Sharp County record., 1879-11-13
Irrigation of Colorado Farms.

There is no doubt that nearly every
one who visits this region for the first
time, even if partially informed about 1t
beforehand, is grievously disappointed
at the arid aspect of the plains, and
finds it hard to believe in the power OF
that great benefcent agent, Water
which can make every inch of these
tablelands and valleys, or the Sage-brush
wastes of the Humboldt region, or the
Egyptian desert itself, literally "blos-
som I'm like the rose.' This is compara-
lively rainless area, the "barren and dry
land, where no water is, b" OF the PSaIm.
list: and vet means has been found OF
not only supplying the place of the rains
heaven, of but also of making such supply
constant and regular. An intelligent
and experienced writer says: "lrrlga-
ton is simply scientific farming The
tiller of the soil is not left at the mercy
of fortuitous rains. His capital and Ia
Dor are not risked upon an adventure;
He can plan with all the certainty and
confidence of mechanic. lie IS a
chemist whose laboratory is a certaip
area of land; every thing but the water
is at hand-the bright sun, the potash,
and other mineral ingredients (not
washed out of the soil by centuries OF
rain). His climate secures him always
from an excess of moisture, and what
nature fails to yield, greater or less ac-
cording to the season, the farmer sup
plies from his irrigating canal, and with
| # he introduces, without other labor,
the most valuable fertilizing ingredients,
with which the water, in its course
through the mountains, has become
charged -
Water is thus both for the farmer and
the herder-and the ranchman, who Is
both farmer and herder--the sine qua
NON. the prime necessity; and just here
did one see how well Uncle Pete had
chosen his situation. He had nine miles
of water frontage on the St. Charles
Creek, and the same on the Muddy
Just where the former comes out OF the
Wet Mountain range, and where no one
could take water above him, he had tap
ped it for his broad irrigating ditch,
which. after a tortuous course through
the estate, empties again into the stream
from which it came, not drop OF IT'S
precious contents being thus wasted.
Along the upper side of the fields lying
on this gentle slope before described run
smaller bitches. Then during the sea-
son does the skillful Mexican laborer dig
little channels leading down through
these fields, and, making little dams for
the purpose, turn the water into them
The result is simple Uncle Pete has
raised 10000 bushels of wheat, 5000 OF
oats, and 900 of corn, and had a market
for the whole on the spot, it being one
Of the charms of Colorado farming that
the "honest miner" is both hungry and
liberal, and that the farm produce has
ready buyers. Suppose, however, that
for our present purpose we call farming
a side issue, and come to the cattle
which this ranch would support all the
year round. 1t is said that when Ken
fuckv cattle men, fresh from the "Blue-
grass Region" see the plains, they are
entirely incredulous as to their fitness
for stock; but the experienced stockman
smiles, well knowing that the nutritious
qualities of the grass are simply unsur-
passed, and that the food for his cattle
for the whole year is ready at a mini
mnm of cost. For their water, again,
Uncle Pete's splendid creek frontage
more than amply provided. 4 4
Hayes, Jr., IN Harper'S for Norem0er.