The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-15
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY. MAY Is.
EASTERN wAsHrSoroS FARMERS


From reports In the Eastern Washing
ton papers Il seems that there IS a wide
spread movement among the farmers or
mat section to cut down their acreage In
wheat, and TO devote some OF their land
10 the cultivation OF fruits and vegetables
as well as 20 Increase their holdings OF
stock and engage more extensively In the
dalrying business. New creameries are
being put IN operation in dozens OF the
smaller towns. small pork packing estab-
lishments are reported as being In con-
temptation, and from all sections. but
particularly in the irrigation belt. are
accounts OF the planting OF new orchards.
The largest sawmiIl IN the Palouse conn
try Is SEEING taxed to supply the suddenly
Increased demand for packing boxes for
eggs and fruit. and finds more profitable
market for It's lumber in this new direction
than IL had seen during the boom times.
when the mill was run on building lumber
exclusively.
These are all encouraging signs OF the
commencement OF the new farming era
for this state which will soon make 1t In
dependent OF the rest of the world. as FAR
as ita food supply Is concerned. The
prairie section OF the state has passed
through an experience common to all the
new West. For years the rolling bunch
grass hills OF Eastern Washington were
considered worthless except for stock
raising. although unsurpassed for that
purpose The few alluvial tracts OF bot
tom land were considered all that was
available fer farming. Farmers and grain
ralsera were few and the great industry Of
tho country was the raising OF cattle. An
adventurous experiment In attempting 30
raise wheat on the bunchgrass hills sud
denly demonstrated that these hills far
surpassed IN fertility the lower bottom
lands. and in fact were the best wheat
lands IN the world. and had such depth OF
soil that their fertility was practically IN
exhaustthe.
The era az wheat raising followed this.
bat Ten years ago 81 was common remark
ia the Palouse country that while the land
there was admittedly the best for wheat In
any section OF the country. It would never
90 III for anything else. that corn and
vegetables would not do well. that pcrma-
nent meadows were impossible. and as for
fruit. there was no prospect 81 raising any
except on the warm and sheltered lands
lying nearly 700 feet lower than the IA
louise hills on the immediate banks OF the
Snake river.
The depression IN tho wheat market.
while e has brought hardship and tn many
eases actual ruin 20 ne Individual farmer.
has on the whole resulted In permanent
good 90 the entire Eastern Washington
wheat belle II has forced tho energetic
farmer 10 look 90 other crops than the one
staple which bad proven uuremunerauve.
lie has tried experiments. lie has planted
orchards and has fouud. predictions 10 the
contrary. that they thriVed and produced
ahundantly. lie has discovered that grass
can he grown as readily as in any other
section. and permanent meadows ar ai3el
80 many farms. where in former years the
practice was 20 cut green grain yearly for
hay on which 20 winter the stock With
the seeding down OF raead ows has como an
Increase in he aaffyfns Industry AMI mo
multiplication Of creamerlrs. The low
price u wheat and ne high freight rates
have created movement 60 market that
wheat in SIS most concentrated form. ~
fcsling IL 20 hogs. ana pork has become A
erea, farm staple IN sections where a few
years since 81 vas imported rrorp me East
20 feed the farmer whose whole area q
land was devoted 90 growing wheat.
There Seems az present a steady. healthy
movement towards a return 20 prosperity
an over ,hc Cnion. Better fj-noS are close
AZ band and money Will soon move more
freely IN al channels - traae. 90 al
classes. tAe farmer who has something 20
sell az every season % the year ara e nos
confined 20 enc STAPLE. MI se The FIRST -
henea. ay the return 81 gossi times 10 ne
country. T'hosc in Eastern Washington
MO have emerged from r,ts of olt-fass-
ienel methods. ara WHO hsve made 20
their farms eacA hzxh-sradr fa-tery.
forming out a anisNs3 rro}e-t rea ~ Tor
the consume. VII have before them =
fair opportunity go accumulate s. conre-
tcace withIn the next few wears. ana VII
10 loaxve Do depsn3en; On the market
fluctuations ~ one single STAPLE marketed
cHt once a year. 20 determine Whether
they have made o. lest hy their years
las0r.