The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-08

years of extreme rainfall to great al
! vantage. The farmer then learned
that while he could raise prof1taoie
grain crops by dry farming, he could
add many bushels per acre by 1rrisa-
| ton and insure full crop yield each
year. More than this, he learned that
with water he could cut three splen-
did crops of alfalfa during the season,
as against the one crop the dry farmer
secured. The alfalfa meant cows
cream and butter and more intenslhed
farming. He also found that ne couid
more than double his potato yield and
| that of all other vegetables. A num-
Der of farmers raised sugar beets and
the tests made of these by the beet
sugar companies showed that North
Dakota Is excelled by no state In the
union in the quality Of the sugar beets
1t produces, both as to percentage OF
purity and sugar content.
But the greatest lesson the farmers
under the Williston project learned
during 1909 was that 100 acres is alto
gether too much land for any one
farmer to attempt to handle. Eighty
acres under irrigation Is a great big
farm, and forty is sufficient to support
an average family and store by a COM
petence each year.
The average irrigated farm in the
United States, with 100000 acres
under the ditch, is less than thirty
acres. The big Mormon families of
Utah live in comfort on 20 and 40
acres under irrigation.
When the Williston project was I'M
der construction 1t was stated by an
enthusiastic irrigationist that North
Dakota would never fully realize its
great asset in its $5,000,000 share of
the reclamation fund until we had
one OF our old time dry years. In his
opinion that year would show that the
only sure, safe farming was carried on
under the ditch and that in this year
Williston and the surrounding fri
gated land would be the only green
spot on the map. 1910 appears to be
that year. The first few months gave
promise Of being a second bumper
crop and few thought of the possible
necessity of irrigation. Ten days dur
Ing June changed the entire situation
and applications for water poured in
upon the engineers in charge Of the
Williston project. Everything was in
readiness and within very short
time, cooling, life giving water was
running through the canals to the
thirsty crops. The result is more con-
than any black and white plea
that could possibly be made for irriga-
ton. Above the ditch is the burned
up crop that will yield but a few bush
els per acre at best. Below the ditch
less than fifty feet away, the wheat,
will yield between thirty and forty
bushels, with other grains in like pro-
portion. One look at this marked con-
trast will make an irrigation enthusiast
OF the most rabid dry farmer that ever
prayed for rain. BY the way our fell
lows under the ditch never have to
pray for rain ANY more" 1910, then.
mas settled the question OF irrigation
IN North Dakota for all time. Mr..
Dry Farmer has lost at lowest calcu-
Lation, not ness than $40 per acre, or
enough to pay for two full years cost
Of irrigation. The money advanced
by the government for the instaIla-
Hon. operation and maintenance of the
project is to be paid back by the farm
srs holding lands under 1t. The cost
0r construction amounted to sSS per
acre, which under the present law is
70 De repaid In ten annual INSTALL
nents Of $3.50 per acre, all without
interest. The maintenance charge is
70 cents per acre, which goes to paw
for keeping all bitches, reservoirs
machinery etc, in good repair. This
'harge is also paid annually. An
operating charge Of 80 cents per acre
DOT OF all water used covers the total
II all Irrigation charges. AS an ave-
age or Ia feet Of water per acre per
rear will be used, the total annual
'harge amounts to about 1923 per
lcre. After ten payments have been
maze, which returns the actual cost
n construction, the yearly charges
irop down to about $1.S0 per acre or
ess. Measured in grain, 1t takes |
lDout ffve bushels of wheat per AGRA |
o pay all costs Of irrigation The |
irrigated land will produce during ave- |
age years, not less than fifteen bnsb-
rs per acre more than the dry farm
Inu IN many years will yield fully two
'usnels to one. Each succeeding year
equires less water, as the land be-
ZONES more thoroughly soaked and
ne entire water table rises nearer the
urIace. consequently the cos+ OF
'peration becomes less annually,
me one and only thing that Willis
on project needs is farmers, and then
more farmers. Dense population and
intense cultivation follow in the wake
I the irrigation ditch. Forty n s,v+,,
cres OF land under the winston nro.
eet wan support a family. and after a
eW years VIII make them independ-
at. II Is safe to say that a man with
orty acres here is better off financial
y mentally and socially than anv 16o
ere ury farm In North Dakota He -
ever uncertain of a good living each
no every year, is far more sure of +ha
nal result than a dry farmer con
ope 70 De- He can look a few wears
lieau ana see a great beet sugar Fac
Dry that will pay him SIS nar f.
u the twenty tons of beets he raises
= eacn acre or his land. He can sec q
reat l,OOO cow creamery paving b,n,
monthly check of SIT for tho 80
ucts or each and every one of he
oWs, fed on the five tons of .IfaIe.
III grow on every acre of his lana
e can see the vegetable canning fac
ply tnat will buy his peas. beans
Gets, tomatoes, corn and other card
= vesetaples, He can see the lIttIa
- 70 factory that will pay big money /.
= ms cucumbers. and which vii,
1Iie uay make North naLot.
leinze. He will pick his own Sr,,ts
10 snip what he can't eat to vo,,
,uitieEs or dried fruit ones. Ha y v
compelled to buy dry land or en- ,
roacn on the county highway IN or