a "A tI,-on s,.... -,