Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-05-07
RAILROAD EXPERIMENT
FARMS
Chicago, Milwaukee g. Puget
Sound Railroad Company
Establishing Six

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
contains the following account of
the work of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee 4 Puget Sound railroad com
Ipany in establishing experimental
farms in the state of Washington :
Six Experimental farms are to
be established and operated in The
state OF Washington by the Chi
.cago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound
Railway Company. A simialr
number Of stations will be dis
tributed through the agricultural
districts of Idaho and Montana,
crossed by the new line of rail
road The farms are to contain
ten acres each and be made self
supporting in every respect. The
purpose is to demonstrate to set
tiers, homeseekers, tourists and in
yestors that there are financial
possibilities in irrigation, forestry.
orcharding and dairying on small
farms carved from the tracts here
tofore considered worthless be-
cause Of distance from transporta-
ton and lack Of soil moisture.
The proposed plan Of the rail
way company is to conduct the
farming operations IN the most
modern manner possible. Every
up-to-date method is to be adopt
ed and the work carried on along
scientific lines. The stations will
demonstrate the best methods OF
intensified farming show the bene-
fits OF crop rotation and educate
the people on the latest approved
schemes for conserving of soil
moisture. AS the country is to be
opened through the completion of
that road is practically new to ag-
riculturiSts, the stations will be
maintained in sections where the
greatest good can be accomplish
ed by exhibiting the various pro
ducts of the farms and giving
practical instructions on how to
get profitable results.
Railroads are constructed for
commercial purposes and made to
pass through sections Of country
that promise future business. They
form the basis of industrial de-
ve!opmcnt. Without transporta-
ton facilities the farming com
munitieS would not become pros
porous. Many of the products of
diversified agriculture pay profits
when the fields Of supply are To-
Gated within the ten-mile limit of
a transportation station. The rail
roads become the pioneers in de-
veloping the natural resources.
They establish the spirit of coop
GRAFTON between producers and
carriers and enable the growers
to get their products on the best
at the right time and in
proper condition.
There is a demand for more in
formation or how to succeed on
small farms. Men and women
read Of wonderful crops being
taken from orchards. gardens and
vineyards of small dimensions
and doubt the truthfullness Of The
stories. They have seen old farms
abandoned because the land aid
not produce sufficient income to of
fer inducements for the young
men to remain on the land and at
tempt to keep up with the re-
quiremrnts of the age. They
have noted the failure Of many
apparently industrious families in
harvesting success from large
tracts Of land. Now comes the
story of wealth and independence
being attained through the cult
walton of one-tenth the area of
former unsuccessful farms. The
people want to see the object les
sons, ard the railroad company is
dong the proper thing when it
proposes to operate those small ex- 4
perimental farms"