The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-10-07

lea, ern boundary. MOST OF tne ralnIdu
FER absorbed and trickles down into o
CO. derground strata. In the dry strea
Vas beds and the pans" or dry lake
nat shallow wells usually find an abul
os- dance of water for men and stool
ial Many wells have been bored to COZ
Ter siderable depths and tap abundant SUI
Id plies for individual and communit
n use. From the slopes of the numerou
he mountains that rise from the plateau
IT, too, springs flow.
n Just as rather extreme lack o.
lie rainfall seems to have decreed thai
ly the southern pleateau country must
n be devoted to sheep and goat raising,
IL so the relatively light rainfall keeps
the southern three-quarters Of the
/ country from agriculture except In q
h few small areas where irrigation is
e practicable The region Of medium
t rainfall, however, is well adapted to
stock raising and 1t Is In this field
that the greatest development has
been made. Excellent grass grows
over the plateau region, in the noun
tain valleys, and even In the extreme
east along the edge of the Kalahari
desert which stretches off into
Bechuanaland.
Before the coming of the Germans
the natives, especially the Hereros, had
large herds of cattle. These were
nearly wiped out by an epidemic of
| rinderpest in 1897. An excellent vet
Urinary service, organized by the Ger
man colonial government, took the sit
uation in hand and made the country
once more safe for cattle. Since then
the cattle population has increased
greatly, improved by the Importation
Of blooded stock. orse-breeding is
also carried on successfully and camels
have been introduced and are doing
well.
One Good Farm Section.
The one section of Southwest Africa
well adapted to the European type Of
agriculture, and quite the ideal region
from the point of view of the small
farmer, is small district around a
drootfontein in the north-central Dor v
Ion of the territory There, In a re- a
zion about 100 by rs miles, the rainfall Ii
from "a to IS inches annually, the m
oil Is good, and the climate, thanks r.
the altitude, is ideal. This region Is n,
the present end of the railway which -
enetrates toward the northeast. I'm !,
IKE most other sections of the terri -
Try this little area is reasonably well
ooded. Potatoes, tobacco wheat and yo
lie other European cereals thrive. as TIC
ell as kaffir corn and maize. The ag
lmatlc and soil conditions even per COZ
1t the growing of such different fruits col
grapes, apples and peaches on the Pa
e hand, and citrus fruits on the ma
her. OF,
Inc extreme northern portion of sib
uthwest Africa has never been de- =
oped by the European population. roll
IS area next to the Portuguese v;d
ntier Is more heavily populated bv anr
ives than any other. It has not ooo
n penetrated by railways and only Nv
ew white settlers live there. 80
'lains alternate with woodod -oi
u.s. GOOD timber trees and palms H.,
scattered about. Undoubtedly tbis eien
Ion is capable Of producing cotton svn'
icco' ngs and dates, as well 40 tho WIN
sent staples, maize and kaffir corn 1ei'
was known long ago that LARGO com
ely OF minerals were present IN iere'
rocks OF Southwest Africa. The clpal
yer mines in the northeast have IMAM
the most valuable of the ore do
Copper has been found IN
promising quantities elsewhere D.
also TIN Extensive deposits Of on =
nc are known In several parts Of wero
territory. Strangely enough. tbe NJ ~
hiess appearing coastal desert bas -
7u the greatest returns. Diamonds .
round near its seashore IN 1ono 'eo .
NJ pm then until the World war eis
V,oVo worth were taken out. Tn eient
aione S3,5O0'O00 worth were ey- proxlr
d. e GA of Sc,
About the Towns the B,
present the white nonu,o+, in val
west Africa Is almost nc n,ush purchs
ho,, anu boer as 1t Is Ger iron q
of Germans having Ieft of any
''ony a1ter the armistice Tho unable
lea ooa population is something nm. burned
wv whites and perhaps cocoon
Wis bay, the only good natrro, o
has never hoo 80 natural Jack,
pmund and Luderitz bay or An. , ,ormer
luena are the ch,of CO.,. ~ an leaving
tier can be made into nos , a cousi
any inferior to Wa,v;. poi' he has
ID was entirely makesb;ft =, pie Of
mans, with only an omen rood come 8
nut 1t is so solldly constrncted 1926.
; abandonment would be nm whether
'e II has resident populo. cannot
aoout I'4oO whites and o5OO by the s
and is becoming popular 80 'sV . said. ~
resort Life in the coast cit,es will tax,
,rh n than might be sun decision
Inc shore is washed by cold
which brings cool nights and VI,
a lack of fross plincipai diff Chicag
oek, the capital, Is tbo lee and
!, residence place in Southwest the unei
IL has population Of abort retreats
ties and 10000 natives # ,s nanced b