The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-04-29

Grow" Ontario is the principal town
in Malheur county, Oregon, is located
in the extreme southeastern portion
of the state, bordering Idaho on the
east and Nevada on the south. The
county is 1870 miles long with an av-
erage width of so miles and contains
1884 square miles. It's elevation is
about 200 feet in the Snake and lower
valleys of the Malheur and Owyhee
rivers.
Ontario is the center of the great
fertile valley of the county. This val
ley is located along the Snake river.
Six rivers flow in this wonderful val
ley within Is miles of Ontario Fruit
growing to be successfully prosecuted
demands an elevation of 1000 feet.
Climate.
Weather is invariably one of the
most important factors to be taken in
to consideration. This is especially
true of the farmer and orchardist
Climatic conditions in Ontario and
vicinity are perfect, being far superior
to those of the east and middle west.
Very few sections enjoy so many sun
shiny days as does this section.
Summer and autumnal days are
bright and clear, while the winters are
so modified by the general influences
that there is seldom more than three
or four weeks of real winter weather.
AS a general rule the winters are open
and mild enough for farmers to carry
forward agricultural operations to the
opening of spring.
Ontario and vicinity have less wind
than any valley in the Pacific north
west. Fevers, contagious and infect
tious diseases so common to many
other localities are unknown in Ontar-
10 and vicinity, because the drinking
water Is the purest.
Last winter was an exceptionally
cold one in all sections of the United
States and Canada. 1t is plain state
ment of facts when 1t is said that there |
is no finer climate in the Pacific |
northwest than in and about Ontario |
The climatic story / perhaps best
told when it is said Ontario and vicin |
ity enjoy 300 sunshiny days annually.
Agriculture.
Granted the climatic conditions
which have been named, the statement
should not seem overdrawn that every
thing that will grow in any other di-
versified farming district will grow
and thrive in the valley about Ontario
OF course, here as in every other 10
cality, experience has taught agricul.
turlsts that certain crops or combina-
ton Of crops and grazing produce the
largest returns. The principal agricul
tural products are alfalfa hay, sugar
beets and fruit.
One of the picturesque sights Of thu
country about Ontario is the alfalf;
field In verification of the wonder
ful producing power of the soil, is
case In point: Andrew Lackey Gu,
1856 tons of alfalfa from SO acres.
With regard to sugar-beet raisins
some general idea of the adaptabilit,
Of the soil can be had when it is know
that A. ]. Quackenbush, residing two
miles from Ontario, raised 297 tons Of
sugar beets from 10 acres.
Garden truck of all kinds does wei
and finds quick market All cereal,
and vegetables such as wheat barley
rye, oats, corn, ETC., and potatoes, mel
ons, tomatoes, beans, carrots and par
ships, peas, squashes. pumpkins, etc
assure handsome profit to the argricul
-urist. Corn fields yielding 100 bush
BIS per acre, wheat as high as 81 busf
Dis per acre, oats 70 bushels per acre
'arley IS bushels per acre, potatoe.
100 to 500 bushels per acre are by NJ
means uncommon yields. No one re
siding In Ontario or vicinity looks in
,redulous when a farmer states tina
10 raised 5o-pound melon, a 6-pound
'otato or 20-pound sugar beet.
From 20 to 80 tons OF sugar beets
re raised to the acre, giving the pro-
ucer a net profit of from $40 to $50 :
er acre. The sugar beet factory at '
Tampa. Idaho, close to Ontario, offered d
rizes recently for the best ten-acre t
cid Of beets raised in the Snake river q
alley. An Ontario agriculturist cap
ired the first prize of $3.50 e
The winner was Mr. Quackenbush. +
he man was no exception, neither i
as the opportunity. There are thous- c
nds of similar chances in and about b
ntario. All that Is lacking is home L
eekers; home builders with deter c
lination and energy enough to recog- t
ize opportunity.
There are still 10000 acres of land
ear Ontario not yet under irrigation,
his land is all covered by the new :,
riga iiOD disfr{rf