The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-11-21

the soil being volcanic ashes, it is very
loose and the sage brush does not root
deeply, SO it. is an easy matter to eradi-
cate it. Often all that is done to loos-
en- it from the ground is to drag rail-
way rail over the roots and brush.
Then, when cleared and irrigated, the
ranches are capable of raising all
known crops of the temperate zone.
Even the English walnut and pecan
are grown here, and on account of the
large alfalfa tracts, many ranchers
raise great quantities of bees The
alfalfa honey has a somewhat peculiar
| taste to ne, but in time | suppose a
person can get accustomed to it, al
though not at all like clover, dandelion
or Eastwood honey. Garden vegetables
of all kinds grow here.
OF all the mostinviting growing crop
| is alfalfa for it freshens and beauties
the hillside as nothing else does, and is
a sharp contrast to the nearby sage
brush ridges. 1t is indeed a treat to
| look from the dull brown and bare sage
brush areas to the green alfalfa plats.
Here it yields about tons per acre of
3 or 4 cuttings in a season besides more
or less pasturage; and there is a ready
market for it, large baled quantities
being shipped to the coast cities and
Alaska.
Next to its alfalfa output, Yakima
valley boasts of its hop crop, the elm
ate being favorable to their produc-
tion. The expense of raising hops is
from to &c per pound while the sell
ing price ranges from l. to SOC per
pound, and even more in exceptional
years. a ranch owner told me of get
ting SOC per pound for his the first year
he was here.
Potatoes raised in this valley are
noted for their soldity, dryness and
goodness" in general, not to mention
size, but at the head of al products is
the apple. Yakima Valley is called
"the home of the big red APPLE, and
indeed well it may be thus termed.
Yakima Valley has $4,000 acres bear
ing apples, apricots, pears, peaches
and prunes, and from $4,000 to $4,000
acres recently set out to fruit trees.
The British and German markets
consume a large portion of Yakima's
fruit. The apples are carefully sorted
for cooling moth, limb rubs, stings and
shape, so that those finally marketable
as No. | apples are indeed beautiful to
see. This may AL seem dull and unin-
teresting to you at home but here in
the West where everyone talks apples
and fruit cannot bu. imbibe little of
the fruit lore myself OF course the
climate is all in the world. Yakima
Valley boasts of 800 sunshiny days year
ly and in the past % years of its exis-
tence, the valley has seen but two fruit
crop failures due to severe winters.
One can not turn to either side with
out hearing tho. valley topic-fruit-
discussed. At first could not under
stand their reasons for talking fruit by
the hour, but I've grown accustomed
to it fairly we'll by now, so much so
that | am quite interested in the sub
ject myself, and listen to the subject in
rapt attention.
With no native trees, fire wood is not
an expensive factor, and coal is mined
TO the north and west of this valley at
Gle Elum and Rosyln. These mines
produce over 1000 tons bituminous coal
daily and their product is marketed all
through the coast states.
In all irrigated sections of this val
ley successful dairying is carried on.
Near Granger an Ohio man has a
ranch of 100 acres and sells the pro-
ducts Of 30 Holstein cows, being
wholesale mfikman in Granger, and
ships cream to the crermery at Top
peniSh. On account of the mild winter
climate here 'dairying is profitable
occupation and at present Granger and
Ellensburg butter is listed at the store
here at 4Oc per pound or 2 pounds for
15c. Eggs are 45c per dozen at pre-
sent.
| am certainly greatly satisfied with
my trip to the West, even though
long at times to see dear home face,
but the time doesn't seem long since I |
reached here, and, enjoying my school
work as | certainly do here, am sure
that this term will pass rapidly. Sat-
urday | called on Mrs. Peterson form
erly OF Eaton, Manitowoc Co., and had
a very pleasant visit while there.
CATHERINE M. DOOLAN.
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