The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-08-05
IRRIGATION TO SOLVE PROBLEM
All Eyes Turned to the Northwestern
States 800, 100000 Acres
Can be Developed


cipal products of Washington, Oregon,
Idaho and Montana, those who are
familiar with the unrivaled climatic,
soil and other conditions believe the
time is near when the apple yields ol
the four states will be worth 100000,
900 and the culture of the king of fruit
will be the chief industry"
H. L. Moody Of Spokane, where he
is a member of the chamber of COM
merce and other organizations, said
this in an address on Apple Culture
and Irrigation in the Northwest" at
the first meeting OF the Chicago Irri-
CATION association in the La Sale hotel
in Chicago the evening of July %.
Judge Charles F. Fishback was toast
master. Mr.. Moody added among
other things:
Federal and state engineers say in
reports to their respective departments
there are approximately 100000, 900
acres of undeveloped arabic lands in
the United States west OF the o8th
meridian, and men versed in agri-
culture assert that under proper culti-
vation this area could be made to pro-
duce between 4,000,000,000 and a,
500, 100000 bushels of wheat yearly,
or other crops in proportion. The
settlement OF these lands would mean
homes for not less than 10000, 900
population and a source of added food
supply, and, as consequence, per-
manent prosperity.
The four northwestern states con-
tain 253,894, 100 acres, as follows:
Montana, 93,806,OS0; Oregon, 61,-
887, 800; Idaho, $1,000, 800; Wash
ington, 44,241,000. Less than S per
cent. of this land is occupied by farms,
and the total population is not more
than 100000 in an area of 3o7 700
square miles. More than 10000, 900
acres Of this land is adapted to irri-
CATION. Planted to apples and proper
ly watered the minimum crop at ma
turity would be matter of 10000,
900, 900 bushels, or about 40 per cent.
of the total crop Of the United States
in 1909, when less than $4,000, 900
barrels of apples were harvested.
II mention these facts merely to
show the possibilities Of the country
as proof that, as gold was the strong
magnet which sent the first American
across the continent to the California
coast in 1849, so today the apple is
attracting thousands upon thousands
more people from eastern, middle
western and southern states to the
great orchard belts of the Northwest.
The apple is king throughout the
vast northwestern domain, and it is
conceded by pomological experts that
no district in America stands higher
in fruit production. Washington has
now more than 100000 acres in or
chards, and the value of a full fruit
crop would undoubtedly equal $780,
900, 900.
With increased transportation facil-
tiles and the steady influx of settlers;
the early attempts in the valleys and
uplands have become more pretentious
and systematic. Irrigation plants have
been established by private individuals
and corporations, and the United
States government is expending enor-
nous sums in reclaiming the volcanic
waists which are so wonderfully rich
and fertile and so peculiarly adapted
to raising fruits, unblemished and
perfect in size and color.
Apples grown in Washington, Ore
gon, Idaho and Montana are in de-
mand in the eastern and middle west
ern states and in Europe and Aus
tralia, and the markets are being ex-
tended year by year. Experts in the
East who have studied conditions IN
the Northwest, frequently refer to these
states as the worlds fruit basket, add
ing there has been established In
comparatively short time a domain
where the first foot of soil, properly irTi'
gated and cultivated, is worth more
than all the mines from Alaska to Mex
leo, and all the forests from the United
States boundary to the Arctic sea.