8
CROOK COUNTY JOURNAL'S ANNUAL NUMBER.
ment of civilization upon what was once
entirely his own, has well, he has folded
his tent and "moved camp."
Yes, in that one section of Crook county
the era has recently changed, and what is
the result? Where once a half dozen
families were sustained, now there lives
in comparative comfort more than a hun
dred families. Land once utilized for its
natural grasses only, now produces from 15
to 40 bushels of wheat, from 30 to 60 bushels
of oats and the same amount of barley per
acre, and all this has come about without
any irrigation whatever. The lands are
summer-fallowed every alternate season,
and when thoroughly plowed and cultivated
are sure of a yield with the above results.
A market for their grain is the crying
and yield abundantly in all parts of Crook
county. Especially is this the case with
the potato. For, quality and size it is safe
to back Crook county against the world
in the matter of potatoes. They grow well
in most every section of the county without
irrigation. But when properly irrigated
they yield immensely and of the very best
quality. Other vegetables such as corn,
beans, rhubarb, peas, squashes, and, in fact,
all the ordinary vegetables do well all over
this vast territory with reasonable care.
When it comes to that indispensable ad
junct to farming, the poultry, it may be
safely stated that our hens lay as large eggs
and as many of them as the ordinary run,
although, thus far, the depredations of coy
otes and other predatory animals have given
producing an excellent variety of peaches,
cherries and pears.
Dairying.
Wherever alfalfa grows in such abund
ance as in Crook county, it is safe to predict
a future in butter and cheese. Thus far pro
duction has only kept pace with consump
tion. If asked the number of pounds of
buttter now produced in Crook county per
annum, the safest and only answer would
be, the amount of butter consumed by
about 4,000 people. Everyone who has ex
perimented in dairying from animals past
ured on alfalfa during the summer, or fed
upon the hay during the winter months
can testify to the superb quality of butter
produced. This being the case, it is safe to
predict a splendid future awaitng this sec-
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need of the hour with these farming com
munities. So far they have been enabled
to dispose of their surplus grain by feed
ing it to hogs and marketing the bacon.
Thousands of hogs are in process of fatten
ing in this one locality this year. A rail
road would increase many times the amount
of grain now produced in this and other
portion of Crook county.
Farming is carried on all over the county
in localities. Rye is produced abundantly
on all of our up lands without irrigation.
But wheat and other cereals along the
Crooked river and its tributaries requires
irrigation in order to be successfully grown.
Alfalfa is the favorite crop along all our
streams, on account of its abundant yield.
Vegetables of all common varieties grow
this branch of the business a decided check.
However, if the present state scalp bounty '
should be continued and enforced there is
nothing to hinder eggs and poultry from
being one of the chief products of our farms
in the near future.
Fruit.
In the early settlement of Crook county
the raising of fruit here was not dreamed of.
However, at the present time, all the hardy
varieties are now successfully grown all
over the northern and central portions of
the county. All our lands will not produce
fruit owing to late spring frosts. But, by
selecting sheltered spots, principally on the
northern slopes, the hardier varieties of
apples plums, and prunes are successfully
grown, some of the most favored spots
tion of country in the way of dairying. It
has the proper kind of feed, the right kind
of a climate, and the best quality of cattle.
All it lacks is a market for the product to
come into prominence at once for dairy
ing purposes.
Horses.
Back in the later 60's and along in the
70's, the raising of horses was the chief
industry in this section of Oregon. To own
a good bunch of brood mares and a Clydes
dale stallion was typical of most all our
well-to-do early settlers. In those good old
days the pr.ces for horses were high. The
market was good and right at our doors.
Any kind of a good span of three-year-olds
was worth all the way from $200 to $300.
These prices stimulated care in breeding,