Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1906)
LEXINGTON GROWS WITHOUT WATCHING WHEAWE1LD VOL. I LEXINGTON, OREGON, THURSDAY AUGUST 23, 1906 NO. 48 LEX mwn DRY FARMING THE HOPE OF . THE WEST A METHOD OF PRODUCING BOUNTIFUL CROPS, WITHOUT IRRIGATION, IN SEMI-ARID REGIONS BY JOHN L. COWAN (JULY NUMBER CENTURY MACASINE) Nearly one third of the entire area of the United States, exclusive of Alaska and our Insular possessions, consists of vacant public lands regard ed as naturally unsutted to cultivation on account of Insufficient rainfall. In at least ten Westren common wealths the public lands constitute so large a portion of the total area as to dominate their economic character. Great belts of territory -are frequently in a condition closely bordering on an archy. ' Cattle-owners and sheep owners struggle for possession of lands belonging to neither. Forests are burned and looted. Legislators, gover nors, judges, and minor public officials are elected and corrupted at the dict ation of the cattle-kings; and laws are passed, repealed, enforced, or disre garded to suit their interests. Legit imate settlers are discouraged, driven off , tar bought out for a song. Agri culture Is confined, Almost, to small and scattered bib of rrtfeated land. The vacant public domain now con sists of about 900,000,000 acres. Of this area probably 70,000,000 acres are absolute desert, of sand, alkali, rock, and Inhospitable mountain peaks, on which no useful vegetation Is found, and which will probably never be of any considerable economic value to mankind, excepting for their mineral resources. Approximately 96,000,000 acres may be described as woodland, sparsely covered with trees, Individual ly of small value, but yet useful for firewood, fence-posts, mine timbers and similar purposes: and some 70, 000,000 acres are heavily timbered, and of Inestimable importance to pres entand future generations, not only for lumbering, but also for the conser vatfon of the water-supply. Possibly 70J000.000 acres may be reclaimed oy irrigation, and thui brought to a high state of productiveness. There vSfl then remain more than 300,000 000 acres, useful, according to com monly accepted Ideas, only for grazing, However, the vacant public lands comprise only a part of the region of deficient rainfall known as Arid Amer ica. To these must; be added the great railroad grant, the allotments of school lands to the several States, and the princely domains that have passed Into the hands of private owners. In Texas alone there Is an area of unim proved and uncultivated land almost equal In extent to the whole German empire. With the exception of Washington, western, Oregon, the northern half of California, and small portions of Idaho and Montana, the term Arid America includes virtually all the land between the one-hundredth meridian and the Pacific. Leaving out of consideration the portions that extend across the Canadian and Mex ican boundary-lines, It covers a ter ritory extending north and south for "Hake Hay White the Sun Shines." There Is a lesson In the work of the thrifty farmer. He knows that the bright sunshine may last but a day and he prepares for the showers which are so liable to follow. So it should be with every household. Dysentery, diar rhoea and cholera morbus may attack some member of the home without warning. Chamberlaln.s Colic, Choi era and Diarrhoea. Remedy, which Is the best known medicine for these diseases, should always be kept at hand, as Immediate treatment is nec essary, and delay may prove fatal. For sale by W. P. Me Mlllans' Drug Store. .,'. twfc, . "" ,i a distance of 1200 miles, and east and west for 1300 miles, embracing four tenths ot the total area of the republic and containing not less than one thou sand million acres of land. To this may not Improperly be added the so called sub-humid region, between the ninety-seventh and the one-hundredth meridian, In which occasional seasons of sufficient, or even superabundant, rainfall are followed by years of drought, when scorching winds shrivel up the growing grains and grasses upon which depend the hopes of the farmers. Over almost exactly one half the area of our country, therefore, the rainfall is insufficient for the successful culti vation of the ordinary crop plants by ordinary farming methods, at least. Agriculture, wherever attempted at all, partakes of the nature of a hazardous speculation, generally resulting in dis aster, or at best in a meager and hand-to-mouth existence; and grazing, backed up by ample capital and re sources, Is considered the only safe and profitable pursuit. This vast area in which grazing is the principal in- (Continued on page 4.) . NOTICE All accounts with the Pastime due V. Grimes have been transferred to me. if you owe a bill drop In and settle at your earliest convenience and the favor will be appreciated. C. W. ClUUSTENSON. HE WAS IN TROUBLE l was in trouble, but found a way out of it, and I'm a happy man again since Dr. King's New Life Pills cured me of chronic constipation," says W. Goodies, 107 St. Louis. St., Dallas Mex. Guaranteed satisfactory, , Price 25 cents at W. P. McMillan drue store. t IN o OREGON SHOWTIME and union Pacific TO Salt Lake, Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, St. Louis, New York. Ocean Steamer for 8atiFraiir,iico leavl Portland at 8 P. M. every Ufth day. riolct to and from all point or the Unit ed State and Europe. Trains Leave Lexington, Daily, ex cept Sunday, - 9:25 A. M Trains Arrive at Lexington, Daily, ex cept Sunday , - 5:10 P. M. Trains Connect at Heppner Junction with Main Line trains for all . , points East and West. . ..A A. L. CRAIG, G. P. A. " hi. Special bargains on our Remnant Counters. Large assortment of working gloves, $1.25 to $2. values for $h All kinds of harvesting machinery, wagons, buggies, hacks, etc. Drapers and all kinds of extras for headers. Lace leather, belting, hardware, -hay forks, der rick forks, blocks, cables, jacks, etc. : We are herdquarters for all kinds of harvest supplies. Prescott Flour, the best in the Northwest. eaci SB roth ers Zj fie 3$ty Store