American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-05-08
ADVICE FOR
new SETTLERS
Experienced lrrigator Tells Of
Success With Crops.
Hay Crops Should Be Started as Soon
as Possible --After Investigating
Thinks American Falls
Carey Land Best.
Otis, Idaho, Nav A, 1909.

obic3 manu. Aldy ~ loo1-
/ live some twenty-four miles north
and east of American Falls under the
high line ditch of the American, Falls
canal, and have farmed here for two
from the canal and have grown oats,
wheat, barley, alfalfa, potatoes, pars-
nips, carrots, cabbage, etc. | am a
firm believer in our great common
wealth and know that we have one of
the finest countries in the West. | in
vestigated Twin Falls, Minidoka, Pay
cite and other great sections in the
West before locating here, and as
farming and fruit raising country |
don t believe we have any need to hunt
for better place than the American
Falls Carey tract. But we have few
things to learn. When | say we mean
all who have come here from other sec
tions. Naturally those from humid
districts have the most to learn. But
| want to say right here, don't get dis
couraged, for irrigation is simplicity
when once you have irrigated, and If
all are like myself they wouldn't live in
a country except it was an irrigated
country. Now there are a few things
I've learned by cold, hard, expensive
experience that the new man might
gain by reading: First, be sure you
get your bitches on highest land so you
can distribute your water from any
point. Second, test your bitches that
you may know that they won't break
while irrigating, for it may mean that
you will lose your crop if your bitches
won't hold water when needed. Third,
start irrigating soon enough, especially
on this dry sagebrush land. My ex-
perience is you can't give raw land too
much water the first year, SO don't be
afraid you will drown anything. You
can irrigate oats, wheat and barley any
! time after it is up and set good on new
land, but don't try it on land that has
been watered for years. In irrigating
alfalfa and hays be careful not to irri-
gate it while it is small Let it get
set then water plenty. Be sure if you
plant after spring moisture is gone
that your land is moist enough to bring
it up. You can irrigate it before seed
| ing. A good plan is to remove sage
brush, then irrigate, then pillow and har-
row seed in or p!ow and harrow and
drill seed in. nave had success either
way. Don't get weary because of late
sowing. | have seen seed sown here
as late as August Is that pulled through
till next year fine, then the party cut
two good crops, four or five tons per
acre. So by all means get some hay
started as soon as you can and the
sooner we get our farms in hay and
plowed out the sooner we can expect
big yields. Another important thing
is to get your seed grown on dry farms.
We have alfalfa seed grown on both
I irrigated land and dry land and gener-
ally the irrigated seed looks the finest
But have a neighbor who planted dry
farm alfalfa seed May 18th, 1908, and
! pidlIeu 1t dlOle With uTlIl OH IrtSH
plowed land. He put it in about two
and one-half inches deep about twelve
pounds per acre, and got as fine stand
as | ever saw. He had about four
acres he couldn't irrigate on account of
of his ditch being to low. That alfalfa
got pretty white last fall but this spring
it is coming out fine and if we have
storms as usual here he will get hay
from it. This land is the highest on
his farm and had sage on it when
plowed up. There is another piece of
alfalfa hay near here that has never
had any irrigation and they cut hay
from it last year and got fine pas
I ture. 1t, proves to me that we will
grow alfalfa on any of this country if
only little Judgment is used in pre-
pairing land and sowing the right kind
of seed and sowing it by or before June
lst. When crops are once irrigated
{ you must watch them closely and don't
let them burn, for if you do it is much
greater injury than if they burned be-
fore first irrigation. will be pleased
to give any information to anyone along
such lines as have had experience and
will write to the Press from time to
time, as | am certainly interested in the
future of our great commonwealth,
but if anyone writes to me along these
lines please enclose stamped envelopes.
Your farmer friend,