The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-06-02
TELLS The TRUTH ON MEMORIAL DAY

Pref. Chllcott On the $40 Acre Hume
stead Proposition
To the Editor of the Argus-L Leader:
l would like to reply to an article that
appeared in your issue OF that 21st
signed by ]. T.. Norvell of Worthwhile,
S. ID.
l also have been in the state for
over twenty-three years. For ten
years owned and managed ranch
upon the east bank of the Missouri
river. For twelve years l have oc-
cuppied the position OF agriculturist
of the South Dakota experiment sta
tiOn and have made something of a
study of the climatic and soil condi-
tions OF the state. During the time
that l owned the ranch, did more
or less government surveying. Ispent
one season surveying about eighty
miles west OF Pierre. have travelled
over 4 considerable portion OF the
state west of the Missouri river and
am quite familiar with its topography
geology, soil and climate. On the
first of next July will begin my dut-
les as an expert in cultivation meth
DDS, in the employ of the bureau Of
plant industry, United States de-
partment of agriculture. My field of
operations will extend from the Pan
handle of Texas, northward through
Kansas, Nebraska and the two Da-
otas. The problems will undertake
to solve will be the utilization Of the
seml-arid portions Of the states men
toned, by the introduction of drought
resistant crops and the practice of
cultivation methods calculated to
conserve the moisture in the soil for
the use of the crops grown. What l
will be able to accomplish in this
direction remains to be proved but it
is certain that the secretary of agri-
culture and his able corps of scientists
believed that possessed some special
qualifications, or they would not have
entrusted this important work to me.
But leaving the matter of qualifica-
tions out of the question, l think it
will be readily admitted that [ must
be deeply interested in this subject OF
the size of the homestead entry. From
all the information at my command
am convinced that one mile square
or six hundred and forty acres is none
too much for the support of family
on the west side of the river.
have seen and heard all that Mr..
Norvel mentions concerning the rela-
tive value Of lana on the east and
the west sides of the Missouri river
and freely admit that many OF the
statements made concerning the value
of the land east of the river in the
past we're without foundation, as has
been proved, by subsequent develop
ments. l will go farther and admit
that many statements now being made
concerning the worthlessneSs of the
lands west of the river are equally un
true, but the fact remains that tho
Missouri river is the dividing line be
tween the glacial drift on the east
and the cretacerus and tartiary form
ations on the west. The soil on the
opposite sides of the river are cntirel,
different geologlcally, physically
chemically and agriculturally. Pas
experience with the soils east of TIL,
river will not therefore necessaril
hold good for those west OF the river
The statement that the precipita
tion has been permanently increase
by the advance of civiliZatiou th
breaking up of soil and the putin
down OF artesian wells the plantin
of trees, etc, etc." is one of thos
fallacies that is refutcd by the test
mony of all the Scientists who hav,
made careful study Of clinatolog
in any part of the world DIR. Juliu
;. Ham, professor Of cosmical ,physlc
in the University ofof Nienna5is prol
ably the best authority on the sui
ject of climatology the world ha
ever produced. His "HandbooE c
Climatology" was translated by Robe1
De Conrcy Ward, assistant profcssc
OF cllmatology in Harvard university
in 1908, with the addition of man
American notes aud references. Thi
book is now used as {; text book i
Harvard and many other Of the leat
!, ing universities Of the country. [
treating of tho subject of the chang
of climate during historical times th
authors after examining all availabl
data came to the conclusion ths
there is a considerable amount of ey
dence to show that there are regula
oscillations of climate, a series {
years during which there will be
somewhat regular increase in preclp
tation followed by auother series
which there will be correspondir
decrease-but that thereis not suf
cjont evidence tO SuDuOrt the thaO,