Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-06-04
FROM THE PACIFIC SLOPE.


Interesting News Concernis Wssh-
ington-Geo Ackert Writes I
Another Letter.
Perhaps 1t would be of interest to
some of the readers of your paper to
learn something about Washington,
it's climate, productions.
The climate is all o. X. with the
exception of rather to much wind al
certain seasons for comfort,
The wide tract of country lying be-
tween the Rocky Mountains in Idaho
and Montana and the Cascade Range
along Puget Sound in Western Wash
ington is destitute of Vegetation ex-
cepting sage bush and bunch grass.
Timber only to be found around the
base of the mountains where rain is
more common.
The valleys long the Columbia and
and Yokima rivers is about the only
locality where the ground is adapted
to irrigation.
The soil in the valley of the Yokima
is dark sand and at some period far
back was deposited by the current of
, the river. The stream is about like
Grand river with very swift current.
BY diging irrigating bitches, start
ing at some convenient point on the
river and passing through this sandy
I valley it will soon be ten or more
( feet above the stream and side ditch
r es will carry the water in all direc-
tions. After you have your land all
q leveled and bitches completed and the
water at your command you can raise
the choisest of fruit. the trees grow
ing very rapid, and a crop every year
> and no failures, the Yokima valley
l. fruit is among the choisest raised
on the Pacific slope and as result
bring good price, when put on the
market. The valley land is rather
= high in price, where irrigating
ditch Is constructed and a chance to
irrigate it, land is bringing from
thirty to fifty dollars an acre, accord
- ing to the amount of labor required
to level it SO as to irrigate 1t, you
y will have to add about twenty five
:" to level thirty more TO the irrigatine
~ Co for water then you are ready tt
=. set out your orchard of peaches
- plums, pears, prunes, apricots, cher
ries. and apple, strawberries and othel
small fruit,
" After your trees are in bearing
YOUR buildings constructed and you
~ ranch 4" so called is producing frui
he price for a ten acre ranch is al
the way from two 10 five thousan
dollars.
1t takes quite quantity of col
cash good deal of hard work exper
ence in irrigation and fruit cultur
of and some faith to get fruit ranch I
To- bringing in fine returns on the inves
5, ment.
of The hills and plains are about lot
feet above the valleys and some raj
or falls as late as June and where 1T
re. level a fine crop of wheat and barle
%, 81 can be raised but no hay is produced
a., The water for all uses must
be brought from the streams from ten
aid twenty miles, the soil is volcanic, as
1rb ks and some alkali beds.
Of Large bands of horses and shee
aid are herded on these and plains, II is
ide common sight to see the sheep her
lks at the Yokima with pack ponies f.
he supplies and two or three thousar
wise sheep drinking at the stream. 9'
dge can see large droves of ranch hors
hen being rounded up by Indians and CO
I, OF OF boys, we called at these camps ye
to terday and they were just completil
'e Of their breakfast We think that Ian
me me lord Hetherington could pick up son
of new ideas as regards cooking al
eet: serving meals that is not down on Il
zee. menu cards at Hotel Belding.
de President Roosevelt passed throul
eet this valley yesterday and was
q I'm. north Yokima thirty minutes, he W
lcil given hearty welcome and some
TAR. Yokima valley fruit that will be a
a ar. to please him full as well as Il
rddi- Z" hearty welcome.
be Kiona Washington, May 20.
, ara GEO ACKERT.