Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-12
Locations Made for Six Dry Farm
For Experimental Work.
TRUSTEES HEAR REPORT.
Committee Visited All Parts Of state
And Selected Most Promising
Districts Therein.
snecIal Correspondence.

Logan, tdCne 20, JuUe ils-Oh MNil-
day the trustees OF the agricultural
college Of Utah met here and received
the following report Of the committee
appointed 10 find suitable locations FOR
the EXPERIMENTAL arid farms provided
for by the last legislature;
Your committee appointed to find
suitable locations for the experimental
arid farms provided by the last legisu-
ture, beg leave 10 report as follows:
Our labOrs began on Saturday, Aprll
4, in Salt Lake city, where the neces-
sary prellminaries were arranged. on
April 9Th we left for Juab county. and
on the following day examined the
country lying between Nephi and Lee
van. Juab valley had previously been
studied by representatives from the
college, and special attention was
thereto given only to those PORTIONS
Of the valley that were thought best
adapted for arid farming In Juab
valley and IN the valleys Immediately
to the west and south are many thous-
ands Of acres Of land suitable for farm
ing without irrigation
on the evening Of April we left for
Milford. Beaver county, and on the Sth
We drove from Milford to Parowan,
Iron county, by way Of MinersvIlle
examining the surrounding country as
we travelled The next day was spent
IN the vicinity OF Parowan and Cedar
city. In the valleys leading from Para
roonah through Parowan, Cedar city
and south to Washington county are
several hundred thousand acres OF
deep fertile soil which receives a rain.
fan approximately equal to that OF
Cache valley On these lands arid
farming can undoubtedly be success.
ful,
on the 10th of April we examined the
country from Modena TO Hollis ranch,
Washington county Around the vicin.
fly Of Hebron ana Enterprise and eX-
tending northward into the Escalante
desert are several hundred thousand
acres OF the finest soil found In the
state of Utah. As nearly as we could
Judge from the available data, the
precipitation there Is not far from Il
inches, which would indicate success.
ful arid farming. Soil samples taken
az Parowan. Cedar City and Enterprise
showed a large quantity of moisture in
the soil
on April II we examined the county
between Hollis ranch and ST. George
The Mountain Meadows contained good
soil but the altitude Is so high that
In all probability early frosts would
make arid farming there somewhat
prrcaTious.
on April ~ the country around St
George and Santa Clara was examined
The soil there Is toleTably good, but
the rainfall Is insufficient to make arid
farming successful
After this committee had reported its
nndinrs relative to the conditions OF
southwestern Utah. the members OF the
executive committee designated Nephi,
Juab county; Parowan, Iron county,
and Enterprise, Washington county, as
locations for three Of the experimental
farms,
on April II the committee on loca-
lions selected 40 acres OF land situated
about four miles south and a little
west Of Nephi and on April 10 we se-
lected 40 acres Of land about four miles
west and little north of Parowan,
both plots TO be used as permanent arid
experimental farms.
On the 23rd of April, after having
made the journey from Parowan as
quickly as possible, the committee left
Thompsons Springs. Grand county. for
the purpose Of studying the conditions
In southeastern Utah. From Thomp-
sons Springs 10 Moab neither soil nor
rainfall conditions seemed suitable for
arid farming. Likewise the stretch Of
country extending % miles socth OF
Moab seems unfit for the practise Of
farming without irrigation. However,
about 20 miles southeast Of Moab are
several high mesas containing some
1900 or more acres of land which can
40 la ha t,4gAa 10 ksfaIA
crops without irrigation. Some miles
south of Cane Springs, on the roai
between Moab and Monticello. there
Is an abrupt change In the nature OF
the country. From there on almost 10
the southern boundary Of the county
there are gently rolling hills covered
with a deep fertile soil on which sage
brush and other native plants are
growing in great mxuriance. The soil
and rainfall conditions there indicate
that arid farming will be a marked
Success This country is so elevated
that probably Il win be impossible ever
to brlnR II under irrigation and Il
seems that Il will remain undeveloped,
agrlculturally speaking, unless arid
farming can he made u success there.
a conservative estimate places the
amount OF land available for dry farm
purposes In San Juan county at 1,00O,O0
acres. Of which 100000 are covered with
fair growth of pine, while the other
100000 acres are covered with sage
brush and other related plants.
on April "a after having made the
tedious Journey from San Juan and
Grand counties. the committee studied
the conditions in the vicinity of Price,
Carbon county. Extending from Price
southwark TO Emery county are ina
mense areas Of fertile land, but the
rainfall conditions and the results of
the soil hOrings made by the commit
tee agreed in indicating the inadvisa-
bility of arid farming In that part Of
the state North Of Price. however,
we found a number Of mesas, the soil
Of which contains moisture enough 70
make arid farming fair success,
though the conditions there are In no
way to be compared with those ex-
listing in San Juan county
on the 9th OF May the COMMITTEES
reached Manti, Sanpete county. and the
following day gave the arid farm con
ditions Of Sanpete county a careful In.
Hstigaton. The soil Of Sanpete county
are quite fertile: the rainfall Is medi-
um, and IN all probability arid farming
would be successful only In the smaller
MAINTAIN valleys or on the lqnds form.