Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-05-04
L. M. Ringer Talks Of the Palouse
Country.
Tacoma Ledger.)

man Land and Investment company
aud of the Pullman Mercantile company,
owner OF 1900 acres OF orchards along
Snake river and Poaewawa creek, farm
or OF 1900 fertile acres near Pullman,
pioneer, and one of the wealthiest men
in the Palouse country, arrived in the
city yesterday.
He is registered at the Fife hotel.
Mr. Ringer used to ship grain from AL
mota and Lewiston, on the Snake river.
rs far back as early seventies. He
branched out into the mercantile bust
ness and into fruit raising, making a
success OF both.
when left Pullman a week ago the
farmers we're a month ahead Of last wear
in putting in their crops" said he last
evening. "The prospects for good
crop are fine and the farmers are accord
ingly iubilant. The ground is saturated
as result OF the heavy rains during
the fall and early spring. 1t is still
raining, too.
"There is not much money in ciroula-
ton, however. The almost total loss of
the crop in the Palouse country last year
has left Pullman, as other towns, in a
very much hattened condition. The
heavy rains which set in last September
and continued almost without cessation
until March proved very disastrous. Dur
ing that time there was not one week Of
fair weather. have resided twenty
two years in Whitman county, bit l
have never seen anything like last year.
Thousands of acres of growing wheat
was beaten to the ground, thousands of
tons rotted in the stack, and thousands
OF bushels which had been harvested
rotted in the sacks. Those farmers who
harvested vera in worse conditlou than
those who we're late about getting in
their crops for they lost not only the
grain but their labor and their sacks.
"The farmers are all hopeful, however
and have plenty OF spunk, bockbons and
energy. They are working eight days
a week and propose to put in all the
time possible while the weather is favor
able. II the crops this year prove as
large and good as they now promise,
and if prices are fair in the fall the farm
ers will come out all right That is what
we are all praying for. If the heavy
rains had not ruined the bounteous crop
last year the farmers would have real
lied, even at the low prices, enough to
have enabled them to pay off fifty five
per cent. of their matured Indebtedness.
But with the start they now have, and
unless signs fail, they will come out on
top this year"
Touching on the subject of diversified
farming, Mr.. Ringer said:
There is a good deal of general talk
in that line up my wav, Some farmers
are experimenting in the sugar beet cul-
ture, but the staple article will always
be wheat. There will probably be
good deal OF barley raised this year, al
most as much of this article as wheat
The failure of the crop in California has
advanced prices TO a hattering figure
aud many farmer will take advantage
OF the condition of the market and seed
good portion of their lands in barley.
1.-THE failure of the crops last year has
proved dear lesson to the formers"
said Mr.. Ringer. "A good many lost, 1
suppose, because their wheat was not as
wei, stacked as it should have been.
But then nearly all the wheat up our
way is cut by header, and hea ded grain
can not easily be stacked in such man
ner that it will effectually and success
fully shed the rain during a downpour
of several months duration. | guess,
after all. the disaster could not have been
guarded against very we'll"
Mr.. Ringer has lived in Whitman
county for twenty-five years and was
at one time in business at Almota. AS
he remarked last night he has lived in
the Palouse country since Whitman
county covered an area of territory
bounded by the Snake river on the south.
the Idaho boundary on the east the
Columbia river on the west and British
Columbia on the north. Though Mr.
Ringer has never devoted much time to
politics, except when some measure came
up that in his opinion would materially
benefit the people of the Palouse country
In oanaral ha has tIrinn haan nlnntoA q.