, 1879-11-06
Irrigation OF Colorado FERNS

There is 10 doubt that nearly every
one who visits this region FOR the first
time, even if partially informed Of it
beforehand, IS grioyously disappointed
at the arid aspect Of the plains, and finds
it hard to believe in the power Of that
great benofcient agent, water, which
can make every inch Of these table lands
and valleys or sagobrush wastes Of the
Humboldt region or the Egyptian desert
ITSELF literally "blossom like the rose.
This Is o comparatively rainles3s area,
the "barron and dry land where no
water is, Of the Psalmi3t aid yet q
means has been found Of not only sup
plying the place of the rains Of Heaven,
but also of making such supply constant
and regular. An intelligent and cXpe-
rienced writer says: "Irrigation is
simply scientific farming The tiller of
the soil is not left at the mercy of for
tuitous rains. His capital and labor are
not risked upon an adventure. He can
plan with all the certainty and conf
dence of a mechanic. He is chemist
whose laboratory is q certain area Of
land; everything but the water is at
hand the bright sun, the potash ond
other ingredients mot washed out of the
soil by centuries of rsin). His ciimah
secures him always from an excess Of
moisture, and what nature fails to yield,
greater or less, according to the season,
the farmer supplies from his irrigating
canal, and with it he introduces, without
any other labor, the most valuable fertil-
izing 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
tapped it for his broad irrigating ditch,
which after tortuous course through
the estate, empties again into the stream
from which it came, not q drop of its
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 season
does the skillful Mexican laborer dig
little channels leading down through
these fields, and making little dams for
the purpose, tnru tho water into them.
The result is simple /; Uncle Pete has
raised 10000 bushels Of wheat, 5000 of
oats and 1000 of corn, and had a mar
ket for the whole on the spot, it being
one of the, charms Of Colorado farming
that the s'honest miner is both hungry
and liberal, and that the farm produce
has ready buyers. Suppose, however,
that for oul 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
Kentucky cattle men, fresh from the
"Blue-grass Region" /" see the plains, they
are entirly incredulons as to their fitness
for stock, but the experienced stocknan
smiles, well knowing that the nutritious
qualities Of the grass are unsurpassed,
and that the food for his cattle for the
whole year is ready at minimum Of
cost. For their water, again, Uncle
Pete's splendid creek frontage more than
amply provided. "A. A. Hayes, Jr., in
Harper's Magazine for November