THE I 1MM CATION AGE. 



If flumes are used holes are bored through the side and 

 the flow regulated in the same way by means of a but- 

 ton. The soil is well adapted to the furrow system, 

 which method also admits of the least expense in pre- 

 paring the surface for the application of water. The 

 length of the furrows depends upon, the grade and 

 character of the soil but should not in any case exceed 

 forty rods and in most cases twenty rods is preferable. 



LANDS IN CULTIVATION. 



The crop area of the Sunnyside district is increas- 

 ing at the rate of from 5,000 to 8,000 acres per year. 

 During the season of 1904 there were in cultivation 

 27,219 acres and next year at the same rate of progress 

 something over one-half of the lands under the canal 

 should be in crop. The crop table for the year is as 

 follows : 



Total 

 Tonnage 

 Yield. 

 137,712 

 15,032 

 *S,600 

 8,700 

 396 

 396 

 7,270 



Crop. Acres. 



Alfalfa 17,214 



Timothy and Clover 3,758 



Orchard 3,342 



Potatoes 870 



Corn 264 



Hops 317 



Miscellaneous 1,454 



Yield. 

 Per Acre. 



10 

 1.5 

 1.25 



5 



27,219 . . 175,106 



*From bearing orchards. 



In verification of the figures for tonnage yields on 

 various crops it may be stated that the writer had occa- 

 sion recently to interview some of the leading farmers 

 of the country on this subject and the averages of twen- 

 ty-three statements in writing which they were willing 

 to verify under oath are as follows : 



Main Ditch, Sunnyside, Wash. 



Tons 

 Per acre. 



Alfalfa 8 



Timothy and Clover 5.5 



Orchard 12.7 



Potatoes 13 



It will be noted that these figures are generally 

 higher than those given in the above tables which give 

 the general average, there being some farmers undoubt- 

 edly who are not as successful as these individuals. 



MARKETS. 



The great bulk of the hay crop is sold to stockmen 



and fed in the country to cattle and sheep which are 

 d liven in from the surrounding ranges for winter feed- 

 ing, the usunl price being from $4 to $5 per ton in 

 the stack. Perhaps 20 per cent of the crop is baled 

 and slipped to Puget Sound and Spokane markets or 

 to intervening points along the lines of railroad. Vcge- 



Bar yard and Orchard. Sunnysid?, Wash. 



table crops are principally marketed on the Sound, 

 although many carloads of potatoes which are of supe- 

 rior quality annually go to eastern markets. Fruits go 

 both east and west and are always in strong demand be- 

 cause of their excellence in appearance, quality and 

 flavor. Notwithstanding the large apple crop of the 

 East during the season of 1904 many carloads of winter 

 apples were purchased here by eastern buyers at $1 

 per box and upward for shipment to the Chicago mar- 

 kets. In brief, it may be stated that the market en- 

 vironment of the Sunnyside district is one of its strong- 

 est features. 



PROFITS OF FARMING. 



- After what has been said regarding tonnage yields 

 and markets it is an inevitable conclusion that farming 

 pays. Net returns of $30 per acre upon hay land and 

 from $100 to $500 per acre upon hops and fruits are 

 the rule rather than the exception. It is a fact fre- 

 quently commented upon that in no other new com- 

 munity can be found so large a percentage of contented 

 and prosperous farmers. 



SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC. 



An irrigated country naturally attracts the intelli- 

 gent and enterprising American citizens, and fully 75 

 per cent of the people are of that nationality. As a 

 consequence the countryside is dotted with schools and 

 churches, there being now fifteen churches and thirty- 

 two school houses in the Sunnyside district. There is 

 a local telephone system with about 200 subscribers and 

 the long distance system of the Pacific 'Telephone Com- 

 pany has four stations in the district. There are five 

 rural free delivery routes in daily operation. The nu- 

 merous fine residences and beautiful homes are a source 

 of constant surprise to the stranger. The common ob- 

 jection to country life, isolation, does not apply to the 

 conditions existing there. 



LAND VALUES. 



Eaw lands with a water right sell at from $60 to 

 $90 per acre; alfalfa lands from $125 an acre up; and 

 bearing orchards from $200 to $500 per acre, according 

 to varieties and improvements. 



