Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1883-10-11

has by means Of irrigation become tho rich
est agricultural portion OF the world. La
India the British government has expended
with great success, several million pounds
sterling in canals tor irrigation, and in Cali
fornia large irrigation works have been in
operation for many years. The numerous
streams of the Rocky Mountains, flowing
to the eastern slope of the State Of Color do.
offer special advantages tor irrigation and
for more than twenty years this valuable
adjunct to farming has been carried on in q
limited way by the settlers. The widely
known Greedy Colony, founded twelve years
ago in Colorado BY Horace Greeley, owes it's
great Success in agriculture exclusively to
Irrigation. The favorable results produced
In Colorado by the practice of irrigation in
small way, have attracted English and
Scotch Capitalists to that State, and within
the last three years three canals OF consid-
cradle magnitude have been completed. and
notably amongst these is that known as the
High Line" or Platte Canal, constructed
for distance OF eighty-two miles across the
rolling praires east of Denver. At a cost OF
nearly one million dollars. This canal is
iorty feet wide and six feet deep and draws
its tert!!izing waters frem the Platte river
vt point ia the mountains of sufficient Gle
walton to carry them cut upon lha divides
and uplands between the valleys. The canal
ia capable OF carrying twelve hundred cubic
feet OF water per second OF time, and may
be made to irrigate one hundred thousand
acres Of land. A cubic foot, and ferty. -four
one-hundredths OF water running per sec
ond is the quantity necessary for irrigating
eighty acres. No more than three irriga.
tions during the season are necessary for
producing good crops OF cereals. From
three 10 five inches of water in depth, are
applied to the land at each irrigation. Some-
tines Two irrlgations are sufficient. The
irrigation season begins about May 18th and
ends August 10Th. After the latter date
corn, potatoes and vegetables are irrigated
u little. Where crops are planted in drills
the water is run between the drills. Wheat
and Oats are irrigated by making snail
bitches through the field with plow.
These bitches are made from fifty to enc
hundred tset apart aud the water is conduct
ed from the main canal to the farms BY
means Of permanent bitches, varying in
width from two to four feet, and in denth
from six inches to one foot, or more. Two
RIen can easily do the work of irrixating
hundred acres aud one man has sometimes
been found whe irrigated eighty to one
hundred acres. Alter the farmer has exer-
cised all his skill aad energy in cultivating
his land and in selecting the seed and plant
ing it, it must afford him a great deal of
satisfaction and also inspire him with much
confidence when he knows he has it within
his power to apply the moisture to his crops
whenever he sees it is needed. The farmer
who mas been accustomed to irrigation
would be very slow in returning to the
States, where the results OF his labor would |
depend entirely upon the rains. 1t is some
what surprising to those who have seen ir-
'igation in practical operation and the large
md steady yields in crops that are raised BY
his means, that it has not been adopted in
some parts of the Middle and Eastern States.
striking example of the virtue OF irriga-
ion is to be seen at this time-September
'th-in the contrast between the deep green
'orn fields of Colorado and the brown and
,arched fields of some OF the sister States
where the hot wiads and drouth have burn
I'd the fodder to q crisp. The principal irri-
ration canals in Colorado are the Larimer
Ind Weld, which draws its waters from
ha Ia r L
Greeley Canal, which gets its supply from
he Big Tkompson river, and the Platte Ca
lal previously referred to. Owing to the
proximity of the latter canal to the city Of
Denver, the lands under it-that is, that can
'e watered from it-are the most valuable
n the State.''
ETnRING PnTATAR@