El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-05
IRRIGATION EXPERTS Of GOVERNMENT
HOLD A CONVENTION IN Il PASO

! 900 acres of land Irrigated farming
! has been practiced here for a number
! of years with large returns in alfalfa,
vegetables and fruit. This valley, like
! Stockton. have the soils. elevation and
temperature conducive to the produc-
! ton of finely Favored fruits and vege-
tables
In the Pecos valley at Barstow and
! Grand Falls in Ward the flow of the
Pecos river is being utilized in the pro-
ductiOn of alfalfa and fruit. AT Barstow,
where drainage is made necessary by
! the excessive use of water in irriga-
| tion drainage bonds have been sold and
| during the past year the main chan
nels of a drainage system have been
J completed, and the beneficial effects
of this work. even at this early date,
are most gratifying. The future of this
! locality is bright.
At Del Rio, in Val Verde county. the
San Felipe springs pour forth upwards
! of $4,000 gallons of water per minute,
sufficient-under proper economical use
to supply the needed moisture, If
! planted to fruits and vegetables. to at
| least 10000 acres. Only a portion of
! this water has thus far been utilized.
| and Johnson grass is the chief produc-
| ton. The small farmers are turning
! their attention to fruit and alfalfa
| growing, and the returns justify the
change.
Artesian Water.
| In Dimmit county, about Garlic
| springs and Asherton, the water sup
! ply is derived from artesian wells Dur
| ing the past year much water has been
| developed and settlement has been rap
| id. The production of Bermuda onions
| has been the chief industry in this To-
cality. but, with the sandy and choco-
late loan soils which prevail many
varieties of fruits and Vegetables
may be grown with very satisfactory
| results.
The acreage under irrigation about
Lando has not been greatly extended
during the past two years. Two thou
| onions last fall, and a small acreage in
cabbage. Water is here supplied by
pumping from the Rio Grande at heights
varying from 80 70 so feet.
Lower Rio Grande.
On the lower Rio Grande the develop
I ment during the past two years has been
most rapid. At the present time 16
pumping plants are in operation, with
| several more in course of construction,
| lifting water from the Rio Grande to a
height of from 10 TO SO feet and dlstribut-
| ing it in earthen channels. The cost of
| construction of these various plants
runs from 100000 to s1.25O,OO0. From
| 10000 to $4,000 acres were under lirri-
cation last year, with me area RAPIDLY
increasing. In this valley lies 100000
acres of irrigable land and the present
available water supply for not more
! than one-third that acreage
These lands touched with water IN
der intense cultivation bring large re
turns, and with the millions of money
involved. with fertile acreage far in
excess of the supply. the call comes
strongly for the utmost economy in its
use. This economy in use lies along the
lines of thorough preparation of the
land for reception of the water, that ii
may be evenly distributed. early and
thorough cultivation. that the moisture
supplied may be held for the plants and
, not wasted by evaporation. and a well
located. proportional and constructed
canal system so planned that at a later
date an impervious lining may be ap-
piled at the minimum expense
Texas Rice Industry.
The past decade has witnessed rapid
development in the rice industry of
Texas The state now ranks second TO
Louisiana in the production of this
cereal In 1909 $4,000 acres of irrigated
rice in southeastern Texas produced
9.S94.000 bushels, representing returns
to the producer of nearly $4,000, 900.
There is some fear of over production
on the part of the grocers but the fact
that the consumption of rice in the
United States increased from 3.S pounds
per capita in 1898 TO rs pounds in 1908
is an indication of the increasing de-
mand for the article of food. In order
to insure the continuation of the sue
cess of this industry the present meth
DDS of cultivation and irrigation should
be improved more efficient pumping
plants installed. reasonable charge
made for water on the part of canal
companies. and a lowering of the price
of rice to the consumer. by curtailing
the profits Of the middleman.
The irrigation investigation branch of
the department is endeavoring to i'm
prove the present practice by having
practical rice grower travel from dis
trict to district and advise the grower.
Practical bulletins are likewise being
published on the irrigation of rice, and
the most suitable equipment for pump
ing water.
Arizona
There has been nearly 100000 acres
of land irrigated in Arizona. large
part of this is in Salt River valley. The
remainder lies in the valleys of the Gila.
the Verde the Little Colorado and
other smaller streams The variation of
Arizona streams. from high floods to
dry channels has not only made the
supply of water uncertain. but has en-
dangered the stability of irrigation
structures To remedy these defects the
federal government through the recla-
nation service. has coOperated with the
land owners in the Salt river valley. and
at Yuma. on the Colorado. in the con-
structions of storage works and more
permanent structures.
The fact that the work of the recIa-
nation service is limited 70 these two To-
calitieS makes il necessary for the farm
ers i'm other parts Of the territory 10
become self reliant in the perfecting
of their irrigation systems, and the ir-
rigation Investigations of the DEPART
ment is being looked TO to give assist
ance TO them in their undertakings
Many Difficulties
1t is realized that many difficulties
will be encountered in establishing new
irrigation enterprises as well as i'm
hrin ginR about better methods undar H.