Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-09-08
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.
Furnished by the Wholesale Market
Exchange, H. NJ. Axtell & Co.


Exchange, H. NJ. Axtell & Co.
II was Thanksgiving day, and din
ner, as often is the case on these spe-
ciel occasions, was late. Two boys
belts became unusually loose, SO they
made raid on the pantry. They had
barely tightened the belts from the
inside, when the call came for din
ner. They tucked their napkins un-
der their chins, and then one exclaim-
ed. "Oh gee, here's the opportunity
OF whole year and we are full OF
prunes." Now there Is nothing wrong
about prunes or apples or even
pears, In the right proportion at the
proper time, but 1t Is well to remem-
Der that even mashed potatoes and
turkey, that's been roasted so much,
are at times more In demand than
quite so many prunes or other fruit,
and It's we'll sometimes to figure on
what's coming before filling up too
much on any one thing so you haven't
room for anything else.
Only few years ago the farmers
of the Willamette valley and parts
Of Washington were like the boys
full OF prunes, then again In q short
while they were foaming over with
hops Before that it was wheat from
ono end of the valley to the other
Al other times 1t has been spuds,
from one extreme 1t has been to an
other.
Is 1t not the history of every new
country that first comes cattle graz
Ing, later as the land is cleared, 9th
er stock follow, and large crops are
raised from the first tilling Of the
soil After this development comes
increased population with dividing
and subdiylding of the larger tracts
of land With more people diversi-
fled and intensified farming follows
with greater production.
We hold that Oregon would now
be much farther along in its develop
ment II no man had been allowed to
homestead more than forty acres In
stead Of three hundred and twenty
acres as was In most cases included
In the one preemptions and home
steads. II Is only the last few years
that these pioneers have quit being
land poor and are selling off these
large holdings and permltting them
to be divided into many small homes.
These little places are In turn being
cleared and put into high state of
cultivation. This great change Is
sweeping over the entire northwest,
and will In time bear fruit.
People are studying these things
from scientific standpoint and are
learning that the climatic and soil
conditions of different llcallties are
especially adapted to the growing of
extra fine fruit and vegetables. At
tention is being directed to the grow
ing OF fruit. even to the neglect of
everything else. Where Is our new
country In which to range cattle?
Certainly not In -he orchards, which
are even crowdlng out the alfalfa
greens, II is true that we could and
should grow plenty OF vegetables be-
tween the rows to supply our own
state at least, instead Of leaving It
to the foreign labor of California
Just remember the fate of the boys,
and look little out For by the
way, the Japanese potato king" is
In Portland and is quoted by the
Journals Lots OF business here; lots
OF t. BY and by am coming to
this town to live, mebbe Good pota-
to country, this here Oregon Mebbe
VIII come back up here and raise
potatoes dunno" And II he
does, permit MS to suggest that he
win raise more than spuds with our
home growers