The Lamar register., 1909-11-17
EXPENSE OF WATER
Immediate Outlay of Developing
Raw Land for Irrigation.
Big and Little Items Amount in As-
sregate to Considerable Sum-
Soil Must Be Provided with
Sufficient Humus.

The immediate expenses of develop
Ing raw land under irrigation are con-
siderable. Many people undertake too
much and exhaust their resources be-
fore paying returns can be obtained
from the land. The new settler
should carefully consider the following
items of expense and make his plans
according to his resources:
The cost of land depends a great
deal on its location. The water right
which is payable in ten equal annual
installments, Is $50 per acre. The
maintenance water charge, the cost of
operating the bitches. will probably be
about 81 per acre. In addition to this
there is the expense of fencing. clear
ing, leveling. seeding and irrigating
the first year. In most cases it will
be necessary to provide the dwelling
house. stable. team, COW, poultry. wa
gon, tools. etc. No returns must be
expected from the land the first year
and but little the second year. During
this time the living expense must be
considered.
The capital of the majority of the
people who are settling in the irriga-
ted districts is limited and they nat
urally want to know from what the
quickest and safest returns may be Sc
cured. The writer has asked this
question of a great many who have
had experience in the matter in other
districts and the answer is almost in
variably alfalfa and dairying."
The soil must be provided with a
sufficient amount of humus (decaying
vegetable matterl and nitrogen-be-
| fore orcharding and gardening can be-
come highly successful. In no other
way can this be done so successfully
as by growing alfalfa and feeding 1t to
good dairy cows. When a good stand
of alfalfa is once established Its roots
will penetrate far into the subsoil
When the alfalfa is plowed up and the
roots decay, humus that is rich In nj
trogen will be thoroughly distributed
in the soil to much greater depth
than can be secured by the applica-
ton OF barnyard manure. Being le-
guminous plant, alfalfa is capable OF
using atmospheric nitrogen. BY Its
growth the soil will be built up In nj
trogen far cheaper than by the appli-
cation of commercial fertilizers. when
they hay is fed to dairy cows the
farmer will be able to fertilize small
areas Of land at time with the ma
nure from the dairy. upon which he
may grow almost any crop he may de-
sire.
When a good stand Of alfalfa Is well
cared for It is very successful In any
district. It can usually be cut four
times each year. The annual yield OF
hay should run from FIVE to nine tons
per acre. When successfully seeded
in the fall Of the year. from two to
four tons of hay per acre should be
expected the following season. The
land will be built up much faster and
the returns will be far greater II the
hay is fed to good dairy cows instead
of being sold. for 10 to 30 per cent. OF
the fertilizing substance OF the hay
will be contained In the manure. The
cows should be fed in stables and lots
during the whole year. for the land Is
too valuable to be used for pasture. No
cows should be kept that will not pro-
duce 500 gallons Of milk yearly.
Unless a farmer has plenty OF ma
nure with which to enrich the soil. all
of his land should be sown to alfalfa
lust as soon as It is ready for seed
ing. No attempt to grow other crops
should be made until the land has sue
cessfuIly grown alfalfa or some other
humus-producing crop for one or more
years, or until stable manure can be
obtained. When available. manure
should be applied literally and well In
corporated into the soil. A light appli-
cation on the surface Of the ground is
of little benefit except to keep the soil
from drifting. Irrigation should be
frequent enough to keep the soil moist
so that the manure will decay.