Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-08-18
LESSON OF THE DROUGHT.
It Shows The Necessity Of
National Irrigation.

d"dkSH tlllS ingenious ndtlOn 10 the
necessity of providing in the future the
moisture that nature fails to supply
Not only the vast territory affected by
the drought, but the whole OF the
United States have been sufferers 1t
is not so much in the amount of rain
that may fall as it is to have it fall
at the right season of the year. One
half of the total rainfall would suffice
if it were distributed in proportions
tantamount to the needs of the crop.
The demand the West has been max
ing for national assistance in reclaim
ing the arid and semi-arid sections
will be strengthened by the drought OF |
this summer. There are many clubs
|. forming for the purpose Of bringing |
this matter before Congress at its |
next session. but as the movement is |
in an incipient state it would be diff
ficult at this time to forecast the re-
suit. There is not the slightest doubt
of the need OF irrigation both in the
in the small farming communities in
| the agricultural section. and even
! though we fail to secure the cooper
! alton OF the national government. we
should not remain idle and wait for
repetition OF the drought which has
just broken.
In California. Colorado. Arizona.
Wyoming. Utah, Texas and .ew Mex
leo, evidences of the benefits of irri-
many instances barren desert waste
have been converted into fertile fields
yielding abundant crops OF everything
indigenous to each locality and in
some sections the productive capacity
OF really good lands has been increased
through the aid OF irrigation In New
Mexico the bOunteOus crops OF alfal-
ia, kaftir corn, milo maize apples.
pears. sugar beets. and several scar
al crop, are the results OF irrigation
: In Colorado. Utah, Wyoming and
er, the stockman and the fruit grow
er is the result OF the water from the
mountain streams. In Texas the i'm
mense rice plantations and truck farms
are irrigated by pumping the water up
from rivers and artesian wells These
are all large communities and while
some are aided by State appropriations
the majority of the irrigating plants
are operated by private individuals and
corporations. In the rich belt there
are numbers of plantations adjoining
which aggregate fifty to one hundred
= thousand acres, all watered from the
same stream.
The great value OF artesian we'll ir
=, rigation is just beginning to be appre
ciated. Not only the rice growers ar.
sinking wells, but truck farmers ant
orchardists have fallen into line an,
are sinking wells, which supply thei
lands with the much needed moisture
A Drover's Journal representative
4 visited one OF these improved trucl
, gardens during the annual meeting o
the Texas Cattle Raisers Association
in San Antonio last March. The farm
consists of one hundred and forty &C
res. At the time this land was pur
: chased it was almost barren-nothin
but thorny mesquite bushes woul
grow upon it. This land was bough
at fifty dollars per acre, cleared an
grubbed thoroughly and twelve-inc
we'll sunk. At depth of less than on
thousand feet flow of $4,000 barrel
!, or over one million gallons per da.
was struck. The farm is divided int
=, twelve tracts with a small cottage o
each, and is rented to gardeners VIII
pay an average annual rental OF S22.
per acre. These gardeners raise veg'
tables for the market, and their ave
err age net profit per acre is more tina
tn $Ioo. This we'll supplies sufficient w;
n ter to irrigate a tract many times la
so ger than it is required to do. TIL
SIS wonder is in portion OF Texas whe1
at it seldom rains, and the owner has r,
fused $Ioo, 900 for his property.
! The farmers OF Illinois, Iowa, Ka1
sas. Nebraska, and other States a
fccted by the recent drought, migl
/ study with profit the irrigation metl
I DDS now in vogue. Flowing artesia
I water at depth OF six hundred ie'
to one thousand feet is possible on an
/ land that will produce crops. II
I flowing well, the water could be hel
in check by a cap until needed, an
7 then distributed over the land by tn
I use OF bitches in quantities to suit tn
farmer. He would not bother abol
Z rain, and with water at his comman
/ would be enabled to mature his crol
I at an earlier date.