THE IRRWAIION AGE. 53 



The main body of vacant land is within the Cascade Range and di- 

 rectly west of the vast foreign region to the north of the Columbia, 

 and lies also out upon the broad, dry plains of the central part of the 

 state. In the eastern end the humidity is such that wheat is raised 

 by dry farming, the productiveness of this area being well know. 



"Within the tree-covered regions the water supply is large and 

 well distributed, being often in excess of the needs of the relatively 

 small areas of the arable land. Out upon the plains of the Columbia, 

 however, the question of obtaining sufficient water is still unsettled. 

 Attempts at drilling deep wells have been prevented by the great 

 thickness of the lava underlying these plains and the expense neces- 

 sarily involved. The Columbia itself, although one of the largest 

 rivers of the country, and having an estimated low- flow of 60,000 cubic 

 feet per second, cannot be employed in irrigation, as it is bounded by 

 bluffs and cliffs hundreds or even one thousand feet in height. The 

 valleys west of the Columbia and immediately east of the Cascade 

 Range, although having a very slight rainfall, are well watered by 

 the numerous streams rising among the lofty, snow-crowned summits. 

 The principal stream of this area is in the Yakima, whose waters are 

 employed to a small extent in irrigation. The storage facilities are 

 exceptionally fine in the glacial lakes at the headwaters of these 

 streams, and great quantities of water can be held at small expense 

 for use upon the fertile lands stretching out to the Columbia. One of 

 the most favorable opportunities for development is in this part of 

 the state. 



"Idaho is considered one of the best wooded states of the arid re- 

 gion, its narrow northern end being covered to a large extent with 

 forests and woodlands. The broad southern part, however, extends 

 over the lava plains bordering on Snake River, and is destitute of the 

 larger vegetation, the most conspicuous plant being the so-called sage 

 brush, which grows on this rich soil often to extraordinary size. The 

 water supply of the state is large, but, unfortunately, only a part can 

 be utilized to advantage, as the most important river the Snake- 

 soon after leaving the mountains, cuts for itself a deep canyon in the 

 lava, and by cascades and rapids falls to a depth of hundreds or thous- 

 ands of feet below the plains. 



"The vacant land of the state over 75,000 square miles forms 

 nearly nine-tenths of the total area. The great mass of it, untouched 

 by settlement, lies in the almost unexplored mountain passes of the 

 central and northeastern parts of the state. On the great laval plains 

 of the Snake, also, are many miles of vacant land, the soil, though 

 fertile, being too d7 y to attract the pioneer. Along the northwestern 

 edge, adjacent to Eastern Washington, -the cultivation of cereals by 

 -dry farming is successful; and in the valley of the Weiser, Payette 



