The Dickinson press., 1904-06-04
IRRIGATION
Discussed by Hon. 7. S. UnderhilI.

Discussed by Hon. 7. 5. UnderhilI.
T.S. Underhill, vice president Of the
National Irrigation association, has a
long article in the Talisman regarding
irrigation in North Dakota.
We are not able to give the article en-
tire but give our readers some extracts
Nowhere in the semi-arid belt flows so
great wealth of water as through the
western portion of North Dakota. The
tributaries OF the Missouri have a drain
age of more than 100000 acres, and
their flood waters go to swell the great
river in its annual carnival of destruc-
ton. Here, with intelligent utilization,
is the foundation of an empire. This
section has already been developed to
its natural capacity. Rich in native
grasses and we'll watered, this is pre-
emlnently live stock country, but the
end OF successful ranching on big scale
has been reached. The farmer settler
has distributed himself throughout most
OF this district, cutting the free range to
Improbable limits. The cultivation of
grain crops in this semi-arid section has
been Improbable, but side issue of
stock growing has maintained the farmer
settler and homesteader in fairly pros.
porous condition. 1t has encouraged
further settlement, recently in great
numbers, with their hocks and herds, un-
til the danger point of our chief indus
try is reached.
The problem Of winter feed for our
live stock is before US. An unlimite d
free range is no longer available. See
ing danger of loss ahead, the tendency
is to quit the business and thus an in
dustry of national importance is endan-
gered. Recent limited experiments in
irrigating few acres of fodder crop has
given such satisfactory results that we
are led to believe that with government
storage Of food water in sufficient num-
Der of available locations, that not only
will the live stock interests be maintain
ed but agricultural products assured,
and new homes for thousands made
possible.
The change in conditions here has
been so gradual that not until recently
has the real situation been realized. To
meet this coming change have for a
number of years been experimenting in
irrigating few acres, and have been
uniformly successful in growing full
yield of fodder crops in most adverse
seasons, when, on other land, crops;were
| failure.
1t Ii too expensive for the average
homesteader to maintain dam on even
small creek. The floods will wash out
an ordinary dirt dam-have done so re-
Peatedly for me. Solid permanent struc-
lures are required, particularly in the
larger streams. When the government
has built these dams, as contemplated
and provided by the National Irrigation
Act, then with our abundance of cheap
fuel-Iignite coal--the pumping of these
impounded food waters to arabic and
will certainly be practicable. Another
important consideration is that evident
ly we are within the great artesian basin,
though it is undeveloped in this section.
1t is clearly within the scope of the ma
tional irrigation law to investigate the
practicability of this resource.
The problem of the future of our live
stock interests is before US. With the
assured growth of fodder crops, under
irrigation, this chief industry of national
importance cannot only be maintained,
but, under new conditions and with i'm
proved methods, be made of even great
er value. This is no new proposition;
it has been repeatedly tested successful
ly. To illustrate: 1t requires fifteen
acres of average grazing land to feed
one COW, while one acre of irrigated al
falfa will easily sustain two COWS. This
applied to the one industry of stock
growing in the draining district of the
Missouri in North Dakota, would, allow
ing one-fourth of the area available for
partial irrigation, give 3I,25o homesteads
of 100 acres each. Say only 40 acres
could be irrigated, which would be only
one sixteenth of the entire area (surely
low estimate) and it would make sure
provision for eighty head OF cattle to
each homestead, or grand total of
2,4oo,ooo-more than three times as
many as heretofore maintained in the
whole district, besides leaving 100000
acres of undeveloped grazing land not
included In these homesteads.
Our stockmen need the stimulus of
an object lesson. AS George H. Max.
we'll has said, "The sight Of herd of fat
cattle up their bellies in field of irri-
gated alfalfa will chise an impression
that will stay" When we can finish our
beef and mutton in such fields. then we
shall have reached the climax in pro.
duction not yet attained in this country.
What though the flow of our streams
during the dry season be not sufficient
for practical use? The food waters are
sufficient for even more than we have
estimated. Our soil and conditions do
not require continued surface applica-
tiop af water. Personal experiment has
proved to me that the ground, once we'll
Aooded-soaked to soil depth-will cat
ry crop through the dryest Of seasons
late fall flooding proving to be best.
Now that the means have been pro-
vided, that such work may be done, can
we not reasonably look for this import
ant and great project to become fact?
1t remains for North Dakota to outstrlp |
the Nile with its 6,ooo,oo acres of lrri-
gated land, A pumping plant located
at or near the mouth Of White Earth
creek, of sufficient capacity to fill a
gravity canal to run down the west slope