Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-03-30

1T is quite within the range OF pos
sibilities that the products of the ir-
rigable lands Of Washington will in
time exceed the annual value the
present output from our combined
timber and cereal producing areas"
According to the same authority, the
forest and grain products aggregate
not less than 100000, 900 invalue
each year. To expect so much from
irrigated lands may seems very OPP
timistic, but ] do not consider it un-
reasonable. But whether or not the
products of irrigation ever reached
the figure given, there can be no ques-
ton but that the future development
OF agriculture in the state of Wash
ington will depend as much or more
upon a judicious use of our water
supply than upon any other factor.
There are millions OF acres of land
in eastern Washington most admirab-
ly adapted to irrigation farming, so
far as coil and climate conditions are
concerned; in fact, there is scarcely
an acre of ground or a farm which
would not, with the skillful use Of
water, yield much larger and more
profitable crops than can be grown
by dry farming methods or by depend
ing solely on the natural precipita-
ton. And not all of the land adapted
to irrigation is in the eastern part
Of the state. over west of the noun
tains there are many districts of con-
siderable extent which would be
wonderfully benefited by irrigation.
though the fact is only beginning to
be realized.
We have at the present time less
than 100000 acres under ditch and
believe that less than 100000 acres
is actually irrigated. 1t is conserva-
lively estimated that we have four
times the former figure, or 100000
. acres irrigable. but as to what part
of this or how much more will even
tually be irrigated no man knows. But
certain we are of this, that our avail
able land many times exceeds the
amount of available water, and We
know that the greater the area that
our available water can be made tc
efficiently irrigate, the greater will
be the wealth and general benefit tC
the state.
With this knowledge then, it is
pertenent and timely to determine
wheher exstng methods and agenc
les affecting the use of the water
supply are such as will guarantee
the maximum duty. If present con
ditions are not favorabl to best use
along what lines and in what wa!
can improvement be brought about
To discuss in detail all the NAM
and varied influences bearing upoI
the subject is, however, not permits
sible here, and an attempt will b'
made to consider a few only of thu
most important.
In the disposition of any public re
source of value, such as our waite
supply, there should be in the begin
ming adequate laws or provisions tt
regulate its appropriation and insur
its proper use Not to maintain sucl
supervision is like giving a large fam
lily Of small children free access II
the sugar bowl. The sugar would dis
appear very rapidly. There woul'
be abundant evidence of use, but nj
record as to how or where. Their
would be waste. over indulgence, in
ternal ills, doctor bills and doubt
less chickering's over possession o
the biggest Jumps Now the peopl
of this state have for the past 3
or 40 years been running to Mothe
Washington's sugar bowl, or NOR