Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-08-24
OFFICIAL PAPER,
What Williams County People
Saw in Relation to Irrigation


In last weeks issue, ! ended my arti-
Gle with the assertion that III We do
not embrace the opportunity and secure
tho project for Government Irrigation,
we are simply driving hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars out Of tho county"
Perhaps it would have been better to
have said that would keep hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars out Of tho county:
In the first place, tho cost Of tho three
projects contemplated in Willis ms
County. will be perhaps two million
dollars. This money will be expended
for hay. grain. groceries, vegetables and
every article that tho farmer raises.
The Reclamation service always adver-
tises for bids for the furnishing of all
their supplies. Each and every farmer
in the county has the opportunity Offer
cd him Of selling his goods to this SER
vice. Tho work Of digging the ditch
will take an immense amount Of team
hire. Each farmer may have IN oppor-
tunity to use his team in working blythe
day or he may even bid on a section OF
tho ditch and construct it himself and
thereby becoming a contractor. In this
way the greater part Of the two million
dollars to be spent in Williams County
will 70 direct to tho farmer, the mes-
chant and tho laboring man. IL this a.
lone not worth securing! This part OF
of the increase of wealth is the least to
be considered. 49,
Dakota averages some ID bushels OF
wheat per acre. Williams County can
not expect without irrigation to make
better average than this. Also wheat
to soil at 50 cents per bushel which Is
moro than it has averaged for tho last
ten years. This allows the farmer DO. 40
per acre for his crop. With irrigation
tho wheat averages from 80 to 60 bush
els per aero. Taking the lowest average
Of 80 bushels per acre at 50 cents per
bushel leaves the farmer "a per acre,
difference Of 1890 per acre In favor Of
irrigation. Tho cost Of sowing and OF
harvesting large crop ~ you III know
10 very little more than = short crop.
Allowing $500 per acre for securing tho
tho water IN distributing It upon your
land you have net profit Of $50 per
acre in favor Of irrigation. With other
crops it 10 tho same. The increase pro-
duction of tho land more than doubly
offsets tho extra cost.
In this illustration have taken tho
very lowest figures - far ~ yield is con-
cerned with both wheat on unirrigated
and irrigated lands. At tho experiment
farm at Bozeman, one field Of club
wheat has averaged little over o6 bu.
per acre for the last five yesrs. This
crop a. We cav it growing, was no bet
tor than any Of tho wheat that We cav
IN the surrounding country for ton
miles; in fact tho director Of tho expert
mental station. Prof. Lnaeld, said that
they had been unable to produce any
crops in excess Of what tho farmer rails
Cd in that community with irrigation
when he applied - much labor. and
good judgement to HE farming - they
did At the experimental farm.
Oats averaged from 90 to 100 bushels
per acre and barley from 40 to 50 BUSH
els per acre. Oats are selling now at
el.35 per hundred, which is about tho
Same - our prices. With oats and bar
10y tho farmers often times feed tho
grain to fatten sheep and cattle for tho
market.
Az to hay. the results are even more
striking. One acre Of our best blue
joint hay without irrigation will not
produce moro than two tons Dor acre,
and this 10 . large Weld. The selling
price Of this hay will perhaps average
GROUND Williston. . per ton. This
makes 30 per acre. Alfalfa under irri.
CATION averages about dve tons per
acre. This. at Is per ton gives ~ SIS
per acre. Allow tho cost Of mainten.
ance, irrigating and oil work connected
herewith to bs IS per acre. this leaves
us net profit Of % per acre In favor Of
irrigated alfalfa. Remember now that I
am keeping the figures at tho medium.
There IL one farm OF 100 scres about
four miles west Of Billings that bas
averaged ono thousand tons every year
for seven years. This At tho margin Of
. mentioned above, gives that farmer
. clear profit Of 81, 40 above tho profit
on l60 acres Of our ordinary prairie
land which for the sake Of this arsu.
mont. W allow to produce two ton of
blue Joint per acre, which you all know
10 impossible for any l6O acres to
average in this county without irriea.
ton.
There il another way In which the
farmers Of the vicinity Of Billings are
making their hay, producing more per
ton than BY selling it directly to tho