Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-12-31
STATE COMMISSION REPORTS
Waste of Natural Resources Con-
demned - How Conservation
Gospel Can Be Spread.

The state conservation commission.
which was appointed last fall by Gov.
Crawford and which consists of Sen
ator Gamble, president: Doane Robin
son. secretary: Congressman Martin,
State Land Commissioner Doltken and
State Engineer Lea, has issued pre-
liminary report to the governor, recit-
| ing their views as to the needs of the
| resources. While the details make an
extensive report, the findings are sum-
married. under the following four
| heads:
l. Conservation of the soil.
Make the wilful waste of the fertil-
| ity of the soil a public offense with
heavy penalties.
| Provide for the education of the
people upon the most approved meth
DDS Of agriculture, having in view the
preservation of the fertility of the soil
in the public schools, in farmers in
stitutes and through the public press.
| Encourage the application of dry
farming methods in agriculture
through the experimental stations and
| in the farmers institutes.
| g Conservation of the water re
sources.
By strict regulation of the boring,
flow and use of the artesan waters.
By impounding the flood waters in
draws and valleys.
3. Preservation of our natural for
estS and encouragement of forestry.
Our natural forests are chiefly with
in the national forest reserves, and
are receiving the careful attention of
the national government. Such forests
as are SO protected should be carefully
guarded by the laws of the state, and
especially should there be enforced
rigorous penalties for the setting OF
forest fires.
Tree planting should be encouraged
by every proper means.
T. Preservation of the coal mines
for the use of the people.
Prompt action should be taken by
the state and nation to prevent the
coal measures of the state from pass
ing into the hands of private monopo-
lies, and such regulations be adopted
as will preserve the great gift of ma
ture for the benefit of the public.
Farming Only Really Begun.
| IN hn rnyinu Of a ot 10 nj ,a
sources of the state secretary Mr.. Rob.
inson gives the total of the state at
49,000.000 acres, divided into 10000, O0O
acres Of plowed land 100000 acres
pasture, 100000 acres hay land. The
mainder is divided into 100000 acres
in mountain, timber. bad lands water
surface and townsites: 10.000,O0C
acres Indian reservations and 5000,
900 acres arabic government lands yet
open to settlement
With only about one-fifth of the
state under cultivation, agriculture
while a large item in state production
is yet only in its infancy in South Da
kota. AS to durability of soil, there
are fields in the southeast corner OF
the state which were broken in 1867
and which have been under continu
Gus cultivation since 1869. While farm
ing OH a small scale was carried or
in the southeastern portion of the
state for many years. the development
of agriculture has practically been il
the past quarter of century, wher
the great homestead movement into
the territory began.
Out of 25.O0O,OO0 acres west of the
Tooth meridian, half million is sale
to be subject to irrigation, and the res
must be conserved hy dry farming
methods.
Lea Reports Water Supply.
The question of the water supply O
the state is taken up by State Engi
neer Lea, who places the amount O
land included in present and proposed
irrigation projects at 1851 acres. HI
to the artesian waters of the state
which are being allowed to go Il
waste. East of the Missouri rive
there are estimated to be 1000 flowint
wells. West of it are 65. The latte
have combined flow of 1882, 800
gallons every Neutrality-suspicious. day
What the flow is east of the river i:
| not known.
Mr.. Lea asks for legislation which
will put the control of such wells il
the hands of the state. He recon
mends the use of the lakes of the stat,
for storage reservoirs for food water:
SO far as possible. and that furthe
storage be obtained by means of dam
in streams and draws.
Other portions, of the report Sc
set forth the resources of the stat,
in the way of mines and quarries
which might be developed so as to adj
| to the general production