The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15

mains yet 20 he answered.
The arabic land which constitutes hy far
the greater portion Of the county. Is an
unfa2aElng prairie. covered IL Sfs natural
state with bunch grass. The soil Consists
Of deccnposed basaII. enriched with allu-
vial wash and Underiain with clay sub
soil TIE haszl7ie soils wherever found
are highly productive. Trey are the char
acteristic soils OF Italy and other coun-
tries bordering the Mediterranean n
~ ashin3ton they have prodEced- wonder
f1l crops Tor many years without appar-
ent exhaustion Few countries enjoy such
varieties OF climate as are found within
the limits OF this section. that OF the pla-
feau Is mild temperate the elevation
fwnsch .is approximately z.59 feet above
sea level together with the prevailing
winds which are from the northwest
across the snow-cappea Cascades. freeing
n from the blighting effects Of hot wind
in summer and tire danger OF early and
late frosts The winters are particularly
enjoyable, snow lasting from sixty to
ninety days. with a temperature seldom
below zero The heavy snowfall followed
Is the June rains always guaranteeing SUI
hclent moisture for good crops. few
miles drive from the plateau TO the river
below takes one into an almost SEMI
tropical climate and a country requiring
irrigation. Here the elevation is but SO
feet above sea level which il - feet low
.
Yakima country. On the plateau wheat,
oats and barley are the staple products:
wheat yielding from - TO 20 bushels per
acre. oats from - 70 - bushels. and bar
ley from 20 TO o. bushels. varying accord
ing 10 the style OF farming and the nature
% the season, more depending on the
former than the latter. Up 20 two years
ago the bulk OF these products was
threshed and shipped. Recently. however.
our farmers nave turned their attention
more 10 diversified farming and stock rails
ing; cutting the principal part Of their
crops for feed. Al The present time car
loads OF cattle. hogs and poultry fad a
market on the Sound from this section.
Garden vegetables OF all kinds and OF the
best quality are grown here in abundance.
Favorable conditions Of soil and climate
and freedom from rains during the harvest
season. tend 10 develop a bright, perfect
seed. strong in terminating power. Free
also from the insect pests, so common in
the East. with comparatively little labor.
the soil can be kept free from weeds and
foul growth. Eastern seed houses discov-
eriag these facts are contracting fer
large quantities Of seeds for Eastern use
from this section. Potatoes OF the Big
Bend have a justly earned reputation.
Sugar beet grown here has given wonder
fuI returns Diversifying his crops. the
farmer has met with splendid success. In
his experiments In frHt-growing. the re-
suits have been 50 flattering that now
most Of the weil-appointed farms have
thrifty young orchards. On the plateau
apples. pears, prnnes. plums. cherries ard
all small fruits do well.
In this connection I take the liberty OF
| quoting from the article OF y. n. Durham.
/ that recently appeared In the Spokesman
Review. Among other things concerning
| the Big Bend country he says: This is
/ fine agricultural and fruit-growing region
a. T.. l.
! There has never been failure of crops.
( Most OF the wheat. oats and barley are so
excellent in all respects that they are sold
! on the markets for seeding purposes. Wa
! terviile and the foot of Badger mountain
/ are very prosperous. as their products for
| seed bring a premium over ordinary mar
! ket prices. Taking IL all in all. the Big
! Bend region is one Of the most desirable
| for agricultural purposes in the North
/ west The climatic conditions are excep-
! ti0nally fine. The temperature Is remark
| ably even. There are no sudden changes,
| 10 billiards.. no cyclones. Spring. summer
! and autumn are fine. Winter always af-
I fords good sleighing. The melting SHOWS
added TO the spring rains give plenty Of
| moisture for the crops. The summers are
! usually dry and even IN temperature The
| nights are invariably cool and refreshing
| TO all forms of life. The character Of the
| soil is the same as that In the Palouse
| country is similar TO the prairies OF Iowa
and Illinois. There are more than 1.500, go
| acres now open TO entry. Douglas county
| offers TO the settler as good opportunities
as can be found in the Northwest
| Fully developed the northern Big Bend
| country Is capable of producing annually
| 100000 bushels Of wheat or It's equivalent
! In other cereals. This does not include the
| bench lands OF the Columbia. the fruit
| output or which Will some day more than
equal In value the total of all the hay
| grain and cattle of the great plateau. That
| truit raising on the Columbia is a most
| gratifying success has been shown 50
often by actual trial In widely separated
| localities that the fact needs no further
| demonstration. Hundreds of miles of the
bench and bar lands OF the Columbia await
only the touch of energy. combined with
! capital. TO make generous response with
every variety OF fruit grown in the tenn
| perate zone. Mr.. MaNey. Of the State Hor-
| uchitural Society, has gathering things to
say OF this section. 4 great deal Of mon
ey has been expended In irrigation bitches
the past year. The Entiet Improvement
Company consisting Of Watervillc cfti-
zens. has built "A large ditch seven miles
long which carries water 20 develop 90
| horse power on the banks OF the Column
bia and lrrigates so acres OF fruit land
! Hon. r. ". Starr. register OF the United
States land office at Watcrville has COM
] n d
| CIV, seven miles Tn length. that covers sew
efai hundred acres Hon Charles Boyn-
ton has hpmrd water down Foster creek
and covers about lo0 acres. Many smaller
| dttches have been built making a total Of
twenty five 70 thirty miles OF ditch COM
pleted last year. Time is not far distant
when the Columbia valley. with It's Won
| derful climate and beautiful homes. made
| possible by Irrigation. VAIL be 10 the cities
- the Sound what Southern California
is 90 San Francisco
The mineral resources og This section ara
/ varied. Lime OF the best quality is made.
. ard large deposits ~ mineral paint exist.
also ire qnarrie~ or building granite Pot
! terry brick ant fire CLAWS are common.
| Coal has been discovered in th. southern
psrt near Moses coul,e. \ number =
silver prospects have been found along the
breaks ~ tho Columbia
| The gravel bars oa thr Columbia and its
| hfanches have been worked f1r sold for
The past twenty years. This section has
/ no great amount of unh,-. tut BADGER
/ mountain in the western rs-t aua th,. rir7-
| her along The breaks of the Columbia river
! VIII furnish fuel aud HaU3ioe material far
SOME years 90 come AZ present the u~5r-
/ cilat' settlements ara rertaeast from Caa-
let f} 'h The eastern part ~ The Pig
L',s. ,.an,f,. back or Er.}Tepo-t, ia he
/ uorthern T3Ft. au3 ahsut Wata~vrfs IN The
western part The latter IS ,he Y.larfa,f
town - tht Rig He03 is the sat az ,he
I In5tet States 'arI st..e +r. ....-.-,- ~, /.
~ IfonriaS county ard g. a'ae. Il rer1s-.s-
( aNle visnv 2u3 F~te~a~--- ret-.a-r +ra
settlements ABOVE mentioned Do er /.
stretches 90 coarr--. fr- ~ WHITES . ~
OPEN = fhe a'in'-tealar- surr ir-a-
/ won az ia' NH'eN 'f~-t -aa.-- s5-.t-r n 2