Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-08-14
WHAT SOIL WILL DO.
Old Irrigation 0fsrs = Few Pertinent
Remarks.

Remarks.
For the Reflector.
Having to the limit Of our author
ity to do so, turned over the business
Of irrigation agitation to President
Roosevelt and Senator Burton for
their better manipulation, our pen
has remained silent on this topic for |
many months.
We are now constrained to let Il
speak again upon matter involving
q measure OF seli defense.
In discussing with . number Of
friends on the street corner, the ad-
vantage and possibilities Of agricul'
tural development under system Of
intense culture and also thu acts and
policy Of the federal government now
about to enter upon the reclamation
and development Of the arid regions
Of the West, we made the following
declaration "that in France and In
Holland under this system as much
as 100 tons Of vegetables had been
harvested from one acre Of ground in
year."
"That in the Wyoming 900 bushels
potatoes per acre had been harvested
from a single planting"
Our remarks seemed to have a
paralyzing effect upon the audience,
and while they courteously refrained
from giving expression to their
thoughts or voice to their incredulity,
it was plainly evident that they con-
sidered our assertion as either huge
I Joke or most colossal lie requiring
, volumns for veriication. In defense
I Of our reputation for veracity and fol
!. the enlightenment Of this coterie o
I doubling Thomases. we desire to sub
t NIT few quotations from agricultur
n al reports and such other authorities
I as our friends will hardly have th'
D afrontery to call in question.
v In agricultural report for 1874 pag
n lS6, we find this record: "Near tn
city Of Milan 10 Italy, fields Of alfalf
are cut Z times in year, yielding
product Of 80 tons and in exceptions
J. cases running as high as ID tons pc
q acre.
10 "In England, one Mr.. Murray {
Crown Abbey, says that in 1878 b
le weighed the product Of l'l5 OF a
ID acre planted to Banbury onions an
y that the weight was $500 lbs.
nearly 2 tons, being ratio OF nearl
80 tons per acre grown from the sect
\. "Near Valencia in Spain irrigate
or lands are W ,rth from $500 to 5000 p'
.. acre, while unirrigated land con
ID mands scarcely $50 per acre."
10. The statement that in France an
tn Holland 100 tons Of vegetables BIZ
or been harvested from single acre wi
"a. also taken from agricultural repor
or This volume has been misplace
Id which we very much regret, becau
o. of other records equally marvelo'
and quite as truthful,
To come nearer home, from San
Fe booklet we learn that one Ante
Ut Wilson Of Manzanola, CAL, from
~ acres of sugar beets realized $l,2St
III 90 or $l2S.69 per acre. Other ma
ginal results from beet culture we
Az $ll9 81, $11609, $lll.56. Fro
ny cantaloupes $40 to $l5O;watermelo
'n- 1928; cabbage $lS9; tomatoes ~
NC and 81 on.
'aS We might quote from experiment
Il stations many results, some OF the
'o' Of such astonishing magnitude tn
WI the results already quoted abo
aFs would look like thirty cent; but
'ne some Of our people are inclined to
'on skeptical and might think we W.
e'' exaggerating and as we have als'
wholesome dread Of being (unjust
ind rated as a record breaking liars,
ses will refrain from doing 80.
.ue Enough has been said, however,
" give us a faint conception Of wi
may be expected from the now q
s s.t west, when Uncle Sam gets ready
nple turn on the water.
From the recognized versatility
the American workmen and their
ver mitted capacity as captains Of ind
~, w. try and promoters Of industrial de'
son opment, we may confidently exp
c to and safely predict that in the q
and future, the hill country Of this mod
car. = iii Involoc tka v,,out v~arf