Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-23

we have so long looked upon as a des
est, the only drawback and discour-
agement in our effort to build UP a
great commonwealth here in this in
termountain region, will prove to be
our greatest blessing and the source
from which will come in the near flu
ture our untold wealth
Five years ago scarcely an acre of
the great Rockland valley sweeping for
more than 40 miles to the south of
American Falls, aside from a few acres
along the little streams where water
could be secured was under cultivation.
The great acres extending from these
streams, which furnished but scant
water for the lands that touched their
banks, stretched gaunt and bare back
into the mountain Businesses, objects
for encouragement and repression for
the contemplating settlers upon Idaho's
soil. Today most OF these same acres
stand covered with heavy crops of
waving wheat or stand dotted like
sheep upon a pasture with shocks of
| wheat cut and ready for the thresher,
or are freshly plowed almost ready
for next years crop.
Within those five years it has been
dSCcIldllcQ llldt WHEAT Soi W @oASNN
successfully on this desert" land and
the sagebrush has been cleared away,
the ground has been plowed and pre-
pared and the seed has been sown and
abundant crops have been the response
made by nature to mans endeavors.
Great Rockand Valley.
The Rociland valley with an aver
age width of about 10 miles, probably
=, no at pCa
more which should be added by rea-
son of the fact that much of it stands
nearly upright permitting cultivation on
two sides of the same acre, or one and
half acres, at the least for each acre
of government survey runs to the
south from American Falls more than
40 miles At it's southern end it is
shut off from Curlew valley in Oneida
county by a mountain range over the
very summit of which the pillow has
been applied and the soil made ready
for the grain which shall next year
produce a crop of wheat which varies
| from 20 bushels to the acre to more
| than so bushels, taking one year after
another, save the alternate year. when
it is summer fallowed During the en-
tire extent of the length and breath of
this valley are the grain fields where
so short a time ago there were none.
And the Bannoek Valley.
Another divide separates Curlew
valley from Bannock valley another
great, rich tract, made productive
within the last five years through the
energy and enterprise of the dry far
mer," who has been so richly reward
| ed for his efforts. The productivity
| of this second valley Is cut off on the
north by the Fort Hall reservation,
but even at the tops of the mountains
separating this valley from American
Falls cultivation of the soil is again
| taken up after the. reservation is
passed and the waving grain is carried
to the very gates of this thriving town.
Millions of Dollars Annually.
Probably $4,000 acres of wheat are
grown each year in the Rockland
valley and a little less than that in the
Bannock valley. 1t is hard to estimate
an average for the production upon
this land because it varies from 20
bushels to more than 90 bushels to the
acre. Taking the lowest yield, how
ever, and it will be seen that 1900, 900
bushels of wheat are produced annu-
ally. 1t is safer to say that no less
than 1000, 900 bushels are produced in
the valley each year, the average value
of which is not less than go cents per
bushels, bringing to these thrifty far
mers an annual income exceeding 81,
100000. With war prices promising q
greatly increased price for wheat,
what with that raised this year and
that raised last year which could not
be marketed, these farmers stand tc
come into possession of more than 81,
100000 in cash before next spring.
And their farms are showing the
signs of their prosperity. Many fine
dwelling houses have been built and
now numerous great barns are APP
pearing to attest to the success with
which the desert" has been trans.
. formed
RooIland a Thriving Town.
Rockland is thriving town almos
in the exact center OF the valley I
is growing rapidly as is American
Falls, the shipping point for all thi
great section as well as the shippin,
point for another prosperous dry farm
section to the north of the Snake rive
4 where even the most hopeful and op
\ timistic citizen of the state of a few
years ago would not have dared dream
that grain would succeed the sag
i brush.
To the south OF Rockland some 1
miles is Landing, where there is a pos
office and a store and 10 miles farthe
4 south at the foot of the mountain di
vide is another post office. known a
q Roy, after the name OF the postmaster
4 Even here cultivation of the soil doe
not cease. but beyond that, we'll u
into the mountains there was pointe
" out a farm upon which there are thi
4 year 900 acres of wheat. So great /
& the yield upon this farm that seve
six-horse teams making three trips
8 week to American Falls to mark ct tn
4 grain. would be occupied more tina
IA months to transport one year
: cropl ..
A Great Hog Country.