Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-11-28

imam all other Influences combined f;
determine whether the western farm
ers ought to be tenants or proprietors
! Naturally, this makes the disposal of
the water resources OF the west
matter Of vital Importance, not only
10 the persons directly interested butte
the country at large. Every considera.
ton which justified the general govern.
ment IN the control, the survey. and
disposal of public lands, applies eouaL
ly to the orderly and Just establish.
ment of titles to water by public an.
| thority, either state or national. AT.
tention is directed to the growth of Ir
rigation in the humid regions. and the
| remarkable fact is stated that in
| Louisiana more money has been ex-
! pended on pumping plants in the past
| two years than in any arid state BY
! irrigation, rice growing in Louisiana
and Texas has raised the price of land
originally worth IS to $40 per acre
to $50 and even 500 per acre.
The secretary expresses the belief
that irrigation viii, in the near future,
become a subject for legislation by
congress, there being important rea-
sons why it should have the attention
of that body. At the same time, he
says that those best informed believe
that the uncertain character of water
rights can only be remedied by larg-
er measure of public control and the
making of certain classes of irriga-
ton structures permanently public
works He condemns the desert-land
act, stating that $40 acres is more
land than a man of moderate means
can cultivate under irrigation. Cut
ting down the entries from $40 to 800
acres is an improvement, but he be
lieves in the entire repeal Of the
: desert land tand inrequiring settlers
or homesteaders to cultivate as well
as live on their land
Grazing Lands.
? He says probably $500, 900, 900 acres
| of the public domain has no agricuL
] tural value except for pasturage. It
J is at present an open common, with no
! laws for it's protection or disposal. He
refers to the frequent conflicts of the
farmers under irrigation with tn
range stockmen, and recommends as
a remedial and beneficial measure, the
: leasing Of the grazing land in such a
way as not to interfere with the home
steader He winds up the discussion
of this subject by presenting the fol
lowing conclusions:
Cd That private enterprise will
have to be supplemented by public aid
in the construction Of certain classes
of irrigation works if we are to secure
the largest development of western
: agriculture.
(2) That reservoirs located in the
: channels of running streams should
: be public works.
CO That the first step toward ma
tional aid for irrigation should be the
passage Of enlightened codes of water
laws by the states to be benefited.
4 (4) That the land laws should he
I modified by repeating the desert act
and by requiring cultivation as well
as residence on homestead.
90 That the non-irrigable grazing
: lands should be leased in small tracts
so as to unite the irrigabe and the
pasture lands.
! Work in Entomology.
F Under this head the secretary re-
ports the successful introduction and
L establishment in California of the fig
: fertilizing insect, with the result that
I it has been thoroughly established at
@ several points, and that the division of
y entomology is now ready to supply fig
q insects to any grower after he has
g succeeded in raising to the bearing
i stage caprifg Smyrna fig trees.
g Public Roads.
8 In establishing an office of public
q road inquiries, the object was to pro
9 mote the Improvement of public
D roads throughout the country. Efforts
0 were first directed to ascertain the
i condition of the roads, the state Of
4 public opinion in regard to their i'm
p provement, the obstacles in the way
g and the best methods to be employed
I in securing better rOads-such has
! been the work Of this office up to the
present. For spreading information
!, and awakening interest, nothing has
been found so effectual as the Job
, ject-lesson'' or sample roads which
during the past year, have been built
in nine states under the advice ana
. supervision of the office.
Expectation of Products,
The highest record previously at
tanned in the export Of agricultural
! roducts-in 1898-was surpassed by
over $9O,000,OO0 in the fiscal year Of
: 1901, when a value of over $950,000,-
900 was reached. OF the merchandise
sent abroad IS per cent, originated on
the farm. Of foreign customers for
our agricultural products, the United
Kingdom stands first, taking over so
per cent. The next most important
markets, are afforded by Germany.
u France the Netherlands and Belgium
in the order named. The section OF
foreign markets has begun the prep
aration Of a most comprehensive re-
port on the character of our agricul-
turaI importations received by the
United Kingdom from countries other
| than the United States. The import
ance Of this report is evidenced by the
| fact that, large as were our exports to
the United Kingdom, they comprised
! only one-third of the foreign farm pro-