Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1909-06-29
MExICO'S GREAT PROSPECTS
DIR. Kelly Writes Interesting Letter
Concerning Wonderful Resources
of Southern Republic.

vey Kelly, formerly resident OF
Mccoy, but now living in Altar,
Sonora, Mexico, will prove OF interest
to his many old-time friends In POLK
County. The letter is in reply to
request for information concerning
the agricultural resources OF that por-
tion of Mexico selected by the Doctor
for home.
Altar, Mexico, June 10.
"I will try to give you general
report of the country in which | am
located. Am sorry cannot give you
a more technical report, but since l
have given more Of my time to mining
than to agriculture, I am not very we'll
informed OH the latter subject. How
ever, have given up mining and
have bought some land, with the
intention of raising wheat and barley
this coming year. I have been nearly
all over the State Of Sonora In the
three years that I have lived here, and
having been raised on farm, nave
some ideas of conditions here as to
agriculture.
"This country resembles Eastern
Oregon that is, the greater part OF 1t
is range, while along the rivers and
lowlands the Mexicans are carrying
on farming and stockraising in their
crude way, planting the ground every
wear until it gets very dirty with
weeds, then letting it lie idle until the
sun and lack of water kills the weeds
, To plant grain, they plow very sinai
low; then broadcast and harrow In
, the grain; then, when it Is ripe, tney
cut it by hand and trample it out WIFI
+ horses. Even in this way they ge
from 80 to 40 bushels OF wheat to tn
acre. but since the farmer nearl.
always sells his crop six months ahea'
and for half price. they OF cours
a never make any money or progress
II They make an easy living, and shoui
Il they get little money ahead, the
n stop farming until it is all gone-the
, borrow some money and commenc
n again. The average Mexican is laz
"a and shiftless, and he farms just as nl
ancestors did 100 years ago. I
70 course. there are exceptions to tn
of rule, but l am speaking general,
a But they are good people-easy to g
n along with, and very polite.
y "All kinds Of grain grow we'll ner
% and have seen just as large appl
~ as are grown at Hood River. Veg
= tables grow the year round. The SCI
son is at least two months ahead
Oregon. At this date, June 10, Il
wheat is practically all harvested al
sold, There never has been an ov
ne supply here with the subsequent ( L
ny nrices. Wheat never sells for le
'at than 80 cents; potatoes, w sac
to butter, so cents a pound; eggs ne'
en less than 60 cents a dozen, and evei
'ry thing else in proportion.
IN Large American companies ne
Ill taken the best Of the very large traf
ed. and are selling the land for $25
zen acre. but there is still a big openl
here for farmers who wish to buy
the or 800 acres in different spots, OF la
tracts of grazing land, which can g
be bought cheap. Here where
situated, the best land, with perma q
md water right, can be bought for vi
ear an acre. and it will raise anytn
ON that our best land In Oregon
,rk. raise. Alfalfa grows we'll, as {
sed have found out in the last two ye'
the and they cut four or five crops y
or Hog raising is very profitable, 81
ned all of the lard is imported. Hogs
ach for about $l5. ,
, to GAS for climatic conditions, iud
from my own standpoint, 1t is the ''
climate. 1t is far ahead OF OaliIor
The summer is long, but the nea
n very dry and we don't mind 1t mi
The thermometer seldom goes al
9e degrees.
"Good labor can be had here
from so to rs cents a day the
round. so you see the farmer does
have to do the hard work II he
sufficient acreage. As to the stab
OF the country, there is no ques'
We never feel 10 danger at any
from any cause.
"In my opinion, Mexico oners
same opportunities today that
West did so years ago, althoue
was discovered long before the D
were. There is no place here iol
working man withoutcapital' as
. is both cheap aud abundant
farming is carried on to some e.
with very good results. but in ger
the land requires water.
"A stock ranch Of 10000 acres
sold here few days ago for so
an acre. This land will be "ori
, least g an acre within three y
These chances are all being takeI
and Il will not be long until the
7 yvilI be high in price, 90 II you
to get land cheap, noTis the uu
Y he. kelly. NJ.