East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-09-21
Continued from Page 1S1

thereof It makes the supply last
longer.
Naturally in the first three or four
years Of reclamation there were many
IDEAS as to what were the best crops
to raise and consequently most every
thiRg was tried out, and much time
and money was wasted following
wrong leads | say wasted but It was
hardly that for someone had to do
tho experimenting although It was a
shame that the individual farmer had
TO stand the brunt Of the mistakes II
was about the time that the fruit in
dustry was having one OF It's periodic
booms Something by the way that
does more injury to the fruit indus
try than any one other thing, and
thousands of acres We're put to or
chards of all descriptions and all va
rieties OF fruit Now, no one dist
riot can raise a number one fruit of
all kinds and varieties. for they re-
quire different climatological and soil
conditions and so II resulted that'th
Some few varieties Of fruit can be
raised successfully on these projects
and II Ia also true of garden truck and
berries. Now they know Just what to
raise they are past the experimental
stage,
might enumerate many more
troubles that were experienced in the
first rush Of reclamation but the
above gives you some idea of what the
people were up against. It is simply
history repeating itsels and is typi-
cal of all land reclamation In the new
world. Few Of the pioneers make
success and many of the original set
tiers have been forced out on these ir-
rigated projects, but now conditions
are changing and settler now has
the advantage Of the accumulated eX-
periences of others. II man has suf-
flcient capital to pay for his land
there IL no reason why he cannot
make a success providing he will
take the advice offered him by those
in charge OF such work, and provided
further that he Is not afraid Of work.
He must not expect to reap returns
the first year and even the second
may show no balance but what good
solid business does pay right from
the word go? II he is developing his
land properly he need have no fear
but that he will come out on top and
ioiA the ever increasing band OF those
who are becoming independent and
happy In the great work of reclaiming
arid lands Of the Northwest. And
compared with the majority Of other
sections Of the 4, S he has an ideal
climate in which to live and raise his
family.
In the following I am briefly giving
a few facts about each project A
glance will show that alfalfa is fast
beeominV the principal crop and corn
Ia fast taking It's place as the rotation
crop with It. This means stock rais-
ing and dairying is developing into
quite an industry, and silos are being
erected more each year. Hogs are al
so extensively raised and some have
small punches of sheep. Alfalfa en-
riches the soil nitrofies II and breaks
IN the soil particles so that 1t holds
moisture better. This year much Of
the older land on the best soils re-
uulred no irrigation until after the
first cutting Of alfalfa. Some of the
land l. now more or less sub-irrigated
and requires little or no water and in
some cases drainage systems have been
installed leading the water back to the
river again making 1t available for
more irrigation further down. The
West Extension OF the Hermiston pro-
ject is supplied entirely from return
waters and It probably has the best
water supply on the Umatilla river.
Development is now showing lit
tie speed on the three projects and
they are on the verge of rapid settle
ment. The days Of doubt and trouble
are about over and the projects are
showing up fine. A trip over them
should convince the most skeptical
that wonderful results are being OBJ
talned down that way and that good
things are in store for the project
farmer. have visited several fine
TlelOH OF hlldlld oNdAH'h
were seeded late in the spring. They
we're cut about the end of July and
showed up poorly but by the middle
Of August they certainly made "A fine
appearance, good heavy stand and al
most knee deep in growth Those
newly seeded fields have yielded this
year from one to one and a half tons
Of alfalfa to the acre and next year
will yield a splendid profit.
q. &. II, s. Hcrmiston Project.
Hast project contains about $4,000
acres.
West Extension contains about co.
O0S acres just thrown open this year.
Bast project contains about $4,000
acres under application. |. e. includes
reclaimed and developed land, partly
developed land and balance ready for
development
1890 cres Of holdings. part Of each
ranch developed or all developed.