The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-21
BOON TO THEFARMERS
EXPERIMENTAL FARMS TO he Es-
TABLIsHED BY THE n. r.
An Expert on ernsses and Fodder
VIII Demonstrate 40 What the soil
Is Best Adapted-Theodore Hos


and has placed A. Is. Lecksnby. the fa-
nous grass expart. formerly OF Califor-
MA II charge Of the entire undertaking.
Upon securing the services OF Mr.. Leck-
enay, the land department felt assured
that the right man for the right place had
been selected Three months connection
with the department. has strengthened this
assurance 70 such an extent that Thomas
Cooper, the Western land agent, feels that
the road has secured q treasure IN Mr..
Lsckenby, vno since his arrival has
placed the department in possession OF
more valuable information regarding the
aaaptaDillty o. the soil CT the state 10 the
growing Of grasses than any one IN the
land. The new experimental farms. which
viii be conducted on a large scale, were
practically his creation. although the de-
partmsnt has been carrying on one farm
for some time
During the time Mr. Leckenby has been
II the employ Of the read ne has inspected
nearly every portion OF the state, and has
given out much valuable information re-
garding the soil ana the character Of
grasses that could be grown thereon. He
saw al glance that 1e9 varieties of grass
e. and fodder plants could be grown in the
state where there are now one-tenth that
number. He gave the warning note TO
farmers and stock raisers Of the deadly
fox-tail and gave pointers on how TO ex-
terminate IL. In short. he came TO the
farming interests as latter-day prophet.
Mr.. Leekenby returned this morning
from Yakima, where for the past week he
has been engs ged in making arrangements
for the starting OF work on fifteen acres
OF company land. 10 be used as an expert
mental farm. Speaking Of his trip and Of
the experimental farms TO be started by
the land department, ne said:
hfieen-sere tract close 20 the city OF Yak
ina. winch Is TO be used as an experiment
al farm As soon as the land is cleared
ana fenced. blowing viii begin and then
between 20 and 800 varieties OF grasses and
fodder plants viii be put In. Il is the in
tenuon of ths company TO test these grasses
thoroughly and give 70 the settlers renting
tnelr lands the benefit Of the information
20 secured Seeds VIII be raised from all
the varieties and viii be distributed among
the farmers on the company's land. This
Ifteen-acre tract is selected land and viii
os superintenGed by my son. Frank b.
Leckenby. The running OF a farm such az
THIS l. no easy matter. as a close lookout
must be maintained as 10 the manner in
Wiiich each variety Is thriving. the results
being kept IN a Journal. This Journal is a
complete record and viii give the varieties
where obtained. method of culture growth
ana Yield, quality as pertains 70 food value
ana the amount OF seed produced In this
manner the department can readily see jus:
Maat Is being done at the farm and can
distribute the information and seeds with
absolute safety
This piece Of land near Yakima is irri-
gated and. what Is better than ali is ac-
cessiole. The company intends establish
ing another farm alongside the Sunnyside
canal. and stu another near Hatton in the
center of the desert On this latter farm
hope TO carry on the most interesting ex-
periments-thoSe of finding out what
grasses are best adapted to the dry lands
OF Washington. have a great number in
mind and hope to find grasses and fodder
pants that viii thrive without irrigation
and prove understandable TO farmers and
STOCK raisers. There are thousands Of acres
OF arid land IN this state that could he
made 10 produce valuable fodder plants
and place Washington in line as one II the
gs,r-ea,,test stock raising states In the Union:
While IN Yakima this trip found. lot Of
bermuda grass. which will thrive In the
hardest. dryest kind of soil and make hne
feed for cattle.
This grass could be planted upon the
Immense tract OF prairie land south OF
this city, and in a very short time make
the graveliy tract, which is now good for
nothing. magnificent grazing land. Short
~ after / arrived in Tacoma I rode out
over the prairie and examined the land
closely. At that time / did not know
whether this Bermuda grass would thrive.
but ! have since learned that the winter
weather will not kill the roots. and now
know that this grass will not only thrive
on your prairie land. but In a short time
VIII grow 90 thick that a person walk
ing on Il cannot feel the ground beneath
his feet. II is a hard one TO exterminate
though. but as II is about the only thing
that VIII grow to any advantage, | don't
know that people would care TO kill IL.
This grass Sowu on the immense stretch
of desert land ia Eastern Washington
would transfer that dreary waste into one
OF stock.
Another important experiment con-
templaied IS the introduction and i'm
rrovement Of the varieties OF wheat best
adapted 70 the lands Of the state We
VIII test methods OF culture without the
aid OF Irrigation, These experiments will
he % great bsoeft 20 farmers throughout
before 7 forget Il. I want 70 say that
] 30 not want 20 advocate the PLANTING Of
this Bermuda grass on grayeliy lands. for
the reason that 7 believe that other grass
es less objectionable cannot he found 20
thrive in that character OF soil. l Just
mentioned the Bermuda grass as one that
AS soon as finish with the fruit and
vegetable exhibit 20 be shiupea 20 Sno-
kane and then on East I viii give the
experimental farms nv entire time as
consider their establishment one % the
best moves ever made IN The interest OF
the farmer and stock -haiser."
In answer 20 a question whether the
land department had decided 70 make ex-
tensiye experiments with sugar beet Gull
ture. Mr.. Lsckenby said he knew nothing
positive. Personally he was opposed TO
the culture az sugar beets by the farmers
OF the state, for the reason that IL was
very expensive farming and expensive
farming very often means MORTGAGES
csc He was further opposed 20 e be-
cause the Uo0opolies controlled prices
whlch means thar the farmer VIII GET the
small end az IL. As far as his personal
observation IN the culture Of SUGAR beetS
lu this state was concerned ne gave Il
rs his opinion that the farmers who have
exper meIsted have grown bsets OF 100
large stEe. Instead az beets that weigh
between FIVE ard six pounds chose rang
ing from enc 20 Two pounds give much
better results NJ IoCkenbv explains
this tv she statement that the large hests
have fee]ers. or sreN roots. which gather
frem ere aoi} impurities which irnr~ar-
rate The beet causing a cor siderable loss
"a refining With Tie smaller beet this
ia not found
FROM an outside source q WAS fearrpf
that the Land department - ne rad kaf
ordered "a fsTge consignment ~ the finest
surRs beoss shipped 20 thts c1slntr,, from
Germany. - be used lr th}s state f1r ex-
perInental purposes
Preparing a Million Dollar suit.
/ Special fl'Saa t-h ~ the Posi- Intelligence
TACOMA. sept -e-CHey Attorney Jua-