The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-06-18
Over zoo, 900 Could Be Used
Nicely in the South
western Section.
NONE WOULD BE CROWDED
IN FACT ALL or THEM COULD
HAVE 20 ACRES APiEcE-coUN.
TRY WINNING FAME FOR ITS
GARDEN PRODUCE.

San Antonio. Texas, June 1s.-
Wanted: 74O.O4r farmers. Where to-
day is the territory in the United
1tatets that could put such an an
nouncement before the world and
make good-as the vernacular would
express IT. There is such territory
in this country-Southwest Texas.
Moreover In making that number of
husbandmen comfortable there would
not be tho slightest crowding. AS a
matter Of fact every one Of them would
have forty acres; q farm at least four
times too large where the land is ir-
rigated. Ten acres Of land is about
all the farmer in Southwest Texas
should tackle under irrigation, for that
much he can most probably cultivate
without being in need Of help that he
can not get.
Southwest Texas comprises no less
than 81 counties with total areal
extent Of 10000 square miles, or to be
exact S2,344.43 acres. OF this vast
expanse OF hill and prairie there are
just lib per cent of the whole. Di-
vide tho remainder OF 23.O61 CAT acres
by forty and you will find that the
country needs just 74OO41 farmers.
Economists including Col. Roosevelt,
are authority for the statement that
the average man can make fine liv-
ing for his family on five acres. This,
too Applies to ATTITUDES where one
crop per year is the rule. In South.
west Texas 1t ts possible to grow al.
crops Of all the cereals and such vege
tables as potatoes, cabbage. onions
Alfalfa gives from seven to nine cuts
per year; sorghum will do the same
and so will almost every other forage
plant. Smaller garden truck dourishes
throughout the year and 1t is possible
to raise beets, salads, and the like. to-
gether in the same bed and repeat the
process six times. This really means
that the man having ten acres Of land
has in comparison with his northern
colleague at least thirty acres, while
forty acres in the hand Of one man
will be- equal to at least eighty else
where.
OF course, multiplicity OF this kind
in Southwest Texas depends upon In
dustry first and irrigation second. The
farmer with forty acres Of averagely
good land can get in two crops on all
of It II he goes about It properly. TIC
do this he will not need an artificial
water supply. But to do the best with
his soil he should try to get water on
it. This may be done in three ways
Along the rivers he can pump the
water on his land or get it there by
gravity; in case there is q draw" or
his land he can impound enough rair
water to supplement very effectivel,
the supply that falls from the clouds
and last, but far from least, he car
dig wells. A shallow well and gaso
line engine, especially II reinforced b,
a reservoir, will take care OF large
acreage and an artesian well will pu
him high and dry above all adversit!
in things material.
Every one Of these 74O.O41 farmers
should follow literally the advice t.
dwell under their own vine and III
tree. Moreover they could add tn
olive, II they had q mind to, not t.
mention the date palm. the orange
lime and lemon.
But not only Southwest Texas woul'
be benefited by this. Throughout tn
year lettuce in Chicago and at othe
frigid points would be two-for-hv'
cucumbers two-for-fve. Juicy art
chokes ten.a-piece, salad romaine nv
cents the bunch, strawberries woul'
be on every breakfast table In the LAM
and the cabbage and onions friend
would never lack their favorite tid
bit