The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-05-07
MAY CULTIVATE ARID LANDS
rx.Governor Cooper Believes It Can b
Done without Irrigation.

Ex.Goyernor Cooper Believes it Can BE
Done without Irrigation.
EARNING without Irrigation has
been carried on successfully In Colo
RADIO and 1 believe 1t may be made
profitable" said Ex-Governor Job A.
Cooper, who is one of the important
capitalists and cattle raisers of the
state. "The secret of successful farm
ing on arid land is deep blowing and
internal culture. believe that the
time is coming when all the eastern
part of the state, much of which is
now a desert, will be under cultivation
and will support a large population.
Irrigation for most of eastern Colo
RADIO is generally believed to be out of
the question. l think the problem of
retaining it must be solved by deep
blowing.
"The trouble with eastern Colorado is
not lack of precipitation. In the arid
region of Colorado, Kansas and Ne
braska, the mean annual rainfall is
twenty inches, nearly all of which
comes between March list and October
LIST, the growing season. Evaporation
soon rObs the soil of this moisture; the
problem is to conserve it.
"First turn over the surface to a
depth of eight inches or so and then
use another pillow, reaching eight below
the first. The second pillow does not
turn over the earth, but stirs it up.
This gives a depth of lOosened soil OF
about sixteen inches as a reservoir for
moisture. Then the surface is broken
up fine, to almost dust by a close har-
row. The dust prevents evaporation,
and the ground underneath remains
moist throughout the season.
Il am interested in the Wayside
ranch above Littleton. We have over
100 acres planted in grain, which we
grow without irrigation. Dennis Since
dy has also made a success Of dry
farming ON the divide. On sixty acres
we grew thirty bushels Of corn to the
acre. Under irrigation thirty-fve or
forty bushels is considered a good crop
Thirty acres planted in bald barley
yielded twenty-eight bushels to the
acre, while forty bushels is a good
crop on irrigated land. I know thai
good crops of corn, rye, barley and
fruit can be produced on sO-called arid
land without irrigation.
"The outlook for the cattle business
is remarkably good. The business Ii
gradually drifting into the hands o.
small farmers who keep punches Of
fifty to sixty cattle, and think it prob
able that there are more cattle in Colo
RADIO now than in the time of the opeI
ranges, and the number will increas'
rapidly.
'Now 1 believe that eastern Colorado
will be populated by small stock breed
ers. There is enough water in tina
section to water stock and by subsoil
ing the farmers can produce plenty o
food for fattening their cattle. Bali
barley is excellent feed, and as l said
Colorado land without irrigation will
produce twenty-eight bushels to tn
acre.
ut seems to me that there is a rea
sonable hope of retaining the grea
arid plains east of us. After the tirs
year the work of farming on this sys
tenn would be easier. A farmer coul
in few years have pleasant hom
with orchards, garden, fields of graf
and a bunch of good Durham cattle
Durhams are the best all-around cattl
for the small farmer. They are fai
mixers, good mothers and excellent 0
the block. l believe eastern Colorad
will yet be divided up into sma
ranches and that it will support
large population of contented and pro-
porous mers."-DenVer Republ
can. r,.