Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-12-30
Some Brains, Some Work and
an Acre of Rogue River Soil.
By H. G. Marshall.

The tract was entirely undeveloped
and the first matter for considera-
tion, after plowing was the water
supply for irrigation and house use,
and he at once set about planning
and developing a water plant that, as
1t stands today, is second to none in
this city. A we'll was dug 32 feet
deep and the water being sheet water
IN this country, rather than In de-
fined veins, tunnel was run on the
water line "a feet long by s feet
high and feet wide, which crosses
the water sheet at right angles. CIV
Ing him an underground reservoir
holding 720 cubic feet of water, or
174 barrels; above this he has a
255O-gallon galvanized tank and a
two-horse-power gasoline engine for
pumping. From the tank pipes run
at convenient intervals over the
ranch. This plant furnishes suffi-
cient water for stock, house and ir-
rigation purposes and in the absence
or ditch water, such plant Is an alb
solute necessary adjunct to a sue
cessful fruit and truck ranch In this
vicinity. The work Of installing the
system was done by the owner him
self and the material, pipe and en-
gine complete cost in the neighbor-
hood Of $500. With this water plant
he can put 1850 gallons of water on
his land In 35 minutes and he has as
yet been unable to pump the under
ground reservoir dry. The cross-cut
tunnel scheme is good one, insur-
Ing plenty of water, as It gives him
"a feet Of surface to the water flow.
The apparently large cost Of the
plant comes in the piping, as he has
used $50 feet Of 2-inch iron pipe and
1000 feet OF 1-inch pipe and expects
to put in more the coming season.
However, this particular piece of
land Is flat and level. Were 1t other
wise, the cost Of pipe would be elm
mated by running the water In
bitches, depending on the grade.
A modest little building was put
up with view to Its being used as
the kitchen part Of better home in
the future and was so located that
, 1t could be added to without moving
or changing in any material way, the
, grounds being prepared and laid out
, with the more pretentious home In
, view. The first year, in March, they
planted 5000 strawberry plants, 100
, 'loganberries and the balance Of the
, ground was planted to corn and gar
: den, from which they sold $151
worth Of truck. Their poultry con
sisted Of "a hens and ducks. from
which they sold 225 dozen eggs, 81
young chickens and 80 ducks, for @
, total OF $71. They had one COW
! which gave during the year 400 gal
Ions of milk, out OF which they tool
enough for butter and for family use
, and sold $9S worth, making the tota
= gross earnings the first year, above
, their own vegetables, eggs, butter
and milk used in the family, the SINUS
little sum OF s29750.
= In 1908, one year from planting
4 the berries began to bear little fol
home use. The old COW got busy anC
contributed a fine calf to the stock
, !n-trade OF the ranch. That year 15(
= more loganberries we're planted, 10t
!, mammoth blackberrles, 100 phenom
q nal berries 200 red raspberries. 5Ot
= grape vines and 55 fruit trees Of DIFF
, ferent varieties Also one acre o
vetch and alfalfa, one acre Of corn
A quarter acre OF potatoes and BIZ
garden, which included plenty o.
i, roots for stock food. The stock o
poultry that year was 80 hens and |
a ducks, from which we're sold 12t
hroilers, 200 dozen eggs and g.
. ducks, at a total OF s116 The vege
h table garden paid sos, while enough
alfalfa potatoes, melons and corr
we're disposed Of to bring the amoun
, mp to s2O2, Add to this $50 gallon
= Of milk sold at 90 cents per gallol
and the total income from the plac,
- for 1908, above the better part o
the living, was s422
y. In l9O9 the berries began to coun
IN the income in good shape, an,
- they sold 35 crates Of strawberrie
- lat s4S, 10 crates Of loganberries a
:, Is15. and enough other berries 4
:, make $3.50. The vegetable gardei
4 paid s241. From "a hens and
T. ducks we're sold 200 dozen eggs, 3
- chickens and 50 ducks, at a total o
= tqs. making th.s years Incom
$3.50. This same year the
:. planted 30 more fruit trees
In 1910 the berries paid sis1.2i
,,d cranes s5 Tho three-year-