Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-09-29

III Ad't II II an tucdi iili-atiou PIT
position
Few people realize the fertility and
lasting qualities of volcanic ash SOL.
We are informed. and believe it to
be a fact, that the soil in the Island
of Sicily has been cultivated and has
borne crope for over nineteen hun
dred continuous years.
This land fails to show even
trace of alkali, and it is believed that
alkal, the dread of fat and poorly !
drained countries does not exist in
this soil This. together with excel
lent drainage, eliminates all danger
of alkali
The water to be used in this seq
regation is soft and abundant. The
irrigation is by a gravity system It /
is not a pumping proposition. The
cost of maintenance until the entire
system is turned over to the settlers
under the contract of this campany.
with the state of Idaho. cannot ex-
coed SO cents per acre per year.
The Grasmere project is located
il what is probably the healthiest
part of the United States. This is a
strong statement, but it is neverthe-
less true. The pure air and abundant
sunshine contribute to this happy
state of affairs. Fevers and epidem-
les are unknown, while rheumatism
and diseases of kidneys are rarely
heard Of; this is largely owing to the
fact that the country abounds in soft
water
The climate is identical with North
eastern California and is a most de-
/ lightful one Cyclones and hot winds
are unknown; the air at all times IS
pure and bracing; the winters usu-
ally commence about the middle Of
December and end about the first
of March; only twice in eight years,
as we are informed by persons re-
siding in this country, has the Their
mometer dropped below zero; in the
summer the days are warm but the
nights are always cool.
This is probably the finest public
land stock country in the United
States. The land to the south rises
toward the mountains of Nevada and
as the elevation increases, so does
the moisture. AS a result. few miles
south of Grasmere sage brush large
ly gives place to grass which grows
luxuriantly and is capable of sup
porting large fiocks of sheep and
herds of cattle and horses.
This grazing land is owned by the
government. and, except in forest
reserves, can be used without expense
by the settlers. 1t is no small induce
ment to a person to be able to pas
ture his foclxs and herds without
charge for nine months in the year.
The few settlers in the country us
ually pasture them the year around,
but this is too much of a risk, be-
cause sheep, horses and cattle should
be fed more or less, especially during
the months of December, January and
February when snow covers the high
land
A settler who cultivates forty or
eighty acres and raises grain, alfalfa,
timothy and clover, can easily feed
large flock of sheep and a herd OF
cattle or horses. The possibilities Of
money-making in this way to a per-
son of small means are unusually
good
The crops consist of wheat, oats,
barley. rye and other grains, pota-
toes. tomatoes. alfalfa. timoth yellow
er and wild hay. Apples. peaches,
pears. cherries and other fruits are
grown with great success. It is an
exceptionally fine apple country.
In some countries where fruit has
not been raised and where land is not
offered for sale, experts disagree as
to whether it will raise fruit or NOT,
but not so here. Fruit growing is a
demonstrated fact in the Grasmere
country Hon. Dow Dunning, mem
Der of the Idaho legislature, who liv-
es in the vicinity of this land. has an
orchard of apples, pears, peaches,
cherries. and other fruit Mr.. Dunning
has advised the officers of this COM
pany that he had not had so much
as one failure of fruit in fourteen
years last past and ever since his
orchard came into bearing Mr.. Dun
ning's address is Wickahoney, Idaho.
Mr.. Morton A. Green, whose post
office address is also Wickahoney,
Idaho, has a homestead about three