THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



215 



CALIFORNIA OF THE NORTHWEST. 



Great Work Done on the Columbia River in Kennewick County, 

 Washington. 



BY H. A. NOVER. 



In the eastern part of Yakima County, Wash., at 

 the junction of the Northern Pacific railroad and the 

 Columbia River, is located what has been aptly termed 

 the California of the Northwest. Here we find what 

 is known as the Kennewick country. v This valley, 

 which has an elevation of only 350 feet above the sea 

 level, was until a short time ago considered by many 



degrees above zero, and only about one-half inch of 

 snow on two occasions. As a rule every day is bright 

 and sunny. The dry, balmy air and perfect atmos- 

 pheric conditions make this the most healthful location 

 in the entire Northwest. This, in connection with the 

 fact that this is a country where storms, cyclones, earth- 

 quakes, and such disturbances are unknown makes the 

 California of the Northwest an ideal place for the loca- 

 tion of homes, and there are already many beautiful 

 homes in this valley and many people are engaged in 

 adding to those already here. 



Although the irrigation canal was completed and 

 water turned on here only last April, yet during that 



High School, Payette, Idaho. Illustration furnuhed I 



, Manager of the New Plymouth Lat-d and Colonization Co., Ltd., of Payette, Idaho. 



to be of little importance and of practically no value. 

 However, since King Irrigation has been given sway 

 wonderful changes have been wrought, and it has been 

 proven that the soil, which is of an ashy volcanic origin, 

 is the most productive in the State of Washington, 

 and has few equals in the United States. The summer 

 season here is from two to four weeks earlier in spring 

 and later in fall than that of any other locality in the 

 Northwest. This is due largely to the low elevation and 

 the prevailing sunny skies. 



The surrounding mountains form a natural pro- 

 tection and consequently this valley does not suiter 

 from the extremes of either heat or cold which ?re 

 so common in other parts. For example, the coldest 

 weather that was had in this valley in 1902 was eighteen 



time it has been demonstrated beyond a doubt that 

 this valley will produce as fine fruit, berries, alfalfa 

 and garden produce as can be grown anywhere. Alfalfa 

 yields near ten tons per acre and often produces four 

 crops during the season; this sells at from $6.00 to 

 $15.00 per ton in the stack. 



Garden tracts, after being set to fruit trees and ber- 

 ries, will return about $300 per acre per annum; thus 

 the land will pay for itself in a short time. A peculiar ad- 

 vantage of this section is that destructive droughts, 

 floods and storms are unknown. Its markets are fur- 

 nished by the large lumbering, mining, manufacturing 

 and wheat raising population of the Northwest, besides 

 being tributary to a city population aggregating 450,000 

 in number. These conditions give the Kennewick coun- 



