Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-19

and partly to much intentional and
free advertising by the government
and land agents. Commenting upon
tho interest that has been aroused by
the demonstration that prolific and
profitable crops can DO produced In the
'1noisturcloas west" the New York
Post says:
"Americn has had land booms,' or.
rather land rushes.' before. ana inc
aftermath has not been asreeable 10
contemplate. Yet there has never be-
fore been movement comparable 10
that now IN progress, either IN INC Vast
extent OF the territory involved, tDe
number Of investors and homeseek-
ers attracted or the variety OF causes
contributing TO It's rise and progress
II takes IN the entire arid and semi
arid region between the -cighth
meridian and the Pacific ocean. ming
,tp the manless land with rapidly
that has never been approached over
territory of one-tenth so great an eX-
tent
The above enthusiastic description
of western conditions IS hardly an over
statement of the case 1t is true that
wonderful possibilities have been
opencd up on the waste places on the
real desert. where there Is no water
and where none can ever be had, as
on the dry farms Of Or. Widtsoe Prot.
Merrill. Bishop Farrell. President
Paxman and others in this state The
progress OF work ON these, has been
watched with profound interest. all
over Utah and has resulted In hum
dreds OF others during the past year.
making similar attempts in various
sections, while 1907 win witness real
boom In that direction Surrounding
states are likewise solving this prob
lem of reclamation in marvellous
manner.
Government agricultural experts say
that at the present price Of land NJ
Colorado, wyoming, Utah, Texas
western Kansas and Nebraska wheat
growing offers more inducements than
gold mining. The achievements OF
the most extensive farmer in Colorado,
Mr., w. b, Forbes, OF Longmont, Is
cited. Longmont is the center OF one
Of the best irrigation districts IN the
state. and nv. Forbes has made as
much money as any ono farming lands
under the ditch The gentleman says
he prefers dry farming" claiming that
,here Is more money in II than there
IL In filling irrigated lands, lie mas
Neon dry farmer. for seven years,
and has never yet experienced crop
failure. although he went through wv
dry years Of 1901 and 1908 when 'n'
accumulation was but nine and one
,nrths and nine and one-hftieths inches'
rasnectivcly In 1905 he farmed more
nan 600 acres OF land without a drop
ar irrigation water. and last year
onerauons were still more extensive
Here Is a statement. furnished by him.
ar results he achieved last season
ON raw prairie soil, near Bennett Col:
Bought Gao acres Of land at $50 en-
nor acre observation-disclosures, .Sl'eoo
ploughing and seeding " per oen
acre .................. III sso
Harvesting. 81 per acre. ;.''''',,'' Sao
Threshing. DC. per bushel'. ,.'..,;' i'c coo
HauilnS 10 nlal hef' ~ -
Total cost, including investments5,i2o
Harvested 30 bushels per
acre, 1920 bu.. sold at ~ ~,
uer cWt. .,..t.... pillow
Less cost OF land and Gull
tivation etc...,.....'..-.' DIV
Net income OH FIRST years
operation. '.s'''. eo'aVo
Mr.. Forbes wheat production OF 30
bushels an acre may be thought eN-
ceptional but II is not. There are in
stances of many greater individual
averages than this In Utah last year.
Mr. Forbes success Is due largely to
the fact that he takes considerable
pains to put his land in good condition
for the reception aud conservation of
a scanty rainfall.
Naturally. the success OF this g.ea,
enterprise will do much towards the
development of the Transmissouri
country. but here is no prospect or
possibility, Of it's displacing the irri-
cation system. as some illy-lnformed
fasteners have thought. That will
forever remain a factor in western
agricultural growth. A tremendous
Impetus has been given the irrigation
system by government assistance. Not
less than two million acres of land.
by projects Of this kind. now well under
way, will be redeemed more than
100000 acres are being reclaimed un-
der state supervision. through the
operation Of the Carey act. and not
less than 100000 acres under private
ownership. This gives grand total
OF moro than 100000 acres being
snatched from the desert and made
available for intensive farming, Were
no more lands than these involved in
the "land rush." 1t would still be
notable, But these lands that are be-
ing brought under the ditch" are a
comparatively small and insignificant
fraction Of the territory involved.
KEEP THEM CLOSED.