The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-14

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FRIDAY, OCf
The annual Dry Farming Con-
gress, which held its sessions in
Spokane during the first week in
October, proved the biggest success
of any meeting of the organization
ever held, and host of delegates
from the great farming states OF
the west assembled to hear the
prominent speakers and to attend
the small gatherings where special
features of the technical side Of dry
farming were discussed for the IN
struction of the delegates. Prof. J.
H. Worst, of the North Dakota
Agricultural College, was elected
president Of the Dry Farming Con-
gress for the coming year, while
John T. Burns remains as Secretary
and Treasurer, with headquarters at
Spokane. Congressman Frank Mon
deli, Of Wyoming, the retiring presi-
dent, was made an honorary Vice
President. Alfred Atkinson is Vice
President. The usual number Of
foreign delegates were present and
were named as International Vice
Presidents. The Congress was es-
pecially useful in pointing the way
to the settlemnt of thousands OF
acres of unclaimed land in the west
ern states, by proving that scientific
methods make possible its profitable
cultivation. During the past sea-
son, the dryest in the history of the
west, it was clealy proven that good
crops could be raised by modern dry
farming methods, whereas the UNI
scientific farmers suffered from the
drought. The result of the work
done by the agricultural experts
through the Dry Farming Congress
and by other means is being felt in
the settlement of the vacant lands
in the Northwest.
The organization of the San Juan
County Dairymen's Association is
one of if not the most important
steps ever taken by the dairymen of
this county. The dairy industry is
very important one and very
profitable one if skillfully handled.
Those of the farmers in this county
who have given much attention to
it have made good. If there is any
truth in the old saying that 1.-The
proof of the pudding is in the eat
ing" then others can make good
also. The interchange Of ideas and
the careful study of the methods
adopted by those who have met with
success cannot help being of benefit
to all in the dairy business. There
are hundreds of acres of partially
cleared land in this county that
could be seeded down and put into
pasture, that is of little value for
any other purpose, and by doing so
the farmer can turn an improbable
place into a decidedly profitable one,
and with but comparatively little
expense. High bred stock well
cared for is sure to net the farmer
big returns for the money invested.
Farmers Of the Pacific Northwest
may expect to have their attention
called to his majesty, the hog, more
frequently from now on. Following
the Spokane Hog Conference during
the past week, it has been decided
to wage campaign Of education on
the hog industry that is calculated
to add largely to the production
throughout the northwest. An in
formation bureau on the subject
will be maintained by the Portland
Union Stockyards company and rail-
roads, commercial bodies agricul-
tural colleges and the newspapers
will be asked to pay special atten-
ton to the porker.
The fertility OF the soil OF West
ern Washington was shown in a
striking way by single exhibit at
the Southwestern Washington Fair,
held midway between Chehalis and
Centralia. This was the collection
of farm products put on view by FL
mer Scherer. The exhibit included
229 articles, 220 varieties of over
100 products. All were grown on
the Scherer farm near Chehalis.
Mrs. Scherer contributed largely to
the success of the exhibit. Where
but in the fruitful Northwest could
such collection Of products be
shown from one farm?
What is said to be the larges
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