The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-01
IRRIGATION MATTER.
&c. o. -. 49,


this western country the means of irri-
CATION, for good crops, more particular
" since the failure of crops on account
Of the dry season Of 1894. It is well to
have an intelligent understanding npon
the plans proposed, which are discussed
at length in the public press.
For ages past we have records Of the
advantages and necessity Of irrigation.
and what more certain proof of its adj
visibility can we have for the adoption
Of such plans for this western country
than the experience of others almost
similarly situated with ourselves.
Surveys by engineers and others of I'M
doubted authority give us the informa-
ton of vast supplies Of water which
can, with mans help and ingenuity, be
utilized to the farmers advantage.
Indeed many such plans are at present
in operation and about to be fulfilled
under the most sanguine expectations,
The ditch system, although being
available in many sections, cannot ac-
commodate every farmer whose
land may be so situated as to be reached
by the ditch. We find the supply of
water from wells most abundant as
raised by che of the several devices
proposed for such work, but the prac-
ticability Of flooding such large farms
as we have in this new country is
out of the question. Extensive farming
may be followed by. what some call
dry farming but intensive farming
must be adopted if dependence upon
irrigation has to be relied upon; hence
orr farming must become more and
more approaching the small fruit and
gardening system, or rather Tor those
so situated l would say that the extern
sive farming must, except under rare
instances, be superseded by intensive
methods, that is, from fewer acres and
raise as much if not more than is done
onthe larger farm. Thorough farming
with the ditch supply at the time most
needed will accomplish this.
AS an Offset to the irrigation system
we have reports, and from having more
experience myself i'll the subsoiling
system than the irrigation, I have al
ways advised and doyet advise farmers,
especially those who are not situated to
irrigate, to try this plan. There are
many of our new settlers who have be-
come somewhat hampered financially
that would find it considerable of a
burden to pay for water privileges that
could easily subsoil a number of acres
alone, or by com bining with neigh
Dor, could command a suitable nipple
ment with little expense, and doubling
teams could in this way prepare quite
a number of acres for corn or any other
grains. Then if he has the water too,
he is fortunate in having a double
chance. The advantage of stirring the
soil deep is it loOsens the ground so
that roots can easily penetrate down
II search of food moisture and draw
the same for nourishment which they
will readily do in loose soil; at the
same time are not so exposed to the
after cultivation, when they would be
under shallow blowing, when the roots
are compelled to spread each way near
the surface, besides the danger of being
dried and shriveled up with such dry
and scOrching winds as we had last
summer The young plant must have
moisture nOurishment and if not from
above wemust search for it down below.
the explanation of VIII ch has before
been given in these columns. For the
locality where farmers have not means
nor situation TO command the d tch,
commend subsOiling, it being at once
within his reach and at little expense.
1t is'butf few farmers that can command
the well and wind or other engines for
lifting power Then for our western
Nebraska farmers, the forming of cor
porations and granting lands for the
building of bitches ETC., will eventually
become a burden that farmers will not
relish very pleasantly, when called
upon through the tax collector to pay
the interest and principal on the bonds,
added to their regular assessed taAes.
Irrigation companies have with no diff
tculty got subscribers to carry their
bonds on borrowed capital by working
upon the feelings of the drouth stricken
farmer, holding out the hope of abun-
dant crops as the benefits from the
water next year, besides the present
help of earning something to tide over
the present emergency. To farmers
who have not already entered
into any of these arrangements,
would advise him to 60 slow, and not
find himself in the similar predicament
where farmers were in MANY cases per-
suaded to bond their counties to raise
money for the building of railroads,
then see them thrown into a few rich
stockholders and receivers hands: and,
furthermore, with the aid of irrigation
we are assured of larger crops, or more
bushels per acre, which we all truly
like, and put in as many acres of corn
and wheat, bes des other grains, That
all appears very fine, but call halt
and look over the market reports at
this tire. then calculate with the
big crops next fall, what surplus cash
you will have to pay irrigation and
other expenses.
just about ayearago writers sounded
the alarm that the surplus grain upon
the arllet reduced the prices SO low
that farmers would be ruined, and now
after much failure of crops the Isar-
kets are as low as we have ever known
them. The remedy then proposed was
that farmers should only sow or plant
one-half or less acres than formerly. so
that less grain would be put upon the
market. indeed boycott the grain mar
ket Do not know if this o an was
generally adopted or not, however, I
prefer to raise all I possibly can: then
if irrigation gives us big crops. our
western farmers had betterconvert the
same into butter, cheese, beef. pork,
mutton and such other products of the
farm and garden TOO, which he can
ship per ton or car loan for less money
than shipping live stock; but above all
study the markets, distant and local.
then when conditions are suitable take
advantage at once. JOHN BETHUNE.