THE HISTORY FARTHER WEST 357 



early '80's. During the '80's it became a thoroughly 

 established and extensive business practice in the 

 northern part of the state. 



California, which was settled soon after Utah, 

 began dry-farm experiments a little later than Utah. 

 The available information indicates that the first 

 farming without irrigation in California began in the 

 districts of somewhat high precipitation. As the 

 population increased, the practice was pushed away 

 from the mountains towards the regions of more 

 limited rainfall. According to Hilgard, successful 

 dry-farming on an extensive scale has been practiced 

 in California since about 1868. Olin reports that 

 moisture-saving methods were used on the Califor- 

 nian farms as early as 1861. Certainly, California 

 was a close second in originating dry-farming. 



The Columbia Basin was settled by Marcus Whit- 

 man near Walla Walla in 1836, but farming did not 

 gain much headway until the railroad pushed through 

 the great Northwest about 1880. Those familiar 

 with the history of the state of Washington declare 

 that dry-farming was in successful operation in iso- 

 lated districts in the late '70's. By 1890 it was a well- 

 established practice, but received a serious setback 

 by the financial panic of 1892-1893. Really success- 

 ful and extensive dry-farming in the Columbia Basin 

 began about 1897. The practice of summer fallow 

 had begun a year or two before. It is interesting 

 to note that both in California and Washington there 



