DRY-FARMING ZONES 



Mountains the dry season is confined en- 

 tirely to the summer months, while the 

 rainfall is fairly well distributed through- 

 out the remaining part of the year. 



There are two distinct agricultural 

 sections in the Columbia Basin. The one 

 consists of the alluvial vaUeys along the 

 streams where irrigation is practised ; the 

 other, the upland prairies — vast undulat- 

 ing treeless hills — where crops are raised 

 by means of dry-farming. 



While the central part of the Colum- 

 bia Basin region is exceedingly dry the 

 eastern portion receives the heaviest an- 

 nual rainfall. It was natural therefore 

 that the early settlers some thirty-five 

 years ago should take up homesteads 

 within the area of the heaviest rainfall 

 that lies along the foothUls of the Blue 

 and Bitter Root Mountains. The re- 

 mainder of the region was considered 

 only of value for grazing purposes. But 

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