Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1909-10-08
Journal Representative Visits Scene of Uncle Sans Labors
and is Much Impressed With the Outlook for
Development in this part of the County
SUB-|RR|GAT|ON A BIG HELP IN FARMING
One Rancher so Bushels of Dent Corn the Acre
Laughable Incident of Mud Hoe-A Few Farmers Lose
Their Crops from Floeding--A big Yield of Spuds

A recent visit to the Minidoka project
by representative of the Journal con-
firms previous reports of the beginning
of an era of prosperity that promises to
make it one of the most desirable sec
tions of irrigated Idaho.
The land is very level but has suffi-
cient slope for drainage purposes. For
this reason and because of the absence
of rock the work of leveling fields for
irrigation is reduced to minimum.
The soil being of sandy character al
so facilitates the leveling process.
With the cultivation and irrigation of
the fields the danger of drifting soil
is greatly lessened and in a short time
will be altogether obviated. This drift
ing process has occurred only on the
more sandy portions of the project.
This season marks the beginning of
full irrigating season and the settlers
are raising good crops of all kinds and
demonstrating that the soil is adapted
to the production of every crop grown
in southern Idaho.
But little alfalfa has yet been seeded
but yield of three cuttings and a maxi
mum production of nine tons per acre
demonstrates what the soil is capable
of producing. Alfalfa and dairying
will make a combination to place the
settlers on easy street and many of
them are planning to adopt it.
A finer display of samples of wheat,
oats and barley than are to be seen in
the Hepburn depot and other places
would be impossible to find anywhere.
Potatoes are a big success and the
ranchers do not have to wait for the
soil to be fertilized by alfalfa before
beginning operations as the raw sage
brush land produces the tubers in great
quantities.
Corn is not regarded as an Idaho /
crop but Mr.. Nelson is reported to
have raised so bushels per acre of dent
corn that matured on fieldof so acres.
At the prevailing prices the crop
would sell for $50. per acre or a total
of So, ,OO0
A few of the farmers lost their crops
this season in the sub-irrigated region
because there was not time to complete
drainage canals, but the greater num-
Der made big crops with no trouble or
abor in irrigating their lands.
The government reclamation service
will take hold of the drainage problem
n the immediate future.
Many ponds are now in evidence
the low places and reminding
he stranger of the proximity of water
n the sub-soil. These will all disappear ;
With drainage.
AS no rock underlies the project
wells are easily obtained at depth of {
5 to go feet and the water is usually :
.ood though few salt wells are re- I
orted and some that are sweet. I
This sub-irrigation process has de- '
eloped new problems on the project c
ubject to it's operation. S
A laughable incident was told by E. t
Bebb whose claim lies in the Big e
;end country. He had dressed up in i
is Sunday best and hitched his fine a
cam up to the buggy and was on his t
-ay to attend dance, the lady in the
ase to be picked up on the way. t
All at once and without warning the n
orses dropped down in mud to their b
elies and the carriage sank down to e
le hubs. Mr.. Bebb sprang out but Il