Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-11
j. 4. STEELE. EDITOR.

! 10 follow each other the season through,
from frost 10 frost. These we cannot have
| without an artificial water supply. With
| out that artificial water supply our seasons
for most profitable agriculture. or horticult-
ure. ii YOU please. are practically as short
as are the seasons in Cauada-they do not
extend over SO much as three months Of
time, when in fact they ought 10 extend over
more than nine months. Now. suppose the
Arlington Heights people should put. let US
say 1000 acres, Of this land under a correct
system of irrigation, and should give it out
III small tracts TO tenants or purchasers,
supplying portion of the water by artesian
wells and portion by tank collection. IA
their artificial lake shows them that they
could do Cannot YOU see at a glance what
an industrial population this arrangement
would speedily bring to the locality. A
thousand acres Of land let out in five-acre
tracts. would nicely sustain cultivating
population of at least 1000 persons. To this
population could be safely added at least
1000 more persons as mechanics, with 9th
ers engaged in handling the heavy products
of that 1000 acres for cultivators must have
appliances. and products made must be
cared for. There would be machine shops,
canning factories and preserving factories
evaporating factories. and dozens of other
small plants that would come as the direct
result of this heavy production.
If the lands were sold Odt to the occu-
pants there would come into the syndicate
the usual profits to NE expected on the sale
of lands. and since d water supply
would have 10 be guaranteed the water
plant would run on and bring in q good
per cent Of profit to its owners for time
out of date in the future
What we have said OF Arlington Heights
applies with equal force 10 all the additions
lying around Fort Worth. Every one of
them might, by aect systems of irriga
ton. be made a center of such a producing
population as would carry the pro- perity of
Fort Worth far beyond the most sanguine
dream of any person now interested in the
place
There is certainly nothing to risk in in
vestments of this character. All needed
is to show by practical demonstration what
q correct system of irrigation is capable of
doing under correct management. This
practical demonstration might be made on
a small scale to begin with, and no doubt
there are wells or o.her means of water
supply where it might be MADE now An
acre. or even half acre. might answer
every purpose. Let the people see half
acre of land fiourishing under a luXuriant
growth of crops on through July. August
and September and all doubts would be
speedily cast 10 the winds. Doubts
arising from want Of practical demonstra-
ton are all we have in the way. If we
can dispel those doubts we ought to do it
without delay. Give the people something
TO talk about that is reasonably founded
upon brighter future. People will talk
anyway, and unless You can get Il move
on them to talk in the right direction very
many win be found talking entirely wrong.
But telling them what might be done don't
have much infuence-you must show them
what can be done. Seeing is believing"
Won know,