Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-07-29
WASHINGTON.
,,,,orsitied Agricultural Resources.

diversified Agricultural resources.
Tbe Washington farmer may choose
..aetically any type of agriculture that
r desires. The diversity of agricul-
l,ro is due to the great difference in
'li+ude rainfall and soil to be found
: The state, and to the great variety
- natural vegetation. The rainfall
= tbe most arid portions of the state
: onlv from five. to eight inches per
-oor while at points on the northwest
eoast precipitation of ten feet is re-
Dorted. Land at every elevation from
ioa level to the snow line in the Cas-
.sdes. is farmed; and every quality of
soil from marsh-bog and heavy clay
n loose sand is cultivated.
The cultivation of the semi-arid
lands of eastern Washington, which
eomprise about three-ffths of the total
area of the state, is comparatively re-
cent, following the construction of the
transcontinental railways. The early
settlers located in the western humid
section of the state, where they chose
tbe beautiful valleys and protected
spOts. The western Washington farmer
often began as a logger or fisher
man, since logging and fishing were two
Of the earliest industries of the state
and two of the present greatest The
loggedotf lands were also transformed
into dairy farms, and dairying is now
one of the great industries. Later ex-
periments proved the heavy lands suit
able for growing small fruits; and the
beaverdam lands of the former swamps
have been utilized as unexcelled cell
ery-growing land. Cranberries are now
grown in former swamps, and straw
berries on the clay hillsides. The large
Puget sound cities and Alaska afford
nearby market for the product Of
humid western Washington. The sec
ton is fast being developed into a di-
versifed farming, market gardening.
orchard section, and the tendency is
toward the small intensely cultivated
farm.
Fruit, grain and hay are the chief ag
ncultural products of eastern Wash
ington This section of the state is
comprised largely of treeless prairies
and rolling hills. The soil is of vol
eanic ash and practically inexhaustible
under diversified crops and proper
methods of cultivation. The past ten
dency has been toward large wheat
farms, and larger stock ranches, but the
land is becoming more valuable for d. |
yerSlfed crops and fruit-growing, so
there is decided movement toward |
SUBDIVISION into tracts varying from |
i've to forty acres. Great irrigation
projects are being developed in this
part OF the state, and land values have
advanced very rapidly in the we'll
known frmt-growing sections that often
return profit of $1,000 an acre per
year. With railway extensions and the
ueVelopment of dry-farming practices
ne" areas OF land are being brought
ln'O cultivation. Washington has
wonderful variety of resources. afford
Jug many opportunities to homeseekers
ana capitalists. A comprehensive sum.
mary OF the land, timber, mineral and
wafer wealth of the state may be found
u book entitled GA Review of the
a''Uurces and Industries of Washing
E published and gratuitously dis
iiDuted by the state bureau of sta
Olympia. 'ion a'
Along North Bank.
Duflng the past three or four months
llere mas been much orchard deyelop-
m ns. along the "North Bank" rail
I me, apricot, European grapes, such !
nan nvhay and Malaga, and the almond
po tua'IleS are soon to receive an i'm
AS I'm IN tne northwest. For years it
oeen known that certain parts of
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