Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-12-06

State Irrigation convention. Plense do not
infer from this that nm not as much and
enthusiastically IN favor Of irrigation as any
man from anywhere. The point make Isl
TINT the mnss OF our people who live outside
OF this marvellous Arkansas valley and DO.
yond reach OF It's wonderful underilow should
give n better appreciation TO the rainfall
to harvesting the wealth of water 30 copi-
ouay, beneicently sent them without money
and without cost and seeking land finding,
II permitted to do so,) that neon parable
reservoir, the ample bosom of mother earth,
where 1t Ia always within root-roach, without
wells, without pumping, without bitches;
where every hour OF the night and day In
life giving moisture is In its perfect why
ready to help ondow US with such n wealth
OF Hover and fruit, Of grass and golden
grain rs the people OF few countries are ever
given to see. This must DO attained by
deeper, moro thorough loo'ening, breaking
up OF the imperviOus, cOmpacted subsoil,
that 1t mNy absorb and retain tho rainfall
rather than reject II, and M is now the case,
compelling II 10 find its way 10 the rivers
aud tho son, In floods that nearly every year
do millions Of damage to our fellow citizens
IN other states. Acting on this idea along
with that OF irrigation, which we are here TO
encourage, there can be, there Ia no doubt
about the wonderful future of Kansas agri-
culture. This il n part Of our great problem
that cnn be solved by individual effort. The
records for the past ten yenrs show that the
average annual rainfall in Klngman county
has been about % inches; in Ford and Trego
counties about 10 inch,s; even in Kearney,
Greeley and Wallace counties about 10
inches; IN Decatur, Osborne and Cloud
counties about p inches, and ut Manhattan
more than 20 inches, Observers of such
matters tell us that even these smaller guam
titles OF water, while not all that would be
desirable, will, II judiciouSly conserved and
utilized, well nigh give us n crop every year
and in most years yields that are prodigious.
The sort OF irrigation problems that CON
front us are in the main radically different
from those IN any other like territory.
Whenever any large proportion Of our state
is arillcialy watered 1t must be from wells
instead Of streams, and most OF thu help,
most needed, is along TINT line. In honor
congress should nj least, help us to locate
and determine tho water supply; but we eau
not wait on congrcsa we must DO up and
dong for ourselves; We will have 10 rely
chiefly on individual enterprise lam deeply
imbuod with the idea that the way for us TO
irrlgate IL to lrrlgate and to subsoil. Kan
sas' salvation in this direction must be
worked out by Kansas effort. The state law
makers must rise with MS to the Importance
OF TINS movement and take II 10y the hand.
BY iudicious enactments and proper fnan-
cnl support the state should within tho next
ninety days iudiciously provide for line of
progressive work in tho way of surveys, ex-
Fermentation, observation, superintendent
and advisory aid thus doing nj very small
cost per capita part Of the work that tho
individual cannot afford TO do. The people
IN two-thirds Of Kansas will DO grievousIy
disappointed II this is not done.
II. d, CoRURN,
Secretary Of Stnle Board Of Agrieulture.