The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-07-30
PRAISES SNAKE RIVER VALE,
Expert Speaks of New Sources Of
Wealth

y. l.. WINDSOR, representing the
Rumley Thresher company, was in
town the last of the week and stated
that he had been looking over the
country with a view of finding out
definitely about crop conditions and
reporting to his company what parts
of the country will justify extending
credit among farmers and why. He
says the Rumley company keep a
number of men whose work is devot-
ed to credits and collections, and he
is one of them. He has worked in
many states, and makes a very favor
liable report concerning the Snake
river valley SO far as he has covered
it. He began at the end Of the briggs
branch Of the Short Line and went
over the high rich valleys where they
are depending mostly on hay and
grain. He says alfalfa in the country
|around briggs and Tetonia is remark
liable for its even stand and heavy
growth. The altitude is 5000 feet,
land the government statistics indi-
cate doubtful success for wheat and
oats, saying the frost is apt to pre-
vent its maturing except at the mid
IDLE Of the heads, the extremes being
blighted by frost. Granting that this
MS true, Mr.. Windsor says it is not
going to be the case this year, for
The found great fields of wheat as
thigh as his shoulders with heads six
and seven inches long and passing
the point where frost can damage it..
Following down the line to Ashton
and st. Anthony he found the crops
more diversified, the seed peas maxi
ing good staple crop and bringing
with it the conditions that make hog
raising very profitable Farther down
the valley the sugar beet is added to
the other crops, and dry farming on
the foothills. All the way down he
found dry farm crops in fine condition
except where they had done shallow
blowing and the preparation Of the
seeded had been done in slipshod
manner One striking example was
furnished by two fields with just a
wire fence between them. One crop
was sturdy and the soil in fine con-
dition for maturing the crop in any
event unless perhaps the coming of
hot wind. The other was already
doomed. He found a marked differ
ence in the condition of the soil as
to deep blowing and compactness of
soil He interview both men and
found that one had plowed four or
five inches deep and the other had
plowed about nine. The nine-inch
blowing was where the crop was go
ing to mature. The other was just
in good condition to be plowed again
for future crop.
These high cool valleys he says
are as nearly free from pests as any
country he has seen. The conditions
are not right to develop them, and
it gives great advantage in all the
ordinary ways and also makes it a
desirable territory in which to pur-
chase seeds of fancy kind An ex-
ample of this is the seed pea industry
and 1t may develop in other lines.
He had not been out in the country |
west of Blackfoot nor down about |
Aberdeen and American Falls. He
says his company employ 1890 men
in their factory, and are making trac-
ton engines for blowing with gangs, |
to meet the demands of the trade in /
the great grain belts. He says they
build an outfit that operates ten ten
inch bottoms and breaks about 80 /
acres day nine inches deep Case
line is the power used, and such out
fits will put the Snake river plains (
under cultivation. It remainds for
The farmers to find out just what kind |
Of blowing and working of the soil
will Insure crops and then to tdopt !
means of doing the work on such a
scale and at such times as they wish.