The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1900-12-15
THE FARMING REGION OF
THE STATE OF WASH
INGTON.
Davenport, wash, Nov. 26.

States very little is known, except
in a general way, concerning the
rich farming districts of eastern
Washington.
Having been raised on farm in
the east, and being familiar with
the many obstacles with which
the f,rmer in the east must contend
in pr Dducing his crop. it is the pur-
pose of the writer to give correct
and impartial description of this
part of the State of Washington.
Lincoln county is located near the
center of the State, on north and
south line, and on the east side in
the second tier of counties from
Idaho. 1t contains 2,430 square
miles, or 100000 acres. 1t is one
of the largest and most important
counties in eastern Washington,
embracing a vast area in the great
plateau known as the Big Bend
country. so called from the great
bend which marks the course of the
Columbia river across the entire
eastern portion of the State. 1t is
also one of the most prosperous and
productive counties in the State,
and offers the best inducements to
health-seekers, housekeepers and
investors.
The inhabitants of the county,
about $4,000 i'm number, are thrift
ty, industrious, law abiding people.
The soil is exceptionally rich,
four-f1fths of its area consisting of
rolling prairie, the remainder con-
ssting of timber lands lying along
the streams and the canyons of the
Columbia and Spokane rivers.
The county is traversed its entire
length by three railroads, the Cen
trail Washington, Great Northern
and Northern Pacific, giving ready
and easily accessible transportation
from all points in the county.
OF the entire area of the county
it is estimated that l,OOO,OOO acres
are agricultural lands, 100000 graz
ing and 100000 timber lands.
Among the advantages.claimed for
the county by It's settlers are: lands
farmed cheaply that yield heavily;
central location, giving outlet by
separate railway systems and fur
nishing ready market for all the
p ducts of the soil. The soil of
Lincoln county is composed of Il
decomposed volcanic ash, and is
very fertile, and while it is the
ideal soil for wheat culture. it is
equally adapted to all kinds of
agricultural products. The yield
of wheat per acre On these lands is
from 10 to 90 bushels. In the past
four seasons the crops have been
exceptionally good, running the
average up higher than ever before.
This year the county produced
more grain than ever before in the
history of its settlement 1t is
estimated that 100000 bushels of
wheat will be marketed from I'll g
farms in this county. At the pre-
vailing prices this will return an.
average OF $3.50 to every man,
woman and child in the county.
Here is indeed the farmers para
disc. No more beautiful landscape
could be contemplated than the
rolling praries carpeted with grow
ing wheat alternated by dark fields
of summer fallow.
The writer has been told by
farmers who came here from the
east in the SOS with large families
of small children and with but lit
tie means. who now have produce
tive farms of hundreds of acres,
beautiful homes and substantial
bank accounts, that it is not un-
common for farmer to clean up
from SO, 600 to So, 600 from one crop.
Some do better than this. Not
alone does the soil of Lincoln
county produce wheat in abund-
r ance, but oats, rye and some of the
more hardy grasses do well here.
Peaches, apples. pears, plums,
cherries and all the berries do well
in all parts of the county. The
orchards of the county this fall pre-
sented sight pleasing to behold.
In many of the orchards the trees
are broken down, aId ruined from
being overloaded. But the features