Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1911-05-12
Statement of Successful North
Side Farmer.

mer in Idaho will be of much interest to
a number of residents in this section:
| moved to Idaho from Colorado
twenty-eight years ago, landing at
Blackfoot. At that time Blackfoot was
the end of the railroad. l walked from
Blackfoot to Bellevue. At that time
the Oregon Short Line was building
from Pocatello westward.
My first farming in Idaho was at
Camas Prairie, forty-three miles north
of Wendell, beginning in 1885. | am
therefore somewhat familiar with the
Snake River Valley. We raised stock
on Camas Prairie in conjunction with
our farming operations.
| do not believe there is a place any
where in the northern part of the
United States that equals the Snake
River Valley for some kinds of fruit,
for alfalfa, alfalfa seed raising, dairy
ing, stock raising, sheep feeding. 1t is
unquestionably n of the greatest
alfalfa seed raising sections in the world.
| have plants that measure three feet
and more across, literally bending to the
ground so heavily are they covered with
seed pods. Alfalfa seed matured per-
fectly last year, with the first year
planting.
The scientists told us in the beginning
that this would be a great alfalfa grow
ing country. owing to the large amount
of carbonate of lime in the soil. They
knew what they were talking about,
for our alfalfa makes a remarkable
growth. have a piece sown in March,
1910. which has been cut once already
for hay and at this writing, July %, it
measure two f~eethigh, with a thoroughly
good stand.
Our last years seeding of alfalfa was
cut between the Is and 22nd of June.
A part of this field which was watered
right yielded two and a half tons to the
acre. H. Today, July 25, it is ready to cut
the second time. | expect to water it
again Immediately after removing the
hay, and this will leave lots of time for
the third crop to mature. A good
average stand of alfalfa here, after the
second year, will yield from seven to
nine tonssto the acre. Alfalfa is worth
$40 toI$12 in the stack this year.
AS to grain raising, it is possible to
raise from 60 to 100 bushels of oats per
acre. Our oat shocks this year were
taller than fence posts. We are not
troubled with grain "falling' here, as
it does not rain during the maturing
season. Wheat in some of our fields is
going 40 bushels to the acre. These
yields will be improved when we have
alfalfa land to pillow under.
Potatoes are in their element here.
Last year | raised Melted Gems that
were over asfoot long, hat you could
pile up on your armljust like so much
stove wood. And they had fine quality,
too. Hon.. lie. H. Grubb, who is now
potato commissioner for the United
States Department of Agriculture ir
Europe, and who is one of the leading
potato growers of Colorado, spent two
months Investigating this section from
the potato growing standpoint. He
says this.:is the greatest natural potato
growing belt in the Unitd States.
| think there is no question that he is
right, as the quality we find in u pota-
toes is already taking them beyond the
local markets.
Last year | planted a patch of waite
melons and muskmelons; the for.
mer grew to weigh al pounds, anc
| could have gathered wagon loads
that would average around 30 pounds.
The cantaloupes had a very sweet
quality and would have been good ship
pers. The cantaloupes We're superior
to those shipped in from the famou.
ca~ntaloupe belts of California anC
Colorado.
Trees grow remarkably fast here
Shade trees have made six feet already
this season. We have a black locus
grove of 1000 trees, some of which
stretched up eight feet this year.
Apple, and prune trees, plumbs
Strawberries, raspberries, grapes anC
the like all do well here.
We are fortunate here in having q
company building our irrigation system