The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-02-15
=. Dairying in =. i
Central Washington

H
men: The topic assigned me is, Dairy
ing in Central Washington" Perhaps
a more appropriate title would be,
"Dairying in Wonderland" 1t is %
wears since first saw the Yakima val
ley. A few large-hearted pioneers hao
settled along the streams. Their III
tie patches of grass, grain and veget-
ables showed the fertility of the SOIL
and were prophetic or the future pros
perity of the country. Aside from the
streams, stretching away to the Ioot-
hills. was a sage desert. The desola-
ton of ages was upon it. It's stiffness
was oppressive To think of making
home upon it seemed like Punishment
from society. 1t was $50 miles to the
nearest railroad station over rougn,
mountainous road. The isolation OF
such a life can hardly be realized by
persons now coming into the valley
Then we had mail twice a week by
stage from The Dalles. Now we nave
six transcontinental trains rusnlng
through the valley daily. Then freight
was hauled in from The Dalles In
wagons. Now freight trains, drawn py
the largest locomotives known IN rail-
reading are hauling out thousands OF
carloads of farm produce consisting OF
hay and grain and sneep and cattle
and horses, by train1oads. Yes-and
carloads after carloads of watermelons
mt I'D in artistically colored pack
ages weighing from Few ounces 10
40 or so pounds each. L need haroiy
remind you that watermelons ana
fruits are from 80 to 80 per cent.
water.
The reclamation of the desert has
been so rapid that it seems as IL IL
were done by magic. Look over the
plain and we see an engineer threading
his way through the sage brush. An
irrigating canal follows in his wake.
The water is turned on the thirsty SOIL.
The sun kisses the earth-and, look!
Grass and grain and alfalfa and clover
cover the desert with mantel OF
green. Look again, and we see dwell
ing houses surrounded by tens OF thou-
sands of fruit trees loaded with Dig,
red and yellow apples, luscious pears,
peaches, plums, cherries, apr1cots and
nectarines. Look around you! You
see the beautiful city of North Yakima,
with it's well-paved streets, its long
avenues of shade trees, its fine resi-
dences surrounded with well-Kept
lawns. fine ornamental trees and rare
flowers, it's capacious stores, its bank
deposits-tokens of reward to Drawn
and brain seldom equaled, If ever sur
passed. Perhaps the crowning excel
lence of North Yakima is its pubic
schools and churches.
Go down the river to Toppenish, Eli
lab, Sunnyside and Prosser and the
conditions there are like unto young
fruit tree covered with it's first crop
of bloom. The vigor or growth is there
and abundant crops with consequent
prosperity are assured. Go up the
river, through the Grand Canyon. 1t
is grand in its desolation, grand in the
mighty river that rushes through 1t
like a torrent, fed by the melting snow,
and you come to the magnificent Kit
titas Valley, with the substantial city
of Ellensburg Nesting at the loot
hills of the Cascade mountains.
1t was here the creamery was first
established in Central Washington as
a business proposition, and Ellensburg
butter soon became famous all over the
Sound country. Prior to the advent or
the railroad, there were few farmers
who MIXED a few cows in summer
- 1tpnif I'D