The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-03-23
N IA FER I'm G. The. LAND.
HOW IRRIGATION Is. PROG REss-,
ING IN IDAHO. Is
Hslstofors ARID Region. Bsmx Rapidly
Transformed 1rto aardsns.-Fsrners.
Societies 4 Alsny fnstnnees oua tAs
lrrisatinE Works. rs
(Boise. Idaho. Lctter.r /

(Boise. Idaho. Lottery .r-
MOST OF the people who farm IN the
rainfall regions suppose that the irri-
CATION OF land is complicated process
and that the art Of dcing 1t can only
De acquired after years Of experience.
whereas, as matter Of fact, It IL
about the easiest and most simple
work the western farmer Has to do. In
most cases the children attend to It
under the direction Of tlisir parents,
and any boy Of 10 or IL can, DO Z mans
work when 1t comes to irrigation.
Inc western farmer IL wholly indif-
ferent as to rainfall. He doesn't de-
pend upon 1t in the least. Tie water
that interests him is that whaer flows
Gown into the valley from thaf melt
Ing SHOWS In the mountain ranges.
These waters he diverts into great
canals which run along the rim'off ttie
valley about the iyrigable lands and
are tapped at stated intervals byswhat.
are called "laterals" or sub-ditEhes-
which now from farm to farm and out
OF which the farmer takes the water
for bis fields. In some cases the waters
OF these mountain streams are acquired
BY tbs community Of farmers along
their ecWse, each one holding as many
shares ct stock In the cooperative
canal scheme as he owns acres Of land,
and being entitled to- 20 many inches Of
water Tor every acre Of his ownership.
This is the usual PLAN But when the
construction Ct the main canal, owing
70 engineering difficulties, ia too exn-.,
save a ptsce Of businea- For the farmer
! to afford. irriention companies UNDER
take the work and build the canal into
portions Of thu country where large
areas Of land are to, be reclaimed.
These Irrigation companions are "com-
mon carrisrs'' OF water and furnish It
mum to the farmer. Sometimes these
Irrigation companies own large tracts
under their ditch which they sell in
smell farms with the water right, to
settlers at 3 nomsaal prices per acre.
In other instances they do not own
land at ALI leaving that to be acquired
by the settler uuder the various acts
Va CVhSIOS6s
Perhaps me- portion OF the Union is
now making such active progress in
Irrigation development, or is receiving
30 large a quota Of immigrants as
southern idaho. There are millions of
uuoccupied acres in that state which
emily await settlement to become 40
productive as the lands upon the Nile.
Efforts arc being put forth by the state
authorities to- bring the advantages Of
these lands to the notice of the eastern
farmer. and the several railroads Of
the state are engaged in the work.
Perhaps the easiest and the best way
/: to acquire information is from tho
General Passenger Agent Of the Oregon
Short Line at Salt Lake City, from
whence acknowledgements pamph-
lets descriptive of irrigation meth
DDS and containing reliable informa-
ton about the various localities now
open for settlement. are being mailed
free.
The time is certainly not far distant
when the unoecupied public domain Of
Idaho viii be entirely taken up, con-
dition which will be most unfortunate
to those who delay taking advantage Of
the rare opportunities now offered.