The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-06-27
GOLFERS SHOWS
UP YAKIMA VALLEY
READABLE ILLUSTRATED ARTICLE
Which Says II stands Pre-eminent In
the Arid West for Abundant
Water supply.

Golfers Weekly for June % contains
one of the best descriptive articles per-
tanning to the Yakima valley that has
ever been published in paper of its
class, written by Richard Lloyd Jones.
who visited the valley some time ago.
somely illustrated, and doubtless will
prove an advertisement for the valley
which will be productive of good re-
suits. portion of the article is as
follows:
The Yakima valley stands pre-
eminent in the arid west for the plenti-
tude of its water supply The western
watershed of the Rockies and the east
crn shed of the Cascades, and even the
Canadian SHOWS on the Selkirk swell
the tributaries of the Yakima and Co.
lumbia rivers. The mountain ranges
are perpetually white, and as the sum
mer months make the melting season.,
the greatest water supply comes when
the greatest amount of water is need
ed. The great white peaks of Baker.
Adams, Tacoma and st. Helens voice
to every stranger the challenge of the
Capitors white dome at Washington,
This Country Shall Endure"
The big man in every Yakima valley
city is the president of the ditch. There
are many big men in that country, for
there are many bitches. No railroad
was ever laid out with clearer engin-
eering precision than that which cir
Giles the Yakima valley bitches around
naked bluffs, binds them like cling
tunnels them through rocky hills, si-
phons them under highways, and
spreads their burden out over the
brick-like earth after flow OF fifty
or a hundred miles. And there they
work the miracle which is being told
around the world.
The largest canal in the northwest
and one of the largest on the CONT
nent, is the Sunnyside, which has its
intake on the Yakima river eight
miles below the city of North Yakima
This ditch which has a capacity OF
$50 cubic feet of water per second, has
already converted 10000 acres OF
desert into green meadows, golden or
chards and Towering gardens. In the
midst of this transformation have
grown up the thriving little cities OF
Zillah and Sunnyside.
The Selah valley. the Mckee and the
Congdon bitches jointly have reclaimed
nearly 10000 acres. and the govern
ment engineers are now at work on the
Tietan and cowyche arteries. when
will reclaim $4,000 more. All this sug-
gests the extensive ditch enterprises
at such other reclaimed centers as
ish. Ellensburg, Wenatchee and Che
Ian. Yet with all this not 5 per cent
OF the irrigable land of the Yakima
valley has received its virgin bath
Surely the picket line of Americas ex-
panson is along the irrigatng ditch
Acres in Yakima mean people. Where
10000 acres in Wisconsin would rep
resent not more than 500 farms, hence
as many families, 1t would mean in
Washington $500 families or a popu-
lation per square mile fifteen times as
dense. The average Yakima fruit farm
of five to ten acres will yield a larger
profit than a hundred and sixty acre
farm in any Mississippi state. "a net
profit OF $500 an acre per year is dis
appointment to a Yakima grower. Fou,
hundred dollars is so sure an earning
that banks will loan on that expecta-
ton. Six and seven hundred dollars
per acre are not uncommon returns
for an apple crop When ten acres OF
a desert will yield a net annual profit
of $4,000. 1t may not be counted 9
worthless piece of land.
Irrigation Is no longer an expert.
ment in the Yakima country. 1t is 6
fact. The apples from there are Sc
perfect in size. color and flavor tha
they have made the name Niagara" {
forgotten term In the apple mart
Their reputation is worldwide and
they are shipped as far as Russia tC
the east and China to the west. Or
chards have changed hands at wha
were considered high prices and We
yielded the purchase price out OF tn,
first years crop Instances are not un
common which show a five-year peaci
tree producing 500 to 500 pounds O.
fruit. every piece of which will brinf
the highest market price. A ten-year
old apple tree that will not produce
from twenty to thirty-fve bushels o
fawless fruit a year is considered
failure and rooted up to give way t
a sprout OF better sort. The peache
grow with the size and color of tn
California fruit and with the favor o
the Michigan and Delaware product
It is the boast OF the Yakima vale,
growers that their fruit Is thorough.
western in appearance and deliciousl,
eastern in taste.
While fruits and particularly apple
make up the largest bulk of the Yaki
ma valley crop. diversified agricultur
Is as possible on the arid disintegrate
basaltic deposits OF Washington as
is in the Mohawk valley or on the roll
ing prairies of Iowa. "Despise not tn
day of small things" for celery. rhu
barb. asparagus and potatoes are
profitable as prunes or peaches, Will
hops will earn more than even alfalfa
which has raised many mortgage 4