Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-02
PASSING OF RANCHES
Big Western Farms Cut Up
Into Small Tracts.
LAND GAINING IN VALUE
Explains in Part for Advance in
Beef Prices.
EVOLUTION IN FARM METHODS
Possibilities Of New England and
Other Eastern States Farmers.
Wonderful Crater Lake.
EVOLUTION IN FARM METHODS
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

surprising II the people OF the United
States within few years became de-
pendent upon the farmers Of New Eng
land, New York and other eastern states
for their beet. mutton and poultry and
upon the farmers of the west for their
fruits. breadstuffs and pork. Land is be-
coming SO valuable out west that range
cattle are Improbable. They cost more
than they come to. and that Is no doubt
the principal reason for the advance In
the price Of beef. The great ranches arc
being cut up into small farms and sowed
to grain, vegetables and alfalfa.
The so-called abandoned farms Of New
Hampshire and other parts of New Eng
land and New York state. however, are
capable OF raising plenty OF the best
kind Of stock and will produce plenty OF
hay. alfalfa and corn, which are the best
forage. both for dairy and beef cattle.
These farms will also produce sheep.
| both for mutton and wool. at a less cost
than most of the ranches in the far west.
and the convenience Of city markets gives
them a great advantage, although. go
far as markets are concerned, the demand
for all kinds OF farm produce is quite as
great and the prices for vegetables, eggs,
poultry, butter and other staples are
higher out here than they are in New
England.
That seems strange but, as you know,
| 1t has always been the rule for the ranch
men with 5000 cattle to use condensed
| milk. and for the planter of 10000 acres
of corn to buy his cornmeal and bacon.
That rule still applies throughout the
| west pretty generally. The owners of
the magical orchards have been writing
eggs, 40 and 50 cents a pound for butter,
% and 30 cents pound for chickens and
corresponding prices for potatoes and
other vegetables. which one would think
tHa1p Co.
products in this land Of ideal farming
command as high prices at the village
stores as they bring at the fashionable
markets in New York and Boston. have
been soiemnly assured that regular ship
ments OF cold storage eggs and poultry
and butter are made every winter from
Kansas and Nebraska to the farming
communities on the Pacific coast. This
seems absurd, but similar conditions pre-
vail in the cotton belt of the gulf states.
in the sugar and rice districts of Louis
lana, and to a certain degree in the corn
belt Of Illinois and Iowa and for similar
reasons
How the Fruit Farmer Figures.
man who Is making $6CO or 500 an
acre by growing fruit is not inclined To
putter around a chicken coop. 1t is too
much trouble, and he explains that he
does not keep chickens and cows because
II he did he would nave to raise food for
them, and keep up his place during the
whole year; whereas he can go to the
grocery whenever he wants eggs or but
ter or poultry; condensed cream that
which is SKINNED from the milk pans in
the dairy: there is no bother about
chicken diseases and sick cows and
when the fruit is picked and the orchar ds
are narrowed. the farmer can shut up his
house and 30 east for the winter.
This Is not ODly the EXPLANATION of %
reason for refusing to do dive rsified farm
Ing. but illustrates the Independence of
the 'one-crop" farmer. Nearly all the
large orchardmen remain on their places
only during the fruit season. They come
in the spring and they go in the fall. and
they simply camp out in the meantime
That is not a good thing for the coun-
try, but l do not see how you are going
co help ii.
Crater Lake a Wonder.
Crater lake, which is the deepest body
Of fresh water on the American continent.
Ii not in the world, and one Of the great
est wonders OF the west lies eighty
miles almost directly northeast OF Med
iord. and the people of that town hope to
nave direct boulevard there within an
other year The movement has been ar
rested by AT injunction which has not yet
been dissolved
Last winter, largely through the efforts
W a
always taken an active interest in Crater
lake. the legislature of Oregon made an
Appropriation Of SlN.py' the COM
inissioifers of Jackson and hlamatE
counties each voted $4,000 and tie Ha--
l!man railway system pledged $4,000 to
build a thirty-toot boulevard from Med
ford to the lake. following the ca,.yon OF
the Rogue river, which arises very near
that mysterious body OF water fl was
intended also to ask Congress Ia appro-
fhn ha; -,
through the forest reserve, the kianlal. 4,
agency and the National Park, about
eighteen by twenty-five miles III size
which mas been created for the protection
of the great natural wonders in that Vi
entity.
Taxpayer Stops Enterprise.
If everything had gone through as ex-
pected the road would have been under
constr ucticn at this moment but L. II.
Mcmahon of Salem, lawyer of small
practice. applied to the local courts for
| an injunction prohibiting the trea surer of
the state from disbursing the appropra.-
tion on the ground that the act is uncon-
stitutional because the Legislature OF Ore
gon has no authority to appropriate pub
lie funds raised by taxing the entire state
10 be expended for the benefit OF Il single
county. 1t was discovered thai Mr.. Nc
MahOE pays taxes on SLIGO worth OF
property and his share would be less tina II
bI cents. out tIe local court granted all
Injunction. The Crater Lake commission
appealed 20 the supreme court ana tie
appeal IS pending.
The point at isSt;c is WhctNe. Lne people
OF the entire state will derive any ccu.nt
from Il boulevard .onnecting the railway
at Medfur,i with national park uelons
ing to the government of the United
States similar to the Yosemite and the
Yellowstone, except upon a smaller scale.
or whether the movement is purely a To-
cal affair for. the benefit OF Jackson and
klamath counties. 1. seems TO be a tt,.es-
ton that will be dec ded according to the
breadth or naIroWnegS OF vision enjoy ed
by the members of the court
Occupies Gigantic Crater.
Crater lake is, as / nave said one of
the greatest natural wonders in t.le world
It lies near the summit of Mount AIaza-
ma, nine thousand feet above the sea al d
occupies a 81 gantic caldrC1 or crater
nearly six miles 10 diameter anu tour
thousand feet deep. 1t Is eIci.CleI i.v AN
unbroken wall Of lifts varying in heieit
from one thousand 10 Two thousand fee
without single break. and : i. nearly fer-
pendicuar that it is Impossible to de-
scend 10 the waters edge save III = rer,-
few places. The water is of an ,utcnsn
oiuf coIcr ana is very cod ana t.. axe
has no visible outlet.
1t receives tie drainage from he ;iuper
slopes of Mount Ma.ana Dlt that is con
paraiVety small. During tEe Wii.tes' TIC
lake IS not accessible Ca accotat ~ Inc
dept, of snow. ard large masses Of sr,n-
remain all summer wherever i.e% 49,.
protected from tie sun The lnouUtain -
N a l.tl-