Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-06-18
(call of the west.)

perhaps the largest single body of
tillable land, outside Of the great
Sacramento and Ian Joaquin valleys
in California, in the Pacific Coast or
Rocky Mountain States. 1t is also
one of the oldest-settled sections of
the West, large part of its prairie
and bottom land having been in cul-
tivation for more than fifty years.
In the early days and up to with
in the last few years grain growing
has been the predominant industry.
The moist, early springs and dry
summers were admirably adapted to
the production of cereals, and it was
but natural that the raising of grain
should have been the leading indus
try. However, under the strain of
constant cropping to wheat and with
only poor, shallow cultivation the
soil gradually failed to yield profit
able crops of grain. AS natural re-
suit of these conditions a change in
agricultural methods has been TAX
ing place within the last few years,
and the wheat ranch with its $40 to
| $40 acres or more of poorly culti-
waited Soil is giving place to the small
diversified farm with its crop rota-
tion and it's intensive cultivation.
But the climate is not we'll adapted
to this new system of agriculture.
Grain was ripe and ready for harvest
before the dry summer months came
on, while the crops now being raised
clover, vetch, hops, small fruit
and vegetables-ex extend their growth
we'll into or through the dry season,
If given the opportunity, and often
suffer lack of sufficient moisture
just at the time when needed to
give the crop it's best growth.
The dominant physical feature of
the valley is it's stream system The
Willamette river rises in the south
eastern corner of the watershed in
the junction of the Calapooias with
the high Cascades. Following north
erly it follows the trough of the val
ley and empties into the Columbia at
the northern extremity of the valley.
From the Cascade Range on the east
network of tributaries make their
way toward the trunk stream.
larger streams of the State, such as
the Middle Fork, the Mckenzie, the
Santiam, the Molalla and the Clack-
amas. There are a number of tribu-
taries from the Coast Range on the
west, but the flow of these is neither
so large nor so constant as that
which comes from the high water-l
shed of the Cascades. Among the
principal streams entering the valley
from the west are the Coast Fork,
the Tualatin, the Yamhill. the Luck
iamute and Marys rivers.
From October to March approxi-
mately rs per cent of the rainfall of
the year occur, leaving but 25 per
cent or about 10 inches of rain for
the six months of the dry season,
from April to September, wlsen many
crops are making their greatest de-
mand for moisture. During April, .
May and the early part of June the
rainfall in average years is abundant
for all crops, and in some years more ,
than abundant; but from June 15 Of
aooh xraar 70 Confapohoy TX tIo rai,,
fall averages but 2.5 inches per
month, which is entirely insufficient
to maintain proper moisture condi-
tions in the average soils of the
valley.
The character of the rainfall dur
ing the summer period must also be
taken into account in considering
the matter The roads show that the
majority of the rains occurring in
this period more than showers, and
although their aggregate makes
considerable showing, they are of lit
tie value to growing crops.
The season of 1907 illustrates
this point clearly. The total amount
of rainfall and it's distribution were
about normal. The summer rainfall
came in three distinct shower periods
the first occurring in the latter
part of June and the first part of
July. the second occurring about the
middle of August and the third to-
ward the end Of August.
The late spring rainfall ceased on
June Is. Between that time and
the first shower period on June 28
there were a few showers at differ
ent points in the valley, but no gem
eral rain. The heaviest shower at
any point during this period was O.O9
inches at Portland on June 21. Dur
ing the first period the heaviest rain
occurred at Portland on July 2,
when 1 inch of rain fell. The only
other rainfall of value was at Albany
on July 3, when 0.45 inch fell. Be
tween the first and second shower
periods there was no rainfall any