Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-19
HILL LINE HAS GREAT DISPLAY
Products of Many States Exhibited in
Compact Form.
WONDERS OF THE NORTHWEST
Leedy Tells OF the way the Great
Northern Gives Bonuses Of Ten
Dollars an Acre for Ex-
detrimental Farming.

What the great northwest holds forth as
inducements TO prospective homesteaders
was never 80 thoroughly demonstrated as
it is at the Omaha land show. This terri
tory. embracing Montana Oregon, Wash
ngton and Minnesota. is exploited by the
Great Northern Railway company with the
finest assortment Of small grains. vegeta-
bles and fruits ever exhibited in this sec
ton OF the country. The inviting display,
which occupies a large space in the Audi
forum, is in charge Of f. c. Leedy. gem
eral immigration agent OF the Great North
ern. who has a great fund of information
at his tongues end.
The display. artistically arranged, EN-
braces horticultural and agricultural speci-
mems gathered from every corner OF the
states that are represented. In assembling
the exhibits Mr.. Leedy explains that they
were not gathered in favored districts and
exploited to represent the products Of an
entire state. but that they were collected
from every corner Of these states. giving
a true. thorough and complete representa-
ton Of the advantages of every quarter
Of thu territory represented by the Great
Northern.
THE Great Northern is doing more TO
develop the territory along its lines, and
doing It in a more systematic manner, than
any other road in the United States" says
| Mr. Leedy. Along our lines we have
| forty-four experimental stations from
| which the gospel of correct farming meth
DDS are taught to the farmers in Montana
/ alone These are in charge of Prof. Thomas
/ Shaw. who is oognlzed as the greatest
/ authority on agriculture in the United
| States. Under him are two assistants. who
devote their entire time in teaching scen-
tifc methods to the farmers OF the state.
Bowen to Farmers.
Under the direction Of these experts, the
| experimental farms are worked by the
! farmers themselves. and are paid $40 an
| acre by the Great Northern for every acre
worked In addition to this, they receive
the full benefit of the expert knowledge
| Of the professors. as well realizing full
value on all crops raised by them. In this
way the farmers generally receive a scien,
tific as we'll as a practical knowledge of
1 farming.
in Montana there are still many S2O-acre
tracts open to homesteaders. These are
not sold or controlled by the railroads-we
/ simply advertise them. During the last
six months there were greater number
Of filings on lands than in the history of
any territory in the United states during a
/ like period. and all this was the result of
our thorough advertising methods"
| Though all kinds OF small grains are
grown in the northwest. and grown profit
ably, the horticultural possibilities are OF
great Importance. With this fact In mind
Mr.. Leedy has induced c, r. Plumb OF
Omak, Wash, a fruit expert of one Of the
most prolific districts in the northwest, to
assist in the work of exhibiting fruit and
explaining the advantages OF the north
west as a fruit growing country. Mr.
Plumb is president of the Okanogan Valley
Publicity league, and he represents what
Is rapidly becoming the greatest fruit
country in the world.
In the Okanogan valley the government
recently completed a big irrigation ditch
which furnishes moisture for 10000 acFei
of fruit land. Okanogan county is th'
largest in the state of Washington, lyinG
on the northern boundary just east of tht
Cascade peaks. 1t has an area OF $50
square miles and a population estimated a
1900
About one-fourth of the county, a dis
trlct OF great latent resources, is still within
the Colville Indian reservation, but is sOoI
, to be- thrown open to settlement. Ther'
is still some homestead land available t.
! settlers in Okanogan county. Some Of II 4
, of exceptional value.
, The Methow valley is in the southern