East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-03
DR.. WITHYCOMBE
At HERM|ST0N
OF EXPERIMENTAL
FARMING BEING DONE
Prominent Agriculturist is Much
Pleased With Progress of Project
Thinks Fruit VIII Eventually be
Principal Crop-Other News Notes
of Hermiston.
Especial Correspondence.) }

!
James Withycombe, director Of the
Oregon experiment station, was here
the first of the week looking over the
experiment farm near town. DR..
Withycombe last week was at Union
and from here went to Moro, where
the state is conducting a Dry Farm
ing experiment station. He is very
enthusiastic over the prospects of this
section and in talking about the pro-
ject said:
"The work on the experimental
farm is making excellent progress
and Mr.. Allen, the superintendent. is
certainly conducting some very inter-
esting demonstrations that should
prove of great value to the settlers
upon the project. The varietal tests
of fruits, cultural methods and sys-
tens of application of water should
all prove to be- very beneficial to the
new settler.
This is an entirely new agricultur-
al section and conditions are perhaps
somewhat different from any
other districts, hence the tests made
at the experimental farm are especi-
ally opportune to determine what va
riety of forage plants, fruits and veg
etables will do best.
The farm has already demonstrate
ed that winter rye is a valuable crop
for adding inexpensively humus to the
soil. This is especially important as
the greatest need of this sandy loam
is organic matter.
1T is evident that the duty of wa
ter at present is rather low. This
is due largely to the lack of humus.
When organic matter is added to the
soil by means of barnyard composite.
or by growing rye, alfalfa and other
forage crops, less water will be re-
quired This organic matter will act
as a sponge in retaining moisture, al
so will prevent the soil from drifting.
To my mind this district has a bright
= future and within a few years will
E make a showing that certainly will
! be gratifying to its most ardent
= friends.
e "Those great ricks of excellent al
4 falfa han on Col. Newport's farm are
= undisputable evidence of the produc-
t ton, and potentiality of this section
!, The alfalfa plat between the Oregon
n hotel and the depot is splendid evil
this soil There is no better alfalfa
d grown anywhere.
: Fruit will unquestionably be til,
= principal crop of this section, but il
n the meantime ii would be well to give
d some attention to dairying. At tht
e present prices of dairy products i
r. the alfalfa hay be fed to good dair!
v cows it will yield a return of abou
.s $50 per ton. This is better than sell
l. ing the hay for it would not onl!
n yield better net profits, but woult
n leave the valuable composite to add
p to the soils.
i, There should be more COWS KEEP
=, on every farm. They will pave tn,
d way to better fruit production and a
10 the same time yield a constant reve
n nue. to the owners.
y Organization and utilization o.
"a resources should be the slogan O
~ the district This with the prope
study of orchard and farm problem
will develop a highly prosperous
r. community"
; The tract alluded to by DIR. Witty
= combe lying between the Oregon no
~ tel and the depot was at this tim,
! last year in sage brush. Monday o
this week saw the cutting of tn
fourth crop of alfalfa hay. and ii i
= likely that there will be another nic
Y crop to be had before the frosts come
The yield on this tract will be at tn
rate of about tons per acre for thi
the first season from the sage brusl
and no composite was used in any way
Mrs. A. P. Wright arrived yesterda,
II from Sioux City. South Dakota. Sh
comes here with the intention of 10
eating and so far has been greatly i'm
pressed with the project.
r. r. Johnson, one of Umatill
ccunty's most prosperous attorneys
has returned from Erie, Pennsylva
II mia, where he has been incorporatin
several companies. They have pur
chased land under the Hermisto
project and have incorporated for tn
purpose of getting around the resi-
Il dence clause of the reclamation ac
4 and also for the better handling c
their orchard tracts.
C. J. Blanchard chief statistician @
the United states Reclamation Sci
vice, left for Portland last nigh
Z where he will spend several days he
- fore returning to Washington, D. c.
: f. l. Davis, one of the prominer
- young United States reclamation er
III gineers formally on this project. ha
| returned from Portland, where he ha
been for the past week
III r. II. Bevery one of Portland
III prominent young attorneys and res
Il estate men, is here getting acquainte
with the voters. Mr.. Bevery is mar
| ager of S. f. Wilson's campaign f.
III joint senator.
Miss Jessie Matlock who will /
one of the teachers during the con
iii ing term, arrived yesterday froi
III Charlottesville, oregon.
II Mrs. f. r. Littler and family hay
HI returned from their vacation trip
" Montana points.
ii Mrs. II. T. Frazer and son have r,
III turned home after spending s
TX weeks in Montana and Canada Mi
II Jessie Matlock, who has been engage
III as one of the teachers in the He
III mission schools acCompanied the