Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-04-07
FOR THE FARMER.
VALUABLE EXPERIMENTS.
Attempts to Find Suitable Grasses to Grow
on Desert Lands.

on Desert Lands.
The Oregon River and Navigation
Company is about to undertake IL line
Of experiments, which, II they prove
successful, will result In the reclamn-
ton Of miles of land along It's route
for cattle grazing purposes, that are at
present unfit for any purpose what
soeyer. BY Its experiments the COM
pany hopes to ascertain what kinds of
grasses can be made to grow on the
hundreds OF thousands of acres of bar.
ren land along its right of way. Differ
ent grasses for different attitudes will
be experimental with until the right
varieties for the various localities are
found, going on the supposition, of
course, that some can be made to grow
upon the present practically barren
plains and mountain sides.
The vast area of lands which this line
hopes to reclaim by the results of Its
experiments IL they prove successful.
are located In the valleys of the
Snake and Columbia rivers and on the
foothills leading up to and the sides of
the Blue and Cascade mountains in
Oregon and Washington.
The experiments this railroad COM
pany propose to make are upon the
lines that other larger and more
wealthy roads have unsuccessfully
tried In the past to induce the govern
ment to make for the general welfare
of the West. incidentally, and primarily
for the pecuniary interests of the
roads which proposed the venture. The
government has refused TO appropriate
money sufficient to carry on the exper-
iments.
Throughout the West there are
thousands of square miles OF land
uInnD N of ln ,,.jn
that are barren of grass that might be
utilized by stockmen for range pur-
poses for large herds. 1t Is the pur-
pose OF the Oregon River and Naviga-
tion Company to experiment with var
fous kinds OF grasses and learn. II pos
sible. which can he made to grow upon
these barren lands. The company has
established twenty-thrcc experimental
stations at various points along Its
line at different attitudes where the
many different kinds OF grasses will he
grown on small tracts of land. Those
that thrive the better will he selected
TO be sown over the plains and valleys
In that vicinity.
The road is II long one and the coun-
try 1t iraverses has many climates.
owing to the attitudes. Consequently
II Is necessary to select grasses In nc-
cordance. Experiments have shown
that fruits. grasses and similar
growths thrive differently In direren;
attitudes and climates. For that real
son the road has TO learn from prncti-
cal tests what grasses are the better
adapted 10 the sections along Its line.
These twcnty-cight experimental sta
tions are under the personal supcrvis-
Ion OF II. &. Iudson of Portland. Ore
gon. the Industrial agent OF the road.
who was delegate TO the recent
Stockgrowers' convention and mem
Der OF the present executive committee
OF the national organization. Mr.. Jud-
son Is u practical horticulturist and
agriculturist. having given those two
industries years OF study. The GRASSES
that he Is at present experimenting
with are the Austrian Braun, Japan
clover and the Persian.
The profits the road anticipates will
he derivid from the increased traffic
over Its line. both In freight and pas
scngcr. by the settlement OF the land
along Its route by immigrants from the
East. II 1t can he made tcnnblc by
sowing them with grasses. 1t will he
u comparatively easy matter to induce
eastern farmers and stockincn TO come
west and take them UP.
After Mr.. Judson has concluded his
experiments with the grasses, and no;
only satisfied himself. ns well as the
officers OF the company of the feasa
bility OF the scheme. lie will turn his
attention to the raising OF both cotton
the road. He will ascertain by expert
nicnts. whether It Is possible to raise
those products so far north.