The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-14
DOUGLAS COUNTY FARMS.
DIVERSIFIED CROPS AND STOCK
RAISING BECOMING GENERAL.
A Farming Country which Yields
Bountifuiiy and Only Needs More
Enlarged Transportation Factri-
tic.-Yenr.. wheat Yield Estimate

Special Dispatch 10 the -rnteligrnccr.
wATFRVIIsLE. Aug iS-The harvest
ing OF the largest wheat crop ever grown
in Douglas county is now under way.
Post-fntellirencer representative recently
completed tour through the grain dis
tricts and the extent of the acreage and
the magnificent showing Of the heavy
nodding wheat fields surpassed anything
that the veriest believer in the resources
Of the country could have expected 10 soc.
The region reaching out from Watervilie
Is a panorama OF waving. yellow fields.
here and there beginning now to be dot
ted by vast patches Of white stubhle. a.
the scores OF harvesting outfits gradually
cut their way into the standing grain.
While travelling through the country tho
correspondent was led into fields where
the wheat heads Tapped above hts Shout
ders and the tops OF which. spreading out
In matted phalanx for miles. looked as
even and smooth rs II they had been
ieveied on by the sweep OF gigantic hand
or trimmed by monssrous smoothing
plane And out OF these feids he stepped
into another wonder show--gardens where
iuxnriant vegetation numbered the ground
and yellow carrots and white turnips. tho
latter foot In breadth, and creamy pota-
TO tuhers made heapen earth humps in tho
son. Then he was directed into young
orchards and saw large luscious late cher
terfng piums. pears and apples bending
strong branches TO the ground. II was one
harvest OF plenty wherever he turned
estimates or the quantities OF gardeu
produce and OF fruits would be simply
suesswork. These crops are becoming
Immense. but are practically never carried
70 market. owing TO the inconvenienceS
OF transportation of bulky materials. n
y me more pity too. when IL Il cons,d-
49, snat the potatoes grown here. being
u T., are the finest In quality known
wheat, oats and barley are tho princi-
bal articles shipped. The rest OF his pro-
a s me farmer retains at home. large
part is turned into stock Year by year
the herds owned by the farmers snsi,
ana large, are increasing There arc ver-
i,anly cattle upon ten thousand hills and
proyinr m y ,nSussnd pens and these are
"tsed Farming and stock.
On this head" said a substantial
rahchman. we are finding that we can Va
into mt, mixed farming and stock-raising as
wen as or better than the man In tina
Eastern states. Back there mixed asri-
culture IL necessity. hut hero a few
years ago we attempted II only as an
experiment. II was thought that grain
alone would he the chief crop. az a nroa,
giver, In this country, and that small
farming or mixed farming would not nav
,,i i me results OF trial are so salts
iar.ory tnat now Won see every farmer
with stock around him and eyervhods,
raising everything not any longer M tha
exception, but as the rule, There are or
.nasus and gardens and miles OF unbrokep
iields. There are even young walnut and
hickory groves, taking us right hack int,
the memories OF boyhoud I'm the East III
luxury here on the piains' " of cs svsry
washington that In known in the best ~
we Middle states. less the pestlienre
n nans heat unreasonable rains. sick
Figures on the acreage In what In
previous years. until 1909 have been an.
1cnlt 70 obtain with any degree ~ ac-
tion was made Of all the cultivated lands.
me acreage In crop and that In summer.
fellow, which with the ordinary average
q Yield leads to the expectation that
this year there will he IA total Weld in
the western portion Of the county 81 about
l.Npeo bushels In some localities the
earlier In the season and in others ths
condition viii be reversed. so that desptt.
the apprehension. the average will stIi be
maintained IN come localities there will
be some shriveled grain. but II In scarcely
suncient TO have bearing on the total
crop.
sowing More rsii Grain.
We are coming more. and more into
one large farmer. Heretofore the sowing
has been chiefly In the spring Hut We
have hard wheat that Il good grower
great proportion Of the acreage for is.,
put IN before snow flies. The spring sow
Cd grain Ia the only grain this year that
has run any risk Of damage for lack ~
rain. though can show YOU fields that
have not had n sprinkle since they were
pat IN late in the season, that win ye
twenty TO thirty bushels M. L THAT is
not bad. Successes like those are ~
course. gratifying end show beyond doubt
what the country In capable nf but fhs
Early fall SOWING We are finding IS attn
better and the change that this will make
In nnA Aer year ~ going To give you some
good llngs 10 tell"
beginning 20 Increase the storing capacity
~ a number OF their houses. preparatory
60 the fail trade, With this. and fh,
steamer service in good order. the only
other serious problem that remains aside
from the usual hope for fair prices. - the
question ~ cars. The Great Northern
railroad. which carries the grain from the
boats % the sound. Il Il expected. viii