The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-01-19
Idaho S.. PotentiaAties

automobiles increased 1900 per cent
in seven years and the number Of our
livestock decreased a third of mil
lion in one year.
Then something happened that was
not pleasant. The things that caused
our prosperity failed us. Our automo-
biles could not eat hay and we were
forced to find a market for the l.
100000 tons of surplus we annually
produced. Not joyously, but reluct-
antly, we turned to dairying for relief
10 fairly appraise our dairying op-
portunities ten nationally known men
representing the teaching, manufac-
turing, advertising, investigational,
breeding and breed promoting activ-
tiles of dairying were invited to spend
week in Idaho as guests of the state.
They came and during the week of
August 7th travelled $50 miles through
the irrigated districts Of the Snake riv-
er valley, going from farm to farm
and looking upon field after field.
They were surprised at what they saw
and soon convinced themselves that
Idaho was overlooking great asset.
In their enthusiasm they made the
best claims of Idahoans appear con-
sentative. In the words Of one Of their
number they saw farms where cat
tie grazed in luxuriant pastures nine
months Of the year; where alfalfa
yielded from four to seven tons per
acre; where corn made a growth so
great that one of their party examined
1t to make certain It was not spliced;
corn that would produce Is to 20 tons
nearly double that tonnage; wheat
fields threshing so to 80 bushels per
acre and barley to add carbohydrates
to the alfalfa-tillage ration"
The visitors were unanimous in con-
Guiding that Idaho has the largest
undeveloped dairy possibilities Of any
state and the lowest production costs.
AS II this were not enough, one Of
them, a member Of the greatest cheese
distributing firm in the world, agreed
to purchase 2O0,000,000 pounds Of Ida
no cheese annually in carload lots,
f. O. b. nearest shipping points, at the
same price as paid in Wisconsin. 1t
is estimated that this market, coupled
with our lower production costs, gives
the Idaho farmer as much as Is per
cent advantage over the cheese pro-
Queer of the middle west.
Among other surprising things they
told us that dairymen Of the central
west, after shipping hay from Idaho,
at cost for freight of from $40 to
sis a ton, were feeding it to dairy
cows at profit of $50 per ton. Grasp
ing the Importance of this statement,
Idahoans saw that in order to have
permanent prosperity they had only
to feed our great crops of hay to dairy
cows and ship the condensed product.
For average sale price plus saving Of
freight charge, plus $50 feeding prof
It combine to spell prosperity for the
producers of Idahos greatest crop.
In the short time that has elapsed
since our distinguished guests depart
I'd Idaho has made rapid gains in her
larry development and promises to
continue until she has as prominent
place as she has in the seed indus
ry. Money has been found to build
cheese factories in every locality
where Their are enough cows to sup
,ly them and other factories will fol-
ow as rapidly as they are needed.
Idaho potatoes, apples and prunes,
ecause Of quality, command a prem
nm In most all markets. The pro-
uction of these can be greatly in
reased.
10000, 900 acres Of forest range and
n abundance of forage grown IN our
ertiIe valleys insure permanent
vestock industry.
Our mines have produced more than
billion dollars of wealth.
Our lumber industry annually puts
ut $4,000 900 for supplies.
Idaho's sugar beet industry ranks
,venth among all the states.
These industries are all in their in
Lncy. Idaho has hardly begun to de-
,lop. and faces the future with con-
dence.