The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-11-30
OF INTEREST TO IRRlGATORs
HInts on Irrigation Cleaned from
Exchanges.
laaleArloM THe coMINa CLEO
By this Means Only Can "Ths Great
Americas Desert" Be Redeemed
Get in Line.

A trip over Sherman county would
agreeably surprise anyone that be
iieves Sherman county is two poor to
put in irrigating plants. On nearly
every quarter, which still enjoys an
occupant, some effort has been made
looking to irrigation the coming sum-
mer. We have the most fertile soil on
earth and with water properly applied
it would become prolific each year with
absolute certainty. These efforts Of
our farmers to irrigate a small tract
next summer is move that will be the
making of Sherman county. OF course
some Of us have become so poor trust
ing to the field crops and the natural
precipitation that We couldn't dig q
post hole, much less a well, bat ma
joritY of our farmers already have q
well and windmill that will successfully
irrigate small garden, which viii be a
good starter.
A great many people imagine
that it takes 20 or 80 acres to make
them living. One acre carefully
tended and irrigated viii keep one
man working the whole year and make
him a good living. In the big truck
gardens around Salt Lake and Denver
two and three men are continuously
employed on gardens that do not aver
age an acre in extent, The density of
agriculture in an irrigated district
would be a surprise to the unsOphisti-
Gated. Every inch of land is used,
nothing goes to waste.
In putting in a plant the Sherman
county farmer is not dealing with a
theory, but a condition. It has been
demonstrated by practical experiments
that Sherman county can be irrigated
on both bottom and uplands. On the
lOwlands We have the plants OF the
ranchers on the Beavers and Smoky,
and on the uplands the plant at the
court house, Of Sankey, Simmons,
Clements, ETC., as a criterion. On the
uplands it will cost a trifle more to
irrigate q given tract, but when the
plant is put in the better quality of
soil and its more yielding properties
will put it on parity with that on the
lower lands.
And again some are fearful that an
oVerproductiol would ruin the people
should everyone conclude to irrigate
The large cities, within reach Of Sher.
man county by rail, furnish a market
that is never glutted. And, further
more, the merchants of Goodland have
signif1ed their willingness to put in a
canning factory whenever the produc.
ton proves more than sufficient for the
demand. Sherman county imports an.
nuaIly carloads of potatoes, cabbages
sweet potatoes. ETC., representing
thousands of dollars that should go in.
to the pockets of our farmers instead
of those of other sections.
Many man has spent money enough
on his farm trying to accomplish the
impossible to have put in an irrigating
plant that would have made him money
instead of getting in debt.
In the face Of the failures of the past
two years we can plainly see our mis-
takes. But they have been conducive
of much good. They have taught US
that to succeed we must irrigate.
Out Of the dark clouds of our mis-
fortunes breaks the shining light Of
the star of irrigation that will guide us
safely into the heaven of plenty and
prosperity.