Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-12-18
The Eeouom,e. of Agriculture.

On last Monday 1 visited the Empire
Grass Valley. The mlne has been IN
operation for more than 20 year,. Ii Is
aquartz bearing gold mine that has now
reached 1900 feet under ground, and the
deeper it goes the richer it becomes.
The mine Is a model OF reatness, even to
artistic planning OF buildings and IL
uancial management. Mr. Starr, the
Superintendent, has worked a retor-
nation in the finances Of the mine and
has, by economical and thrifty manage
men;, reduced the cost Of the outpu, OF
gold to si.T5 a ton. During the CONVEX
%satioD, he mentioned thai he had been
over IL Nevada, had gone through
Ormsby and Douglas Counties, and had
been greatly impressed with the pro.
gress OF agncultur. i'll that region. lie
said that, il the different sections OF the
State OF Nevada were making as much
progress in agriculture as Doug lass
County, he should value our agri-
cultural industry far above our mining
81, her at ToDopah or Virginia City.
For, said he, when the mines nave
ceased TO yield their bullion 10 the
miner, agriculture will he increasing
and growing, and will give permanent
prosperity TO the State" | have called
attention TO this opinion, because it Is
the judgement OF a mall who Is a Super.
interdent OF Miues.-one Of wide ex-
perience,-upon the true wealth Of our
Stale.
| mean by agriculture to include al
related subjects, such as st~ock.raisinr,
fruit-groSing, %ranching. ge neral
farming, and in connection the re with
the study OF the Improvement OF our
ranges by various grasses. OF irrigation,
and the means FOR the prevention and
cure OF animal and vegetable disease.
Taken III this ser se. agriculture IL the
basis OF our prosperity. II will support
towns and villages, and the mining ILL.,
dustry US well.
Nevada now stands st the beginning
OF a new and more prosperous era in
agriculture. The allotment in Co.
So, l20-, and 100 ACRE tracts of
the land will DC watered toy the canal
and storage reservoir nov building
from the Truckec river to the Carson
sink, con:emplates It's actual settlement
BY farmers who will give their thought
and their industry to the making Of
farms and the production Of farm crops.
II there should be 29D,00O acres brought
under cultivation. i'll this way, it will
mean An addition I" our population, di-
rect aud indirect, Of probably 10000
people. WlIa; mat mcans to this State
must I've LETT Ia the Imagination OF my
hearers.
The Government work will stimulate
private owners OF land to make, upon a
smaller scale, similar efforts in regard Ia
the storage OF flood waters and their
application to land that Is now noB-prO-
ductive because Of the lack OF water.
The policy along the Humboldt, which
it will require some years to carry out,
will undoubtedly ad ! materially to the
agricultural rcEurces Of the State
Tho Lovelock valley, lands lying in and
about Beowawe, tine wonderfully rich and
fertile valleys here in Elko County, will
give a varied and more intensive agri-
culture ns the years go by, aud rs towns
OF increasing p%opula'ion create a market
for ranch products. Tho time is coming
when this State will raise OH q large
scale not only stock and alfalfa, but
wheat and oats and barley and corn. 1t
will. in addition to the fine stock. pro-
ducc nm abundant supply Of chickens
and eggs and hogs. In dairyIng it will
produce not oDl. tirst class butter Tor
the rnncbcr's home, but a superb article
for the markets OF this and other States
II IL worth knowing that, while times
are at present becoming a little strin.
gent and the money mnrko. is not, us
free to the borrower as it has been, in
the grcnt Western States, from Iowa to
Missouri knnras and Nebraska, through
to the Pacific Coast, the farmers are
practically ont Of debt. There are no
mortgages on our farms aud rancLes,
and tho east il seductive l woOing the
western farmer with "a little capital to
invest his surplus in ONE Of it's specu-
lative enter priscs. This favorable con-
ditiou Of things gives Il stability 10 the
country which will prevent II panic, such
IN has occurred several times in tho last
Hfty years. Tho farmer III on top and
will remain so. Tho State Of Nevada
with its wealth II acr"aGc. will DO able,
by Il skilliul md economical ugo Oi tho
waters.tO DO intensive farming aud mt the
sumo time maintain ujrun it's moro arid
portions nocke and herds. received a
lew days ago Il notice from the t;xccu.
tive Committeeman ~ the Irrigation
Association, whose headquarters are in
Now York, that the reclamation OF the
arid west was rapidly gaining favor
among the citizens Of the eastern Statsc,
and that we should SEQ III the future
that n grent deal pf strength to this
movement would come from the parts OF
n country which are in no need OF 70.
elimination. 1t occurred To me that this
was The beginning Of Il new form Of
patriotism, when mon inlIabiting tho
sections OF the country that we're in no
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