The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-02-25
IRRIGATION AND FORESTRY

IRRIGATION AND FORESTRY
A few Reasons Why These Matters
Should Be Encouraged.
State Superintendent OF Irrigation and
Forestry of North Dakota advances
many reasons why an officer to look
after these interests should be literally
supported, and his remarks upon the
matter. are so applicable oSouth as well
rs North Dakota we give them a place in
our columns, and invite a close reading
OF the article.
After speaking OF the object OF this de-
partment and the work accomplished, he
says:
And there is presented the fact that we
have in North Dakota six hundred and
seventy (67O) flowing artesian wells and
a number OF artesian springs, whose
combined 1owage amounts to over A.
COG, OOO, 900 gallons each successive year,
without any diminution OF the output.
We have in the Dakotas the largest
area and fullest supply OF artesian depos'
it's in the world. These great and mex.
haustible underground waters are the
elements of our wealth, the watercapital
OF our state. These, with our phreatic
waters and the rainfall, are as necessary
for our crops and sustenance as the
ground wherein we plant our grain.
Should not the practicable benefits OF
these wealth-producing elements be
brought more fully to view by the o n
tinuation Of the present law, and thus
encourage the better class OF emigrants
to settle our unoccupied garden lands?
This investigation and presentation
of facts as regards our underground
waters is but preliminary work. 1t is
essentially important that the duties OF
the state superintendent of irrigation
and forestry should be continued from
year to year under the management OF
competent incumbents,> when new facts
and new features will appear, capital be
invested and Developments accomplished,
and our wonderful artesian deposits
made available in the increasement OF the
quantity and values of agricultural and
horticultural productions.
Who can consistently claim we have
sufficient trees and forests in North Da-
kota? Who can say forestry should not
be encouraged in our commonwealth?
The area of our state is ~, 557, $50 acres,
and but neal 100000 acres are covered
with native and near 10000 acres with
cultivated timber. What better, cheap
er or more practical plan can
there be devised for the encouragement
and development of forestry than the
present law, whereby all the facts, the
laws and conditions OF tree life must be
properly presented in reports for the bene-
fit of our farmers and all citizens of our
state. Other states have forestry off,
Gals, known as commissioners, amongst
which are the following: Maine, New
Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Kansas,
Colorado and California. Some OF these
states have but one commissioner, whilst
others such as New York. Ohio and
California have a board consisting OF
many members. All these commissioners
receive good compensation for their ser
vices. And 1 will here add, numerous
states have commissioners OF irrigation
and also superintendent OF weather SER
vice or meteorology. Have W. not as
much need of such a commissioner or
superintendent OF such departments
(three Observation-Disclosures forestry
and meteorology, are merged into one Of
flee in our state) in North Dakota as the
other western states?
In my report forestry is fully presented
in it's various phases under different head
ings, amongst which are the economic
uses Of trees and timber for fuel, building
and manufacturing purposes; for pro-
lection from cold winds and storms; for
the increasement OF values; for favorable
influence upon the climate; for conserva-
ton of moisture and the creation offavor-
able crop conditions, etc.
There are also given q full list and the
size and height OF our native trees, con-
sisting of fifty (5O) varieties, large and
small. The small wild fruit of our state
constitute nineteen varieties. These. and
forest seeds, acorns and nuts, amount to
many carloads each year.
Short articles are devoted to hot winds,
how prevented; prevention Of frosts,
scientific rain college, irrigation by
the nation or states, the Turtle
Mountain Park reservation, meteroro-
logical reports, etc.
It is claimed by some this Office is a bill
of expesnse to the state, and therefore
should be g abolished. By law he who
may chance to be the superintendent OF
irrigation and forestry is entitled to ST.
900 for salary and $500 for travelling ex-
penses per annum. The assessed valua-
ton OF the real and personal property OF
| our state for 1891, perthe state auditors
report, was $88,896, 291. Now, two
hundred (2OO) part. OF one mill on a dol
lar of this amount gives $1,776, equal
to two cents on each $1,000. Surely the
usefulness OF this department ought to be
worth this small percentage.