Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-02-04
Tells OF OUR
States Lands
and SOILS
THOUSANDS OF ACRES ARE
NOW OPEN TO SETTLERS
IN NEVADA.

/ ne DleuHldl report VI " L.
Deadly, encouragement and state
land register, for 19O9-1O, has just
been issued, and is an interesting
document on account of the large
amount of information it gives per-
tanning to the public lands of the
state, especially the agricultural, re-
garding which it gives considerable
valuable data that should draw
greater attention to the settlement
of lands for agricultural purposes
and dispel the belief that the So
called arid lands are fit only for
the raising of sagebrush, cactus
and horned toads. Regarding the
soil and its production, the report
says:
The best arabic lands are the
sage lands. Sagebrush crowns al
most everywhere, from the lowest
valleys to the mountain tops of the
lllCl lOI IOlIlODS VI tllC pIdlOs hN
quality of the soil is indicated by
the size and thriftiness of the sage
brush; the larger, of course, indi-
eating a rich. deep soil, containing
more than an ordinary amount of
moisture. A short, dwarfed growth
indicates a thinner soil, with less
moisture. Where thrifty sagemrush
growths, and the natural moisture
is sufficient, grain can be grown
without irrigation, and water can
be found by digging, at no great
depth below the surface.
'Greasewood brush indicates a
soil impregnated to greater or
less degree with alkali, and is
often found growing thrifty where
the ground is covered and white
with alkali
'Greasewood lands usually indi
cate deep, rich soil, and are
productive where there is mod
crate amount of alkali All that i!
needed to make it so is a sufficient
amount of moisture, which, if no
found to exist naturally, must b.
supplied by irrigation; and as
rule, it may be said that all sage
brush lands, to be productive, re
quire to be irrigated thus produc
ing all the cereals, fruits and vege
tables adapted to this latitude cas-
of the Rock mountains, which cal
be raised in Nevada in abundance
and in superior perfection.
The prevailing opinion that tn
desert lands of Nevada are produc
tive of nothing useful to mankind
is rapidly being discredited.
The experience of twenty-five t,
thirty years has proven that no
only great area of the public do
main of Nevada is susceptible O
cultivation than was first supposed
but that such land possesses within
itself a constant recuperative pow
VI lhoIdnCCo are numerous WHIT
lands have been cultivated for fiji
teen years and yet shows no sign
of deterioration, and some farmer
claim that their lands have i'm
proved in productiveness durin
that time. although no artificis
fertilizers have been applied t
them This may be due, in part, t
the fact that such land contains
superabundance of silcas and alum
ina, and that through the process
of evaporation there are annual
brought to the surface proper
tion of the salt, alkalies, nitrate
and phosphates that lie stored i
inexhaustible deposits far below tn
surface and produce such condition
of the soil as to render it prolif
of vegetation.
The best evidence of this fat
is shown in the wonderful growt
of alfalfa, which crop, instead {
diminishing, seems to increase !
abundance year by year. The S,
lection of farm lands is now bein
better understood, as the light {
experience has shown where tt
earlier settlers were at fault
From the 70,0S7,S63 acres, IL
estimated area of the state, thel
remains 56,474,6SS acres of unsol
government lands, the other 13
G13,175 acres having been dispose
of as follows
Grants to the state, 2,322 SS4
grants to Central Pacific railroa
5,734,65O United States entire
forest reserves and reservation
all kinds, 5,145,635.
The unsold government lands
the state include mountainous, de
ert, timber, mineral, grazing ar
agricultural lands which may !
entered in the United States lar
office under the homestead, deser
stone and timber. lieu-script al
mineral acts.
During the years 1909-10 14C
DnulfpafiOnc for cfatz 1o.1. .,.o,,a 4