The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-02-13


ton. Mr.. Sparks is an expert in his
line and his article will be found
we'll worth while.-Editor.)
Any country within whose bounda-
ries there is bountiful supply of
water for the soil and temperate eli
matte conditions obtain will see in the
near future the greatest development
in the home building ever seen on
this earth. Perhaps there will be
some who read this article who will
question my Judgment in this state
ment and l will plead that | am an
optimist by nature but have been
schooled by experience to believe that
any one who has a well-founded the
ory can justify his confidence in the
accuracy of that theory by substan-
tial evidence.
Proceeding thus, we ask: What are
the factors for home buildingf And
we answer: First, the man; second,
climatic conditions; third, the soil,
and, fourth, natural diversified re-
sources, which we will consider in re-
verse order here named. Strictly
speaking, the first three factors are
resources, and the chief resources, but
as they are to some degree common
with all inhabited countries, we want
to call attention to those that are
not common, and they are many and
valuable.
I believe the time will Justify us in
the statement that the means of
transportation, which will include the
many transcontinental and local rail
roads, urban, interurban and electric
lines; the splendid system of water
ways; the natural grades; limitless
supply of the best material for road
building, together with the boundto-
build-and- buid-right spirit of our peo-
ple, is a resource of inestimable worth
to commercial interests, as permanent
commerce always travels along the
lines of least resistance and easiest
grades, and to the home builders on
the banks and terraced benches of
the inland sea, lake or river; or back
on the plateaus or mountain-sides.
Then, the water power-endless,
boundless and "going on forever.'
Manufacturing is always prosperous
where there is cheap power and ade-
ssstS-. &GaRsP oktfttii9n facilities and
=, II we were to judge the soils nv
inc amount of mineral elements nee.
essary for crop production thew con.
tain as shown by chemical analvsos
we would say that there are many
places where there is much more mi.
Iormly good soil. We have on tbo
racine Coast thousands of acres
winch can be correctly classed "a
e'od' and considerable that is moor
when judged by the soil chemist .
standard. Indeed, we think We c.n
say that the soils are more var;ed
mere 'nan are most of our agricul. ;
turai soils. We have found as manv I
as -FOUR distinct types of soil on one ,
acre Justlfying us in using the gen. 7
e,ai term "spotted in places.o but t
ail these types have special valno g
"hen we know how to select and d
ldapt crops and methods of produc. b
Ion best suited to our soil Ru+ a
mere is second factor that asserts h
tseir here, upsets and completely 81
OUTS some OF our preconceived notions SC
SOIL fertility. 1 refer to climatic RI
onditions, which have not always been a,
aily appreciated. The most fertile he
'il in the world would be valueless ii,
lthout water to transfer the e,o. an
ents of the soil 's fertility To tho to
rowing plant. Temperature of soil
ID air, together with sunshine in nj.
ason to assist in celebrating and ma
these elements. Any com. or
nation of soil and climatic condi. an,
ms that has produced a vast for. con
OF mammoth trees will produce nro
untifully of other and more vain. 600
lie crops with our cooperation t. s'.
"iu De very difficult to compute bcs
full value of the annual rainfall a.,
this country, coming as it does in 49,,
attest quantities in the dormant ono
son in gentle, falling rain, without fo,I,
ere winds and later sunshine and c;an
wers blended. There is untold mil. soon
IS IN them. 1t is no wonder the oror,
'ptians of old while working with 1;o,,
r parched fields would shout and a. 1 ~
with joy, when they saw it com cber,
water! Water! Great is wa. nor
water is bread!" 1t is true vol,
the steady downpour of rain ia t, oa'
INES trying, but we believe that .hn,
agonies of webfeet and mossbacks ho,a
not so killing as the despair that nraot
~ from seeing our crops dry. and
or and burn for want of water ina q
We often heard it said that MANY H.
1t all, of the farmers of the arid IanJs
would gladly give three fourtbs of 81,
70 fertility of their soil for one. oil ~
OF the water represented bv Whon
lnnual railfall in western Wash. tboso
and Oregon. 1t is also true n ~,
In places the excessive rains 90 W.