The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-07-05
4 Well Known Eastern Agricultural
Editor Airs Ills Opinions.
IRRIGATION In ITS PERFECTION.
a Wonderful ami Fruitful Country
That 10 Viewed with Great Favor
ny she Editers-North Yakima n
Thriving Town.


Yakima valley, that our readers probably
will be moro interested in q description
Of this section than Of any other that we
visited on our western trip. Here is
where irrigation is seen in its highest per.
lection, and no intelligent reader need be
told that rich soil, especially of kind
that will not bake under the application
OF water, and irrigation form q combina-
ton that must insure success in cultiva.
ton, u the climate is all right. The Yak
ina valley has all the natural and arti-
fetal conditions to make il the garden
spot Of the world. Its soil along the Yak.
ina river is deep black alluvial; on the
lower flats Of the Columbia it is a sandy
loan, and thousands OF acres is volcanic
ash Fifty feet deep, soil whose fertility
is inexhaustible. The long days and prac.
tical absence Of winter, and the Chinook
winds, furnish ideal conditions for fruit
growing and indeed the raising OF every
variety Of crop. The soil and climate are
suitable to the production Of both fruit
and grain, but the coil is too valuable for
the production Of fruit to use it for grain
crops. As said before in regard to this
western country, the dairy might be made
TO pay Handsomely, for alfalfa grows most
luxuriantly. Those who have never made
study Of the effect of irrigation in the
arid regions can have but an imperfect
idea of the marvellous Transformation OF
an arid country when water is turned upon
it. We know in a general way what irri-
CATION has done for California and Utah |;
but there can be no comprehensive con-
ception OF the result OF the artificial water
ing OF land until 1t is seen. Here in the
Yakima valley we find all the favorable
conditions that exist in the best portions
OF California and some advantages which
California does not possess. Eastern
Washington is blessed with plenty Of
water. The Columbia river, with its
numerous tributaries, is the reliance Of
the fruit grower OF eastern Washington
and it can never fail him. The Yakima
river and all its tributaries always have
plenty of water, for the SHOWS on the
Cascade mountains which drain into
these streams are Of the depth OF twenty
five to thirty-five feet at the close OF every
winter. More perfect conditions for irri.
cation would be impossible. II for any
reason it is desirable, irrigation can be had
from artesian wells. Near North Yakima
this plan is sometimes adopted. One well
that We saw was $40 feet deep, the tenn
perature OF the water was seventy-four
degrees, and it would irrigate 400 acres.
The section is adapted to peaches, apples,
plums. apricots, prunes. nectarines, pears,
grapes, melons, and all kinds OF small
fruit. There is never failure OF the
fruit crop. Every variety OF the grape
does we'll. The Tokay is grown extern
sively and with great profit. The Sweet
water grape ripens here in July and is q
profitable grape because Of its earliness,
though the quality is not so good as the
later grapes. The cost OF setting vine
yard. as given us by responsible parties,
is for labor about 81, when the settler per-
forms the labor, and 800 vines cost in the
neighborhood Of $35. Five tons per acre
is about the average yield, which, at
three and one half cents per pound, would
be about $3.50 for the acres product. All
the fruits yield well and even enormously.
All the vegetables do well, and the crops
are not only large, but they are Of the
very best quality. Potatoes, for instance,
both sweet end Irish. are the best we
ever saw.
For nearly quarter of a century hop
growing has been steady success in the
Yakima valley, and We lind that 1t is gen.
orally admitted that the hops grown here
are decidedly superior to almost every
other hop in the world. The cost of
raising and marketing hops here is from
five to seven cents per pound; and the
price Of hops is somewhere about twelve
to twenty cents per pound, an enormous
profit. There is never an approach to
failure of the hop crop in the Yakima
valley. irrigation insuring the growth and
the dry climate being especially favor
able to the harvesting Of the hop crop.
Directly through the Yakima valley runs
the Northern Pacific, furnishing transpor-
tation for the products Of the section,
directly and indirectly, to all the large
markets Of the country, and indeed of the
world. But the great mining districts OF
the west, such as Butte, Helena, Ana
conds. and the cities OF Washington,
afford large and profitable market not
only for fruits, but for pork and dairy
products, which can be produced here
with great profit.
The question will naturally arise, how
do We know these things? Have we only
the word Of the interested citizen of the
Yakima valley for them? Well, we saw
the evidences OF what the country is with
our own eyes. In the middle of April
we saw the thrifty orchards about North
Yakima in full bloom, and the season
was late at that; we saw all kinds OF
fruit trees and grape vines and small fruit
in the very finest possible condition; we
saw numerous hop fields whose very
appearance would convince one of what
might be expected OF them; we saw
numerous five-acre lots that have hand
somely supported families; we saw ten
and twenty acre lots from which men
were getting rich; we met men whom we
bad known for years, and whose word
we knew to be unimpeachable, who tes-
tilted to the truth Of all that we have re-