Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-07-30
WASHINGTON.
Diversified Agricultural Resources.


The Washington farmer may Choose
practically any type of agriculture that
he desires. The diversity of agricul-
ture is due to. the great difference in
altitude, rainfall and soil to be found
in the state, and to the great variety
of natural vegetation. The rainfall
in the most arid portions of the state
is only from five to eight inches per
year, while at points on the northwest
coast precipitation of ten feet is re-
ported Land at every elevation from
sea level to the snow line in the Cas-
cades, is farmed; and every quality of
soil from marsh-bog and heavy clay
Co loose sand is cultivated.
The cultivation of the semi-arld
lands of eastern Washington, which
comprise about three-fifths of the total
area of the state, is comparatively re-
cent, following the construction Of the
transcontnental railways. The early
settlers located in the western humid
section of the state, where they chose
the beautiful valleys and protected
spots. The western Washington farmer
often began as logger or fisher
man, since logging and fishing were two
Of the earliest industries of the state
and two of the present greatest. The
logged-off lands were also transformed
into dairy farms, and dairying is now
one of the great industries. Later ex-
periments proved the heavy lands suit
able for growing small fruits; and the
beaver-d dam lands of the former swamps
have been utilized as unexcelled eel
ery-growing land. Cranberries are now
grown in former swamps, and straw
berries on the clay hillsides. The large
Puget sound cities and Alaska afford
a nearby market for the product Of
humid western Washington. The sec
ton is fast being developed into a di
versifed farming, gardening
orchard section, and the tendency is
toward the small intensely cultivated
farm
Fruit, grain and hay are the chief ag
ricultural products of eastern Wash
ington. This section of the state is
comprised largely of treeless prairie'
and rolling hills. The soil is of vol
canic ash and practically inexhaustibl'
under diversified crops and propOl
methods of cultivation. The past ten
dency has been toward large wheat
farms, and larger stock ranches but thu
land is becoming more valuable for di
versified crops and fruit-growing, 81
there is a decided movement towarC
subdivision into tracts varying from
five to forty acres. Great irrigation
projects are being developed in thi
part of the state, and land values hav'
advanced very rapidly in the well
known fruit-growing sections that Otter
return profit of $1,000 an acre pc
year. With railway extensions and tn
development of dry-farming practice
new areas of land are being brough
into cultivation. Washington has
wonderful variety of resources, afford
ing many opportunities to homeseeker
and capitalists. A comprehensive sum
mary of the land, timber, mineral an
water wealth of the state may be foun'
in a book entitled GA Review of tn
Resources and Industries of Washing
ton, published and gratuitously dis
tributed by the state bureau of sta
tistics, agriculture and immigration a
Olympia.
Along North Bank.
During the past three or four month
there has been much orchard develop
ment along the "North Bank" rail
road.
The apricot, European grapes, sucl
as Tokay and Malaga, and the almon'
industries are soon to receive an i'm
petus in the northwest For years i
has been known that certain parts o.
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