The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-05-21
Idaho Country Life =

practically $50 an acre as clear prof
It. Land once leveled and seeded
with alfalfa, does not need replantinl
for at least ten years.
The use OF alfalfa seed is increas
Ing all over the world, agriculture
science having shown that the grow
ing OF alfalfa adds materially to thu
fertility of any soil, and that the crol
is the best possible food for cattle
sheep and hogs. s
The arid lands In the Snake Rive,
valley Idaho, (of which the Wood
river country Is part) are particu.
larly well fitted to the growth OF
sugar beets, potatoes, field peas, and
the various grains and grasses.
Sugar beet experts report the sol
Is ideal, for the growth Of the suga1
beet, and that an average yield ot
~ tons or more an acre may reason.
ably be expected, once the lands have
been prepared. Such preparation
consists in growing alfalfa on the land
for two years and then turning the
green sod under In the fall, blowing
again In the spring. when pulveriza-
ton is attempted and the land "a
planted to beets. 1t Is the pratice
through irrigated Idaho, when seed {
Ing TO alfalfa, to also plant oats. SO
that profitable crop OF grain is Sc
cured early In the fall, and q first cut
ting Of two tons Of hay secured later
the same year. Practically the same
course IS pursued in preparing the
virgin soil for potato growing. This
industry 1t Is expected will be one
OF the most prominent and profitable
pursued in Idaho irrigated lands in
the future. s B, I'M 4.
There Is now about five million
acres Of extremely fertile lands IN
Idaho under existing irrigation sys-
tens. Nearly all this land is under
ownership, although but little more
IMAM nall the owned acreage has been
developed and made even partially
productive. However, there still re-
mains about one hundred thousand
acres OF government land open to en-
try under the Carey Land Act through
which Congress provided for the
states In the arid portion Of the west,
retaining lands by irrigation that
would otherwise be desert. lands. This
reclamation is accomplished by pri-
vate corporations putting in extern
sive irrigation systems under rigid
state supervision, charging at the
same time a specified sum per acre
for water rights.
The greatest of these Carey Act
enterprises developed recently, and
one under which most of the still UNI
tried land lies, is the Big Wood river
project, owned by the Idaho Irriga-
ton company OF Boise, Idaho. This
company which is under contract with
the state to irrigate 100, 900 acres of
Carey Act lands and 5000 acres Of
lands under private ownership this
spring, has completed it's bitches COW
ering about $4,000 acres, and ex-
poets to serve the remaining lands nv
the first of April, 1910.
The company has a tract Of So
200 acres Of very rich lands lying
on the main line Of the Ore
gon Short Line, just east of Shoshone. |
which will be opened to entry on June
y, 1903. The opening will be held
by the state land board and perfer-
snce OF selection will be determined |
Oy lot. The lands to be entered are
d the same character as those about |
iagermana and are especially adapted !
% the growth of alfalfa and other
grasses, all grains and root crops and |
% the production of winter apnles |