The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-03-16
WATERING THE LAND
HOW IRRIGATION is PROGRESS
ING IN IDAHO.
Hei etofore Arid Regions Being Rapidly
Transformed Into Gardens-Farmers
Societies In Many Instances own the
Irrigating Works.
(Boise. Idaho. Letter.)

Most Of the people who farm In the
rainfall regions suppose that the irri-
cation Of land is a complicated process
and that the art OF doing 1t can only
be acquired after years Of experience.
whereas. as a matter OF fact, It Ia
about the easiest and most simple
work the western farmer has to do. In
most cases the children attend to II
under the direction of their parents,
and any boy Of 10 or IL can do mans
work when 1t comes to irrigation.
The western farmer is wholly indif-
ferent as to rainfall. He doesn't de-
pend upon 1t In the least. The water
that interests him is that which flows
down into the valley from the melt
Ing SHOWS In the mountain ranges.
These waters he dlverts into great
canals which run along the rim Of tho
valley about the irrigable lands and
are tapped at stated intervals by what
are called "laterals" or sub-ditches
which flow from farm to farm and out
of which the farmer takes the water
for his fields. In some cases the waters
Of these mountain streams are acquired
by the community Of farmers along
their course, each one holding as many
shares of stock in the cooperative
canal scheme as he owns acres Of land.
and being entitled to so many inches OF
water for every acre of his ownership.
This Is the usual plan. But when the
construction Of the main canal, owing
70 engineering difficulties, is too expen'
sive piece Of business for the farmer
20 afford, irrigation companies under
lake the work and build the canal into
portions Of the country where large
areas of land are to be reclaimed,
These Irrigation companions are "com'
mon carriers" of water and furnish II
Tor a nominal price per acre per am
mum to the farmer. Sometimes these
Irrigation companies own large tracts
under their ditch which they sell IN
small farms with the water right, ia
settlers at a nominal prices per acre
In other instances they do not own
land at all, leaving that to be acquired
by the settler under the various actt
of congress.
Perhaps no portion of the Union Il
now making such active progress ir
irrigation development, or is receiving
so large a quota Of immigrants al
southern Idaho. There are millions oil
unoccupied acres in that state which
only await settlement to become al
productive as the lands upon the Nile
Efforts arc being put forth by the staff
authorities to bring the advantages Of
these lands to the notice Of the eastern
farmer, and the several railroads o
the state are engaged in the work.
Perhaps the easiest and the best way
to acquire information is from tn,
General Passenger Agent Of the Oregon
Short Line at Salt Lake City, from
whence conservatively prepared pamph!
lets descriptive OF irrigation meth
DDS and containing reliable informa
ton about the various localities nov
open for settlement, are being maile(
free.
The time is certainly not far distan
when the unoccupied public domain q
Idaho will be entirely taken up, CON
dition which will be most unfortunate
to those who delay taking advantage d
the rare opportunities now offered.