The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-27
TIE rAKrSA soUxrsr.


As~H osnhs AUoot He
NORTH YAKIMA. Feb. 6--ISpecial CORE
spondsnce. Having been resident OF
Western Washington for several years. be-
coming familiar with its agriculture and
fruit growing, l had curiosity to take
look at the eastern portion OF the state.
MY nrst trip has been to the Yakima re-
Eion, extending from the gap east of North
Yakima 20 Mabton. IL being the tract
watered by the great sunnyside canal.
II In not the time Of year to see the coun-
try at its best, but NJ the same time it 10
In some respects best to see new country
at Its worst, for the wise immigrant takes
all the Objectionable features OF . country
into consideration along with its features
of special merit.
Ny trip has been by rail, by wagon and
on foot. have talked with land boomers,
hotel men, irrigation ditch men, mer-
chants, Iaborers and very largely with the
occupants of the newly established ranches
and OF the older homesteads. from whom
the most valuable, because the most reli-
able, information is to be obtained.
From the time of its formation this has
been desert region. with only sage brush
and occasional SUITS If Wild grass TO cover
its surface, the home Of the lonely coyote
and his natural prey. the jackrabbit and
the sagehen. A long, dry summer Of cloud
iess days, warm and even hot by day, but
cool at night; short winter. with little
rain and still less snow, accompanied by
temperature ranging from iodegrees above
zero TO I or and, ON very rare occasions,
10 degrees below, are its climatic charact-
cristics in brief.
This tract il bench land, many feet above
the bottom land along the river. The soil
10 deep-forty to sixty feet-of almost uni
form composition. fine and compact until
stirred by cultivation. without stone or
gravel. 1t is Of purely sedimentary char
actsr, formed by centuries of washing
from the great range of mountains to the
west. Way beneath 10 gravel formation
similar TO those now forming the bed Of
the Yakima river. In Its natural state
this soil IL iifsiess. and to the cursory OBJ
server utterly worthless for agricultural
purposes. Results elsewhere from irri-
CATION suggested TO some of the stockmen
who had wide ranges along the river
bottoms that there might be something
In this soil. after all. if water could be
brought to its assistance. They were con-
fident that the climate was ali right for
the production OF fruits and grain. To
test the matter few joined their efforts
and constructed . small, imperfect ditch
from the Yakima river to what Is now
known as Parker district No. S. This was
some ten or twelve years ago. Fruit trees
were planted, farm operations begun and
the water distributed. The result was
are orchard, the first trees of which
ws-e planted in 1851. The orchard con-
sists OF apple. pear, prune, plum and
cherry trees, all laxuriant in growth,
magical and has continued so. almost be-
yond belief have today visited thirty
and bearing the most proinsc crops.
Shade trees are thriving equally we6.
Thi. il known as the Bickneil ranch and
was sold last year by Mr.. Bickneii for
SIS. 500 cash. Others began planting. and
for quite a distance there is today an
orchard and farm center tina. astonishes all
beholders-as profitable as il is beautiful.
Adjoining this place. and IN full view,
are extensive hop yards and alfalfa fields.
Here are ricks of alfalfa hay over 30 feet
in length, from which are being fed cattle
and sheep, and corn cribs abound that
remind one OF Iowa and Kansas. Here
are cellars well filled with enormous APP
ples and pears. Indeed. IL seems as
though nature has fitted this country for
the production of all the vegetables.
grains and fruits that can thrive in . sefni-
tronieal climate--a greater number than
can be grown in any other one locality
with anything like perfection. This Is
large talk--boom talk, some may say. but
IL is the truth.
twas late last year when the water
reached the larger portion of this now
thoroughly irrigable land below Ziiiah.
but much has been done since that time
in clearing the land and in planting and
eultiya.ing orchards of all kinds Many
.mall hop yards also have been set. Mostly
i.year-old trees from the nursery haSe
been nlanted. They have made excellent
growth. Alfalfa sown last spring has ee'
come we'll established. and yielded Two to
three cuttings. A few OF the young mop
fields gave TO TO LOO pounds OF hops,
sufficient to pay for roots. poles, training
eul;iya,ing, harvesting, drying ana oaiing,
and in some cases even more than this
The new settlers wear . satisfied look
and are hopeful Of the future.
tn. work of irrigating is light and easily
understood by the observant, intesiigent
man. but of course some mistakes are
aae such as using too much water and
letting i, on too late in the season, thereby
prolongsng growth Of vine or Wood when
the erop should be maturing or the wood
h.raenins for its season of rest. but these
are errors Of Judgment that experiences
viii correct.
Tn. work of clearing the land OF sage
hyu.h /. neither slow or diihcali. saw
men n work cutting the brush at the
grorna with q mattock. who said they
we're setting on at the rate OF one-third OF
oue-haif an acre per day. more rapid
wav il 70 break down the brush oy draw
n, . railroad rail over the ground, then
-asinx the brush together sad burning it
A stirring pillow. xith sso horses attached
aoss the rest. ami the ground Is ready Tor
..aooshing of Tor .he irrigstiSs iatro~s er
r,.rss for they amount TO little more
,hsa the usual impression OF the
e,vn marker in the eorn-erosing states.
- a.. sometimes made by similar de
-. little more heavily weighted One
ear hire the clearing and plesiag done
fav IS Per acre. The roots 81 the sage oher
nt,le obstruction TO the rsox. snd are nos
! a.ic.t in after cultivation There Is no
,....~ ,,,r ths .od TO decay. rs IN prairie