The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-10
MODEL FARMING.
How Diversified Crops Make Profit in
spokane County.
: pokks Ne Spokesman


Spokane Spokesman.
Cheney. April S.-Wsa the purpose az
letting the readers % the Spokesman 50
much interested ~ the des eloDnaen1 Of
diversified farming know what Gfversi-
fed ard systematic farming XIII accom-
pl4sh IN this country. fas correspondent
drove out this afternoon 70 look over TWO
model farms owned and cultivated ~
tao model farmers. adjacent 70 The city
OF Cheney. The results % diversified
farming inteiIigently directed. as given
below, may he repeated on any goa land
in Spokane CO inty. or. as TO that. any
where In the Palouse. Big Bend or Col
Vile country.
]. c. Tenneson owns ise acres Of pTal-
RE land one mile west OF Cheney. ag3-
joining the city limits. which he home
steaded in 1876. When ne located here
Mr. Tenneson says he possessed as tAe
sum OF his earthly possessions $40 IN
cash. which he invested In material for
buildings and Incaosing hrs homestead.
During the nineteen years he has been on
this place he has followed diversified
farming instead of running his land in
wheat from year TO year, as most far
mers IN this country have done. II may
be said there Is 10 better wheat land in
this country bat Mr.. Tsnnsson laid his
plans having in view the raising OF ev-
erythinE on his place a growing family
would need. with surplus 10 sell in the
market He now has i5o acres IN a high
state OF cultivation. a handsome two
story frame residence. one OF the finest
and best arranged stock barns in eastern
Washington. an orchard OF twenty acres
containing 2.Cso bearing fruit trees. OF
which l. 30 are apple. . cherry. 51 plum,
u prune and 20 pear trees besides a large
assortment Of smaller fruit. His apples
began bearing four years after bearing
and have paid well since six years from
planting: and his plums. pruneS. cher
ries and pears paid we'll after three
years. His trees are all healthy looking
and headed with fruit. not showing the
lesat sign OF damage from the late
frosts. Mr. Tenueson raises wheat and
oats and all farm products common TO
this country. and feeds cows and hogs
and finds II profitable His farm is cas-
lily worth SIS per acre, and II may be he
will think this estimate is too low and
does him an injustice
One-haif mile west from Mr.. Teuneson
is r. j. McFeron's farm. This is also
model fruit and stock farm. Like Mr.
Tennneson. Mr.. McFeron homesteaded
his place. settling on II in 1877. and SAYS
he was the first man 10 file on land in
what is now Cheney township. Mr.. Nc
Feron is compare lively a young man yet
and enjoys his home. "a well ne may
for II is a lovely spot to dwell on. He
laughingly said he had the pick OF the
township and has never regretted his
choice. When he homesteaded his place
he had Just s1a.50 In cash, two horses.
IL and Is years Old. an old-fashi0ned see
ond- hand wagon and young and eotFr-
ageous wife who urged him to settle in
this then uninhabited country. She now
sleeps the sleep that knows no waking
He has an orchard OF $50 bearing trees.
including apples plums. prunes. cherries.
pears and large variety of berries Dur
ing the last four years his cash receipts
after expense Of living, have run from
81 so 10 81. 500 year. He raises wheat.
oats and potatoes, and feeds cows and
hogs. doing considera bic IN the dairy
business. He says hogs pay fed on wheat
when wheat IS worth s. 10 30 cents a
bushel. His best fruit grows on what he
calls second bench land and his apples
have never been damaged by frost since
his trees began bearing. When your cor
respondent said ne wanted some facts
for the Spokesman for the benefit Of the
farmers. Mir. McFeron said: We'll. you
may say I have by experience learned 10
summer fallow half my grain land every
year and every farmer who does Il Will
find II vii pay him. Fall sowing" he
said, has proved best ten times out OF
eleven years sriesi
Mr. McFcron has a fine crop % wheat
looking remarkably wei. and he viii
feed Il 20 his hogs though II he worth 90
cents per hushel His place Is ca silly
worth $1,000 and could not we presume
be bought for that sum. II is needless 20
say diversified farming has kept these
gentlemen out OF debt and they are rot
troubled with mortgages.