Page:Report of the Oregon Conservation Commission to the Governor (1908 - 1914).djvu/149

Rh With prospective railroad transportation and the enactment of what is known as the enlarged homestead act, a flew interest will doubtless be awakened in dry-farming, and rapid development of the State result.

By dry-farming, we mean the production of crops from the natural precipitation by the application of scientific principles for the conservation of moisture in the soil. For years the great wheat territory of Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon was consMered of no value except for grazing purposes. When it was discovered that wheat could b€ grown sucetsafully, it was but a few years until every acre of this land was taken. At the present time these lands are worth from twenty-five to sixty doIIar per acre.

Because of the bulky nature of wheat and other rains, they cannot be profitably grown at great distances from raHway transportation. Only such crops as mature ea,ñy can be grown in regions deficient n rainfall. For these reasons. large portions of Central Oregon at the present time are onen to entry under the general land laws of the United States, Ag not more than 10 per cent of this area will probably ever be reclaimcd by irrigation, the importance of the div-farming Co.