, 1891-09-15
INTERESTING CONTRIBUTIONS

INTERESTING COMPARISONS
The census bulletin on irrigation il
Wyoming, the data for which was col
lected by F. IL. Newell. makes som'
very interesting comparisons. The tota
irrigated acreage in crops in Arizona il
reported at 65. Isl. in New Mexico at 9l,'
745, in Utah at 263, 473 and in Wyoming
at 229.67
In discussing the subject the bulletin
goes on to say: The greatest contrast
is between Utah aud Wyoming, which
political divisions, although adjoining
each other, occupy almost the extreme po-
sition as regards methods and character
of agriculture. The total acreage in
crops does not differ so widely, but the
greatest contrast is shown in tho number
o~firrigators and in the ayerage size Of irri-
gated farms, the word farm" in this
case being used, as previously stated. to
mean the irrigated crop area only. In
Utah the land is greatly subdivided. the
average size Of irrigated farms being 81
acres as against ll9 in Wyoming,
Taking out the larger irrigated farms,
that is. those over l60 acres in extent,
and considering them independently, the
divergence is still greater, those in Utah
forming only 10 per cent of the total crop
area irrigated, while those in Wyoming
comprise no less than 65 per s,nt OF the
aAFrnaWNnndan arAa "a. H.. 49, l.
Wyoming, therefore, great acreages are
the rule and in Utah the exception. This
wide difference arises, of course, from the
fact that in the one case hay. which re-
quires little personal attention, Is the
principal crop, while in the other ease AIl
the varied products Of the temperate zone
are cultivated with the greatest care aud
with a large outlay of personal toll by the
owner of the farm, the difference in re-
suits being shown by the average annual
value of products, 1926 for Wyoming
and $50 for | tab.
with the difference in character of
agriculture is a corresponding difference
in first cost OF irrigation, that of Wyoming
being about oGsithhrd tmn Of Utah.
ghl!e-rhe annual cost of water per acre is
less than one-half that OF Utah and less
than one-third that of Arizona or New
Mexico. The land has also been pre-
pared for cultivation as a rule with less
expenditure. the average for Wyoming
being IS 90 per acre against $14 IS per
acre in Utah. and, as might be expected,
the value placed upon the irrigated lands
of Wyoming is correspondingly less.
These comparisons are introduced to show
the differences in irrigation that must
necessarily arise in adjoining areas where
the topography and climate are radically
different, and to illustrate the fact that in
legislation, both general aud local, these
contrasts must be recognized and that
regulations favorabl efor one section of the
arid lands may not be applicable to
another. The greatest success under one
climate may be achieved by infinitely
subdividing the land, and In another
climate by holding it in larger areas, the
agricultural possibilities under the two
climates being Theoretically opposite.
The agricultural land of Wyoming as
a whole lies at the highest altitude OF that
of any state in the Union. nearly one-half
Of the total area being above $500 feet,
and probably less than / per cent under
1000. rhe character Of the agriculture
and Of the products is, of course. gov
erned by this fact. and. as Is well known,
the pastoral industries lead in importance,
the areas devoted to these practically en-
bracing the greater part of the state. Ag-
riculture proper, the tilling OF the soil, is
making rapid progress in some portions,
especially at the lower attitudes, as, for
example. in johnson aud Sheridan coun-
ties, along the base Of the Big Horn range
in the northern part Of the state, and also
in the more thlckly settled parts adjacent
to Colorado on the southeast"