The Colfax chronicle., 1904-12-17
ODD FAcTs FOR FARM FOLK.
Tokay and Syrian Grapes Grown in
Northern Idaho-All Grains Are
Over Weight When Properly
Grown by Irrigation-White
Flax seed-Corn Wheat
in Place Of Corn.


glow In the United States as far
north as Duluth, Mimi The particu-
lar place where this may be done 10
Lewiston, Idaho, on the banks OF the
Snake river Whatever is done along
the Snake river in the matter of agri-
culture and horticulture must be done
With irrigation, however.
The remarkable things done under
irrigation are portrayed by number
Oi states. Colorado has relief map
OF the Arkansas valley. Utah shows
o diorama of one of her irrigated val-
leys. California exhibits her products
from lands worth thousand dollars
an acre. Oregon displays her beautt-
tul fruits and grains from irrigated
districts, while Idaho, her next
neighbor, won twenty gold medals on
her agricultural showing. (
The tokay grapes from Lewiston are
only one of 62 varieties now success
fully grown at that far northern point
where the climate is almost as mild az
Italy, for the tokay cannot flourish
where the winters are cold Along
with the tokay is fine sweet grape
from Syria, lin which every grape and
fruit grower will be interested. The
name is Hunisa, or Antab late, from
Antab. 1t is large. very dark, and q
fine keeper, the last being its most
important quality. After travelling
over 1900 miles to the Worlds Fair
il opened up in as fine condition as the
tokay. and made good show. These
grapes are from the first vine OF this
variety fruited in America -
Another fact not well known is that
grains grown by irrigation in the
Cry atmosphere Of the western slope
OF the Rocky mountains are much
heavier than those grown in the east
and the yield is far greater. In the
Idaho exhibit of the Palace Of Agri-
culture at the Worlds Fair are many
examples of irrigation results. A
sack of oats was received at. the ex-
hlbit few days ago which was graded
by one of the machines in the building
and tested as to weight. II was found
that the third, or poorest grade,
weighed 80 pounds to the bushel, while
the standard of weight for oats is only
32 pounds to the bushel. The yield
is 100 to 110 bushels to the acre, and
idaho oats ordinarily weigh AZ to AZ
pounds to the busheL An acre Of ir-
rigated land yields about three times
az much as an acre in humid eli
mate. Wheat in southern Idaho is g.
Z Ito GA pounds to the bushel, the stand.
era being 60 pounds. and the yield 81
to 20 bushels to the acre. A bundle
of alfalfa hay, second crop of 1904
brought from southern Idaho. Is al
tall as man, six-footer. Five Il
aeven tons to the acre are grown eacl
/. season, 1t being cut usually three times
All over southern Idaho. which fOl
the most part is vast desert, arr
cases that have been made fruitful b!
irrigation. The liberal provisions o
the Cary Act of Congress have mad
( possible the reclamation Of thes
lands, the state taking over the land
and disposing of them to settlers at s.
cents an acre. The water right Is al
. extra COST in some cases as low Q
$25 an acre for a perpetual right. tn
Grst one or two crops often paying tn
entire cost Of fine property. Onl.
a few days ago the state land board o
Idaho threw open to settlement 10000
acres of land under one canal al Tvil
Falls. ON the south side OF Snak
river. It is In Cassia county, one @
the counties that. touch the NeEsd
border In this instance the total COS
per acre is $3.50, and unGer the libera
terms of the Cary Act entry may
made through another person. Tn
payment is in easy installments.
Many Of the exhibits in the Idah
display are from along the Snake rive
which is SO named because of its sinr
GUS course, and not because of an
snakes. The water for the Twin Fall
tract, which embraces .270, 900 acres.
fiom the Snake. and the cost of tn
1000 foot dam and the 100 miles {
main canals is about $2,500O00.
RAILROAD is being constructed frol
Minidoka southward ITO Cross the trac
vhich.is expected to repeat the histor
OF the Wood River, Country, the Bois
and Payette Valleys, and become
populous part of the state.
Idaho has the honor of showing
ber agricultural display somethin
that very few farmers have ever see
namely, white fax seed. This variet
of fax originated in Idaho, and
said to possess great commercial po
sibilities, because II is richer in Q
and produces a grade of very ligl
colored oil that is far more desirab
for white paint than the dark
grade. = ~ ~ =.
Idaho is trying to do what 9th
mountain states are attempting. tn
e Is. to supply the home market wi
fruits, vegetables, meats, grains aI
E dairy products. The mountains CO
tain hundreds of mining camps al
4 settlements where everything now rr
& duced finds ready market. while q
cemand increases with each new mi
; ing district opened.
~ Corn is about the only thing q
8 does not grow wen N 'tAs AfiS4t
ceserts of southern Ideho. 1befsuse 4
summer nights are Cool. but q Kind
grain is raised called corn wheat th
s takes the paAce Of corn, and prodge