Hutchinson gazette., 1900-03-22
THE MORMONS DID 1T.
WHAT WE OWE TO BRIGHAM
YouNo'S FOLLOWERS.
They woro tho Firat to Put Into Opsr~
alton the Idea of IrrIRAtinE Arid
RsEions-HAS Drown Into Vast Pro-
portions
(Bolse, Idaho, letter. }

CrlticiBe the Mormons as you WILL
they must be credited with the Won
derful system Of irrigation by which
the wastes OF the western states have
been redeemed. On July "a, 1S47,
Brigham Young and his little band OF
pioneers began the construction Of the
first irrigation canal ever built In the
United States.
Irrigation made of Utah's desert will
derness the garden spot Of America. It
is doing as much for Idaho, where the
mountains are 80 located that ample
valleys, and plains Of millions or
acres, may be easily and economically
watered. On the Nile, in Italy,
Spain and elsewhere In Europe, irri-
CATION has prevailed for centuries. In
deed, 60 per cent Of the worlds bread
Atuffs and cereals are grown by irr!ga-
tlon.
Where "the vlne-clad hills and citron
groves" around Vesuvius In sunny
Italy are found, a great population has
been sustained for many thousand
years-and the land has never worn
outfits wonderful vitality being due
to underlying strata of lava which by
some curious chemistry renders the
soil immortal
Idaho's wonderfully productive soil
covers lava strata deposited by volca-
noes long ago extinct. The reJuvena-
tion OF the land results not alone from
this lava, but from rich fertilizers an
nually brought TO It by the irrigation
waters. 1t is almost an aphorism that
land is good where sage brush grows.
Marvellous must therefore be the fer
tllity of Idaho, for everywhere the
green of the sage Is seen. Wheat t,corn,
oats, barley, alfalfa, timothy, rye, fax,
tobacco, broom corn, sorghum, sweet
and Irish potatoes, beets, cabbages,
hops, and fruits, such as prunes, ap-
pies, pears, plums, peaches, cherries,
aprieots, nectarines, grapes and all OF
the small bush products, grow profuse-
Jy. Particularly do the apple, pear and
prunG attain to perfectioT In size and
davor.
Alex. Mcpherson Of Boise City real
ized $500 per acre from apples. Geo.
=. Hall Of Mountain Home sold $500
worth Of peaches from one acre. 7. J.
9hifer of Boise City realized $500 from
two acres Of Italian prunes, Instances
like these can be multiplied ad inhni-
tum.
But Idaho docs not depend entirely
upon agriculture. Its mountains are
alled with mining camps which furnish
C home market for far more agricul-
tural products than the state is now
able to produce.
Snake River Valley contains about
100000 acres and some Of the finest
PASTORAL scenes there presented are In
the midst Of gold placer mining opera
tionp. Many tsrmerB there realize
handsomely for work during spare
hours4-washing shining powdered gold
from the rivers bed.
In a. state having so many productive
portions to select from 1t is hard to-
suggest particular locations, but set-
tiers will find room for any number aa
new homes.
Different state and private agencies
are sending out printed information
about Idaho! Perhaps the most corr
servatlvely prepared matter Is that
now emanating from the general pas
senger agent Of the Oregon Short LlaB
at Salt Lake City. utah. This railroad
permeates almost evEy Agricultural
region I'M the atate and stands ready
to furnish, to homescehers every coarr
tesy in tho power OF Ils officers.
At the presenS rate Idaho will soon
be as thickly populated as Utah. IT.
is in the same latitude as France, Swift
zerland, Portugal, Spain and Italy, and
It's climate Ia Incompatible.
Vast timber a0eas furnish lumber Of
excellent quality Cyclones and de-
structiY@ storms never occur, The win
ters are short and people work, out
doors AN the year. The annual death
rate Is the lowest of any state IN the,
Union.
Verify Idaho IN a wonderful STAKE and
destinedl to become the home place OF
many times Its present population.