Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-02-20

the Palouse country by Jas. G. Graham,
owner Of the North Slope Dairy
farm, Palouse. Wash:
Although this is grain growers con-
vention, l have been asked to speak
to you today on my experience
as dairy farmer in the Palouse coun-
try. However, think grain growing
and dairying are going to be much
closer together in the future than they
have been in the past; and what | have
to say may have some interest on that
account. We all know, even if we are
unwilling TO admit it, that our farms
are not producing the grain crops they
once did. Not many years ago one
could put in crop Of spring wheat and
reap, a harvest of 40 to As bushels per
acre and the land did not have to be
plowed and narrowed as carefully
either. Now it takes two years to get
thirty bushels and the expense OF pro-
ducing this smaller crop is steadily
growing. Every year you find the land
is harder to plow; it bakes more dur
ing the summer months; and every
where clay points are appearing on the
hills and ridges Even though good
soil has been plowed or washed to the
lower levels, you can sec the color
changing for lack of humus and the
grain itself is not as healthy and rich
as it once was.
No one can keep drawing checks on
his bank account without making fur
ther deposits and not get notice that he
has overdrawn The changes in the
Palouse country grain crops which l
have just mentioned ought to serve as
a similar notice. The productiveness
Of our land is similar to bank account.
The Palouse country is an area OF
great productiveness but we cannot
draw upon that fertility indefinitely.
We have been checking out and depos-
iting nothing. Our grain is hauled to
market, the straw piles are burned, and
even the ashes are left in heaps to be
avoided by the plow until they gradual
" disappear. You can see manure
piles around the barns which have
been growing for years and it is nc
wonder many farmers think that it is
easier to move the barns than those
piles. Only short time ago heard q
man telling OF his method Of getting ric
of manure. lie had a large advantage
over many places. There was creel
running through the yard and whe1
the water was high in the spring, III
went to work with the scrapcr and th'
manure went down the stream.
Now, gentlemen, it is true that tn
price Of land has been advancing al
through the Palouse country. That tn
advance has been due to its reputation
as grain growing area. We know tn
value of q farm lies in its production
per acre. We know the value Of
farm lies in its reputation as graf
growing area. Under the present sy:
TEN of farming how long will our farm
pay interest and taxes on SIS to $12
land? When they cease to do thu
there is going to be decrease in valu
until it reaches point more in propo
ton TO the actual productivity Of tn
land.
The experience Of all countric
including the oldest parts Of the Unite
States, has shown that sooner or lat'
the grain grower has had to turn
diversified farming to build up Il
worn out land. Wisconsin was once
depleted grain growing state. Its tot
productiveness WINS low, and
younger population was moving in
the Dakotas and the Northwest
search OF better land. But look
Wisconsin today. 1t produces mo
dairy cattle and dairy products than a
other state in the Union. 1t is one
the richest OF our agricultural stat
and its farmers have advanced tn
farm values from $25. to $3.50 and :.
per acre. Now, we have here
Washington better climate, bet
soil, and equally as good a mark
what ia to prevent our having simi
success?
have tried dairying as a practi
business proposition and II you '
pardon me l will tell you little abb
my experience. OF course lot
that experience is Of greater interest
the cattle breeder or the dairym
but what want to bring to your att
ton Is the comparative profit Of div
fled farming and grain growing
also the permanent effect Of the
systems on the value OF land.
In May 1910 bought l6Ohcres Of /
PIP miles southeast Of Palouse c