Newspaper Page Text
RECEIVED
VOL. XXXIII. No. 4. KENT and SEATTLE WASH., FEBRUARY 15, 1913. s°c Per Year; 5c the Copy
SMmlPiil'^iSiiMlvilrl* Most Rapidly Growing Section in the Pacific
t^enirai ■■ • V^regOn. Northwest. Cuts and Text by 0.-W. Railway
Central Oregon is the vast territory
lying east of the Cascade Range and
extending from the Columbia River
to the California-Nevada line.
The Oregon Trunk Railway is the
direct commercial route to and from
Crook, Lake, Harney and portions of
Wasco and Sherman counties, and
ALFALFA, DRY FARMED, HARNEY COUNTY, CENTRAL OREGON.
indirectly Klamath and Malneur
counties.
Their area and population are:
County Acres Population
(1910)
Sherman 538,880 4,242
Wasco 1,527,864 16,336
Crook 5,163,892 9,315
Lake 5,069,300 4,658
Harney 6,428.800 4,059
Klamath 3,835,3 a) 8,554
Malheur 6,346,500 8,601
28,910,596 55,765
These seven counties are larger than
the State of Obio, and have but an
eighty-fifth its population.
They have an average of less than
one and one-quarter persons per
square mile, while lowa has 40. In
Crook, Harney and Lake counties the
average population per square mile is
seven-tenths of a person, in Urook
county one and one-fifth persons.
Until 1911 not a mile of railroad
touched these three counties, yet
their gain in population during the
decade of 1900-1910 was more than 90
per cent, in spite of their inaccessi
bility.
These figures give an idea of the
great extent of this country, the small
total and proportional population aud
the ration of increase while it still
remained in insolation, except to
stage coach and freight wagon.
Former conditions developed many
great stock ranches which are giving
way to the smaller places of diversifi
ed farm and garden crops, the raising
of better-bred stock and the increase
of dairy and poultry products.
Not all of tbis country is subject to
cultivation, and in the selection of
WHEAT, CROOK COUNTY, CENTRAL OREGON. THE PRINCIPAL CEREAL.
lauds this should be borue iv mind.
From its volcanic origin there are
mountains or "buttes" here and
there, canyons cut through the great
plateau by ancient waters, and out
cropping lava rook in places -yet from
this very volcanic genesis comes the
fertile ash soil, and attendant sage
brush growth which characterizes the
productive lands of the West There
are literally hundreds of thousands
of such acres which either have never
felt the plow or have been cultivated
indifferently owing to the impossi
bility of profitably marketing pro-
ducts, for the great distances to ship
ping stations heretofore have practi
cally impelled the confinement of
yields to the demand of limited local
consumption of farm stuffs, to stock
which could be driven hundreds of
miles for shipment or to outputs, such
as wool, which could be reduced in
great bulk value.
Nevertheless that material advance
ment has been made is shown by the
single fact that Crook county in 1901
had but one threshing outfit whicli
handled 100,000 bushels of grain while
in 1909 there were 15 which threshed
more than 2,000,000 bushels.
Generally speaking, this plateau
country, broken by valleys, water
courses and mountain slopes, has an
average elevation of 3,000 feet above
the sea; the rainfall varies from eight
to 15 incnes per annum; the sun
shines 300 days a year; in summer
the days are warm and the nights
cool; the winter is "open," the
temperature may reach zero or slight
ly lower, but only for a short time
when it rises with the sure coming of
"c'linook" winds; the air is pure,
and health conditions unusually good;
the landscapo combines the btauty of
plain, valley, forest and mountain.
This country calls for the practice
of approved dry farm methods, ex
cept in the irrigated districts south
of and along tbo Crooked River.
Where followed, these methods, as
weilas irrigation, have been attended
with remarkable and commensurate
success.
To increase the y\eld of present
staples and prove the adaptibility of
soil and climate to new crops ..and
met hods of cultivation, experimental
and demonstration farms will be con
ducted under the direction of Ore
gon 'h Agricultural College, for the
benefit of the people.
Prom the Columbia River the
( Continued from page 24.)
