Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-24
Their PrOductiyenesS Is Plainly
Pointed Out by Prof Louis
A. Merrill.
POSSIBILITIES ARE IMMENSE.
Facts and Figures Showing What Can
Be Hoped for in This
Direction.

In an interview with a News re-
porter, Prof Louis A. Merrill Of the
Agricultural college spoke in an inter-
estlng manner on the immense posi-
billtles in arid land development and
the value Of scientific farming in
increasing the productlveness The pro-
fessor said:
Few people realize what the sue
cessful pursuit Of agriculture on the
arid lands will mean TO the state Of
Utah. The state Of Utah covers an area
Of SO 1870 square miles, Of which only
6l3 square miles, or less than per
cent ere under cultivation. The rea-
son for this small proportion of lm-
proved land Hes not IN the quality OF
thc soil Cor II Is among the most fer
tile IN the world, or In the conditions OF
sunshine and temperature, for they ap-
proach the IDEAL 1t is the lack Of a
proper understanding Of how to utilize
these qualities and conditions where
there is little rainfall and irrigation IL
impossible
Lands without water, though rich In
plant foods. 20 begging at the present
time at $3.50 10 $3.50 per acre, while the
average value of all irrigated farms in
the state with good or poor waterrlghts
Is not far from $50 per acre. Surprising
one tenth of the arid land could be
brought under cultivation, or about
5,0000 900 acres, The increased valuation
of the land alone. to say nothing Of
improvements would amount TO over
500 900, 600.
"In order to pay expenses farmer
must have a yield Of about six bushels
OF wheat to the acre, II now these
5000 900 acres produce Is bushels to the
acre. which is a very low and conser-
vative estimate, for | believe 30 to 30
bushels can be raised, and II sold for 80
cents bushel, which is lower than the
price OF wheat has been for over two
years. the value Of the product would
be nearly $4,000 900. The value of the
entire agricultural product Of the state
last year was but $4,000, 600
Nov, in making these estimates |
have used but 100000 acres, for the
reason that every other year or al least
one year out Of three, the land must lie
fallow. That is, II man has farm
Of 100 acres he can cultivate but so
acres each year. The reason for this Is
that the farmer must give the land a
chance to store moisture. This arid
lanG holds the moisture far better
than other land. When the rain falls
It sinks down deep into the earth, and
when the hot sun comes II bakes a sort
Of crust over the top, which prevents
evaporation So little rain falls, how
ever. 1t will be necessary to give this
soil one year TO regain It's supply In
the east they allow land to lie fallow
TO gain fertility. In the west to gain
moisture
"The great difficulty is going TO be In
inducing the farmers to attempt this
kind of farming. Their prcJudlces are
so strong and their belief so firm that
crops cannot be raised without water.
that fear II will be some time before
they will realize the possibilities and
opportunities before them,
Take, for instance a farmer with 100
acres Of arid land. He IS not obliged
to pay taxes on land worth from $50 20
500 per acre and he has no water
privileges 20 pay for Yet with the
same operating expenses he can, II he
will use roper seed and follow our in
structlOna as 70 planting, reap n har-
vest az least three-quarters as large as
his neighbor on irrigated land. There
Is a great future for Utah I'm this prob
lem and Il VIII only take little cour-
age and perseverance to make II one
OF the richest and most fertile agrlcul-
tural states in the Union"
Prof. Merrill spent the day In Too
ele, investigating arid land matters In
| that section