Drought Grips the Yakima Valley

Much as it is to be regretted, there is no denying that the crops of the northwest have suffered severely during the past few weeks from the lack of moisture and the hot dry winds, and in some sections have been entirely destroyed. In Kittitas county, the shortness of crop is most marked, especially on the east side, and instead of having hay and grain for shipment it is reported that there will not be enough for home consumption. Yakima has fared better, owing to the greater supply of water for irrigating purposes, but even here the crops are not up to the average. In the Horse Heaven country, the promise of big crops just a few weeks ago has been dissipated by hot winds, likely to entail many hardships upon the struggling settlers. A prominent rancher at the mouth of the river reports that he will not even have use for a mower. The cause for this partial failure is due to the mild and open winter through which we reveled. There was no snowfall in the valley to place the ground in a condition to withstand a dry spell, and the precipitation in the mountains was so meager that the streams have never been lower. This experience should stimulate the building of proposed irrigating canals, especially to cover the higher lands of the Wenas and to carry water from the Naches to Wide Hollow.