Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-05
IRRIGATION MUST COME.

in the United States, by Richard j. Hinton,
prepared under direction Of the departm INT
Of agriculture. which is the best and most
complete work on the subject yet printed
On the American continent. 1t sets forth all
now known with reference TO irrigation in
This country. and Therefore should be in the
hands Of every person thinking Of an arti-
fetal water supply to crops. We suppose it
might be had b. addressing the secretary
of agriculture, Washington, D. c., as it IS
printed for public distribution.
A careful study OF this excellent work
has been made by us, ami while it has not
at al changed our Oft expressed opinion to
the effect that Texas is losing millions ar
nua.'g by Lar hardness in an inauguration
OF general irrigation, we may remark that
il has.ccrtaiuly established Us more firmly
IN our old faith, and led US 10 see with more
cloarness tnat irrigation must come ere
Texas can 50 much As approximate to the
greatness that nature has intended should
Je hers
People who read our articles in advocacy
81 irrigation must not conclude that there
IS now anything of with Texas as an asri-
-ulrurat state, comparatively speaking.
Without irrigation She can produce more
cotton, and more corr, and more wheat,
and more barley. and more oats, and more
lay. potatoes. tuluips, melons and 50 ON,
than any other state in the Union, and do
il BY running on oue-thld time. With irri-
cation she could do much better than she
Is now doing. and full conviction Of this
lac, is why we advocate irrigation for
Texas. Irrigation would give her two
tLird, more Of growing season than she
now has II would enable her to put in Il
new crop the moment the old one WAS har-
vested and 10 make each of, say, her three
annual crops. fIlly two-thirds better than
now is her ono crop as raised without irri-
cation. We say Texas is great" even
low and so she IS. buJ think for "a moment
how much more volume we might add to
our song were she producing three times
more cotton TO her cultivated acreage and
>j1 illacs more of many other crops than
She is now producing
Don't accept this Us mere theory. Al
5.ldr there is enough OF irrigation in Texas
20 clearly demonstrate the correctness Of
his position OF course the reader wants
proof in The case. and ne Is right. To give
him clear proof IS The object actuatins the
preparation of Ibis article.
On PAGE 40 Of the report already re-
ferrod 10 that scientist Of whom Texas
should ever feel proud, Professor Robert
4 Hin, Is quoted as Saying OF a district
vest of Fort Worth, and within the Fort
Worth-Waco artcsiau area, che Brazos,
PaIury and Squaw Valleys, that the re-
gion IS subject 10 serious drourhs, and the
average Weld is from one-quarter 10 one
half bale Of cotton to the acre. A few
farmers. however, have obtained good re
suits from irrigation. Mr.. William Ian
ham, vino lives SIX miles west Of Glcnrose,
has an eicht-fuch artesian well which flows
about 400. geo gallons per day. With this
he irrigatcs abundaEt,y thirty acres Of Land,
finding # necessary 10 apply the water only
ID few days in the year Although ne came
10 Texas from more humid regions, and
had never before seen irrigation. his sue
ross has been great He has confined his
efforts TO the least profitable irigable crops
corn. cotton and Louisiana sugar caneD
and las never manfred his land"
Mr. I.auham's land Of precisely the same
chararte"a as that irrigated produces with
ont irrigation an average OF twenty-five
bushels of corn TO the acre. The irrigated
land gave him III ISIS seventy-tive bushels;
liz 1889, siN'T-siN bushels. and IN $50, forty
bushels To the acre. The gradual falling
IN through thc-three Years Of irrigation IS
not explained, though the results with cot
ton viii naturally lead one TO suppose that
IL WAS rd' 10 some kind Of mIsmanagement.
Mr. Lauham'S land not irrigated gave
him from 80 to 500 pounds Of seed cotton
to the acre. In 1883 his irrigated lands gave
him 200 pounds OF seed cotton; IN 1859.
5000 pounds, and IN 1870, 1890 pounds. His
ribbon cane experiment. began IN loS9, has
given him regular Weld of $50 gallons Of
syrlp 10 the ac'a. Professor Hill adds:
several other experiments IN lrrisa-
non IN snS H'''' il r,'I 'o|T nav
one has ir,..G,,frd aIfllfa. clover, small
Grains or small fruits, which are most sus-
,'eP,1oIe o. very l'roh.;ao.c irrigation. AZ
i,..;,,,,f f,,- mon which cotton WINS
..ro,-iug. TWO bales 70 the acre
This nagravs The thing down 10 ;r,tual
facts located ..tr home. 50 far IS relates
TO The people of Fort Worth. With such