The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-02-04
CORN IN THE OKANOGAN COUNTRY
(By Thomas Shawl


The marked adaptation Of the Okla
hogan Valley for growing corn and
especially seed corn as but little
known. And yet it fact that such
adoption is of very high order. This
follows from a variety of conditions
among which are the following:
/. Notwithstanding that 1t is so
far north, in fact reaching up to Can
ada, the elevation is low, relatively.
At Oroville, up near Canada, 1t is GAL
feet, and at Pateros, where it Joins the
Columbia, 1t Is but 779 feet.
2. The valley is bordAred by rug
ged hills of mountainous proportions
These protect 1t from wind storms
The fierce winds Of thesprairies are
there virtually unknown. matter of
considerable importance When growing
corn.
8. The winter climate Is mild.
Snow seldom lies long Ia the valley.
Spring comes relatively carly, earlier
than in many places farther south,
where the elevation is higher. This
allows season of sufficient length
for the proper maturing OF the corn.
4. The days are usually sufficiently
hot to ripen up the corn IL good shape
at the season for the ripening of the
same. This fact Is Of special value
when growing corn for sead.
5. The supply of water! for irrigat-
ing is abundant and will be never fall
ing, as soon as the irrigation system
now under way is completed, which
will be in time for next seasons crop.
The irrigation system will bring
water to 10000 acres Of silly soil,
which is easily titled. In the system
are five miles of pipe and syphon con-
struction, 25 miles Of wool flume and
80 of canals. The head gates are Of
concrete and steel, hence the work
ought to be of high grade. One of the
finest things about the construction
of the whole plant is the great abund
ance of the water supply, coming
down as it does from the large surface
of sonw-clad mountains from Canada.
All the conditions would seem to be
present for the successful growth of
seed corn. The specimens that were
grown last summer were VERY fine.
Two varieties were grown. The only
name that the growers could give were
the yellow and the white eent. When
seed is grown, the growers should be
specific assto tina name. r. y germs yel-
low dent and white dent are rather
vague, as there are SO many varieties
of each. Several varieties should be
grown, some large and some small, to
suit the needs of the growers at diff
ferent elevations and for different
uses. The larger varieties should be
used on the higher elevations for pro-
ducing foods for cattle in the cured
form, or the silo, and the second for
hogging off on the same elevations
and those that are still higher. But
why should attention be given thus to
the growing of seed corn in the Okla
hogan valley? For two reasons at
least:
The first reason is that it should
bring good money to the growers. 1t
may be asked, how can this be in d
country that will grow five tons of al
falfa to the acre. The answer is that
the asme land should grow from 35 to
40 bushels of seed corn to the acre,
and in addition large amount of ears
that may not be considered suitable
for seed, but which would furnish
good grain for feeding. Such seed
should bring not less than $500 per
bushel for many years to come, as
northern grown seed corn always sells
at premium and will for years 20
come. This would mean that the seed
portion of the crop should bring to
the grower from $50 to $50 per acre.
This would mean as much or more
money than alfalfa.
The second reason is that the seed
is northern-grown and, therefore Is
better suited to the needs of north
ern climate than seed grown farther
south. In wide areas in the north il
is not possible to grow the seed wanted
because of the shortness of the season
and yet it may be possible in these
lsections to grow corn at profit for
1.-THE silo and for other uses. The only
uncertain question is how far will this
ueiudlu De IHeI NY lHe STOWeTS Ol
Iseed far to the northward.
On the uplands of the Okanogan
country there Is also much room for
the growing of corn, but not so much
for seed as for other uses. Farmers
were found growing corn at elevations
as high as 1000 feet above sea level
On these high elevations it was sub
Iject to autumn frosts sometimes, If
not cut early, but if cut ahead of these
IL would still make much fodder and
quite useful for feeding. On these ele-
vations or on many of them, there
are good reasons for believing that
the white flint squaw corn, sometimes
called Dakota White Flint, could be
depended on to mature. This would be
for hogging off or for being grazed
down by sheep. Another variety spo-
ken of as Australian flour corn has
been grown with considerable success
Like the squaw corn, it suckers much
and produces many ears. The ears in
both are of fair size. Both are quite
leafy in their habit of growth and
, therefore, especially we'll adapted to
| the fattening of sheep and lambs.
.
GOOD ROADS MEETING.
. Tho annual naatinp of tho OroviIie