Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1914-02-13


which was to devise ways and means
of assisting the present and future
heat growers of the Big Bend
country in solving the all-important
soil blowing and lack of moisture
problems, was held at the college on
Friday and Saturday mornings OF
last week. the conferees being the
board Of regents of the college
President T.. A. Bryan, the heads OF
several OF the departments, and a
committee from the Spokane Cham
her of Commerce. The mem bers of
the Spokane committee were Robert
Insinger, j. X. Mccormack, r. X.
Rogers, c. T. Hansen, and NJ. A.
Wiley. The conference was marked
by perfect harmony and resulted in
the formation by the board of re-
gents of a plan of action, which was
heartily concurred in by the Spo-
kane delegation.
Mr.. Insinger, chairman of the
Spokane committee, mentioned the
Importance of the Big Bend coun-
try as cereal producing section and
said that the purpose of the visit
was to determine how the Spokane
chamber and the State College and
experiment station can cooperate to
the good of that country.
Points to Waterville
Mr.. Mccormack and Mr.. Rogers
elaborated upon the ideas expressed
by Mr.. Insinger, and Mr.. Hansen
spoke of the Waterville section, de-
claring that region, which was once
considered worthless, had developed
into rich producing section.
Mr.. Hansen expressed faith in the
future of the entire Big Bend.
Mr.. Wiley said that at one time
Rit2yille was the greatest wheat pro-
ducing point in the world and eX-
pressed the belief that much was in
store for the Big Bend
Each Spokane speaker mentioned
some particular section of the Big
Bend and pointed out a few farm ers
who have made big success of grain
growing, although others have not
been so successful. The whole idea
was of cooperation through these
successful men, the object being to
work out a plan of farm demonstra-
tion through these farmers who
could probably linda more ready ear
than the purely scientific man.
Problem to Stop Soil Blowing
Professor George Severance, in
mentioning crops and systems of
chopping which might be beneficial
in the Big Bend, said the one big
problem is to place the soil in such
a condition that it will not blow and
suggested the raising of rye, with
live stock as a side issue, the rye
which was not eaten by the stock to
be plowed under to provide the
necessary humus to the soil, thereby
alleviating the soil blowing question.
lie suggested the use of soil packer
which does not pulverize the soil the
packer to follow Immediately after
the pillow.
Professor G. l.. Clothier suggested
Windbreaks of druth resisting trees
as a remedy for the soil blowing.
and Ira d. Cardiff outlined the work
OF the bureau of farm development
and also that of the stote experiment
station, mentioning the fact that of
the 90 or 20 projects now being con-
sldered by the station at least so
per cent would apply to the Big Bend
country, although the big problem is
now to get the farmers to grasp the
Information which is their for lie
asking.
After the question had been fully
discussed, the following plan of &C
ton was prepared by the regents and
endorsed by the visiting delegation:
The board of regents have listened
with deep interest to the committee
OF the Spokane Chamber of Com
merce which has presented the diff
culties and needs of the dry belt of
the state, and it has been impressed
with the extent of the territory af-
fected, the natural fertility of its soil
and the magnitude of the crops
which may properly be expected from
that region, and it has duly con-
sidered the suggestions of the COM
mittee relative to the necessity of
agricultural experimentation and
demonstration in the dry belt
The board recognizes this as one
OF the most important agricultural
problems which the people of the
state have TO face. This region has
properly been called The Bread
Basket of the state. 1t appears that
the state still owns school and grant.
ed lands in this region to the extent
OF more than 900 600 acras 81