The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-11
BOX ELDER CO. WHEAT FIELDS
Their Yield Worth More Than the
yellow Nuggets Of Klondil1e.


Colinston. Sept I0.-Today your cor
respondent stood on the Short Line de-
pot at CoiIinston and surveyed the
broad expanse Of stack-dotted acres
that make up the vast wheat fields of
Box Elder county, and il is sight
that does the loyal citizen good 10 feast
his eyes upon. From this vantage point
the noble red fnan not many years ago
stood and surveyed the sagebrush
plains 10 the west and north. Now
his happy hunting grounds have been
turned upside down, over and over
again, by the plough Of the White man.
Like the wave OF an incoming tide, the
furrow of the plough has swept across
the sagebrush plain and turned the
desert waste into golden wheat feds.
TO give some idea of the immensely
OF this great Bear river Granary OF the
state, which is fast riValfing if not sur
passing its sister just across the hills
the Cache ValIey-here are some esti-
mates in plain figures.
The grain lands are irrigated and
dry land" the latter class predom-
mating. Down through the west side
O. the valley runs the waters OF the
Bear river canal, assuring bountiful
crops 10 those who have supplied their
land herewith. Here is a stretch of
farming land that is % miles long by
five miles average width, making $4,000
acres. Estimating one-eighth OF this
TO he irrigated wheat, we have 10000
acres Of that grain, and at an average
yield Of % bushels per acre we have
the grand total OF 250,000 bushels.
On both sides OF the winding Bear
riyer, both under the canal and ex-
lending on to the mountains ragged
edge, are the dry land farms, the acre
age Of which is fully four times that
OF irrigated lands This year the aver
age yield Of these farms has been only
about One-half & croB, or six bushels
per acre. This would make another
$50, 900 bushels. or a grand total Of &c.,
600 bushels OF wheat in this, the chief
grain predicting part of the county.
Other places in this vast county viii
no doubt yield another 250090 bushels
OF the golden grain, and that viii make
a total estimate Of 100000 bushels for
the entire county, which we believe is
very conservative. Some have stated
that the yield would reach 1000 zoe
bushels.
SOME BIG WHEAT FARMS.
Amon~ the individual wheat growers
whom your reporter has visited are
mr.. Hams of RoweVille, 275 acres. irri-
gated wheat, that will go SO bushels TO
the acre: Mr.. Greene POO acres. irri-
gated, that will yield So bushels to the
acre and many others Of smaller
farms down to two acres.
on what IS known IS Plymouth fat,
famed Tor dry farms is Mr.. +. O. Will
coX's large farm. He has SO acres OF
grain. which viii yield much above the
average fer this year, giving him ten
bushels 30 the acre.
ONE FARMERS PLUCK,
willard Hansen. with marvellous
pluck and energy, has demonstrated the
Yirtae Of the high rolling hills east Of
CollfnstOn for the raising of large
crops. About five years ago he began
to farm these hills and was laughed
at. This year he has geo acres of the
best dry land wheat raised in the
state L VIII yield nina 20 bushels per
acre. Now his teams are busy pi0wing
and putting IA zoe acres for next year.
These hills which he is farming catch
ali The moisture that IS passing
through the air and The soil does not
dry out or bake as ii does on the fat
There are many others who have fully
demonstrated that the lands in thiS
valley lying east OF the Bear river are
net altogether useless. even without
irrigation.
POINTS OF SHIPMENT.
The points Of shipment for this prod
uct TO the markets Of the world are
Cclldnston and Corinne. Collinston is
the nearest TO the northern portion OF
the valley and heavy shipments are
MADE from this point last year Jed
Earl, one of the local buyers, paid out
100000 for wheat. Others bought and
shipped smaller amounts. About half
the crop this year is now tfreshed and
but very little IS being offered for sale
yet. Booth Pierce Of Brigham City
Walker Of F'ieiiing and Willard Han
sen Of this place, besides Mr.. Earl. art
buying and shipping from here
Corinne is tae other shipping poini
for not only this valley. but for south.
ern Idaho and the western part Of ths
county There IS the large elevator ol
the Bear River Canal company, tina,
VIII hold 100000 bushels OF wheat on
OF the buyers there, r. s Guthrie &
Co, paid out last year S25e,6G3 for tn
golden grain and expect to far excseC
that amount thig season. The Corinni
Mercantile company. Home AIercantil.
company, r. S Guthrie & Co., and w
N. Miller are nom al that point maxim,
otfeEs for cha garnered grain, and be
cause Of the best market being at tn,
west coast, they have been enabled (,
always offer from 2 TO 5 cents bette.
price there than here
Very soon now the grain from thes
vast fields viii begin TO pour into thes
points, and the golden eagles VIII drol
into the farmers pockets, lightenin,
their hearts and lifting the bir6ei
81.