The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1910-04-28

Grow" Ontario IL 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 go miles and contains
9,7S4 square miles. Its elevation IL
about 200 feet In tho Snake and lower
valleys OF the MaIheur 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 ono 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
30 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-I
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. II 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 1. perhaps best
told when II Is said Ontario and vicin-
lily enjoy 800 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 d.
versifled farming district will grow
and thrive In the valley about Ontario
or course. here as in every other To-
cality, experience has taught agricul-
turists that certain crops or comblna-
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 the
country about Ontario Is the alfalff
field, In yerification OF the wonder
rul producing power OF the soil. Is
case In point: Andrew Lackey cut
3s6 tons OF alfalfa from SO acres.
With regard to sugar-beet raising
some general idea OF the adaptabillt,
Of the soil can be had when It Is know
that A. j, Quackenbush, residing two
miles from Ontario. raised 297 tons OF
sugar beets from 10 acres
Garden truck OF all kinds does well
and finds a quick market. All cereals
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
turist. Corn fields yielding 100 bush
els per acre, wheat as high as 81 bush
els per acre. oats 70 bushels per acre
barley SIS bushels per acre. potatoes
400 to 900 bushels per acre are by no
means uncommon yields. No one re-
siding In Ontario or vicinity looks in
credulous when farmer states that
he raised 5o-pound melon. a 6-pound
potato or a 2o-pound sugar beet.
From 20 to 30 tons OF sugar beets
arc raised to the acre. giving the pro-
Queer a net profit of from $40 to $50
per acre. The sugar beet factory at
Nampa. Idaho. close to Ontario, offered
prizes recently for the best ten-acre
feld Of beets raised In the Snake river
valley. An Ontario agrlculturist cap
tured the first prize OF $3.50.
The winner was Mr.. Quackenbush.
The man was no exception, neither
was the opportunity. There are thous-
ands OF similar chances in and about
Ontario. All that is lacking is home
seekers; home builders with deter
mination and energy enough to recog-
nize opportunity.
There are still 10000 acres OF land
near Ontario not yet under irrigation.
This land Is all covered by the new
irrigation district formed on the 4th of
April and will be covered with water
within two years.