The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1911-02-25

the agricultural, regarding which con-
siderable valuable data that should draw
attention to. this land is given. dispelling
the belief that our lands are adapted
only to raising sagebrush. cactus and
horned toads. A portion Of the report
is given herewith, as follows:
1.-THE best arabic lands are the sage
lands. %Sagebrush grows nearly every.
where, from the lowest valleys to the
tops of the interior portions of the
State. The quality of the soil is indi.
Gated by the size and thriftiness OF the
sagebush the larger, of course. indi-
eating a rich. deep soil, containing more
than an ordinary amount of moisture.
A short, dwarfed growth indicates q
thinner soil, with less moisture. Where
thrifty s~agebrush grows, 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 a greater or lesser de-
gree with alkali, aud is often found
growing thriftily where the ground is
covered and white with alkali.
"Grease wood lands usually indicate q
deep. rich soil, and are productive
where there is a moderate amount of
ak ali. All that is needed to make it
so is a moderate amount of moisture.
which If not found to exist naturally,
must be supplied by irrigation. aud. as
a rule, it may be said that all sage
brush lands, to be productive, require
to be irrigated, thus producing all the
cereals, fruits and vegetables adapted
to the latitude east of the Rocky Noun
tains. and which can be raised in Ne
vada in abundance and in superior per.
lection.
1.-THE prevailing opinion that the
desert lands of Nevada are productive
of nothing useful to mankind is rapidly
being dispelled.
1.-THE experience of rs to 80 years
has proven that not only a greater
area of the public domain of Nevada is
susceptible of cultivation than was
first supposed, but that such land pos
sesses within itself a constant recu-
perative power. Instances are numerous
where lands have been cultivated for
10 years aud yet show no signs of de-
terioration. and some farmers claim
that their lands have improved in pro.
ductiveness during that time, al
though no artificial fertilizers have
been applied to them. This may be
due, in part. to the fact that such land
contains a super-abundance of silicas
and alumina, and that through the
process of evaporation there ara an
nually brought to the surface a proper
ton of the salt. alkalies, nitrates. and
phosphates that lie stored in inexhaust-
ible deposits far below the surface and
produce such conditions of the soil as
to render it prolific of vegetation.
"The best evidence of this fact is
shown in the wonderful growth of alfal-
ia, which crop, instead Of diminishing,
seems to increase in abundance year by
Q The selection of farm lands is
now being better understood. as the
light of experience has shown where
the earlier settlers were at fault.
"From the 7o,0S7. s63 acres. the esti-
mated area of the Stats, there remains
Sc, 474, 6SS acres of unsold government
lands, the other 10. 6l3. 175 acres having
been disposed of as follows:
"Grants to the State, 2,732, SS4; grants
to Central Pacific Railroad. 5,734, $50 /;
United States entries, forest reserves
and reservations of all kinds, 8. la. 635,
1.-THE unsold government lands in the
State include mountainous, desert, tim
Der, mineral. grazing and agricultural
lands which may be entered in the
United States land office under the
homestead, desert. stone and timber,
lieu script and mineral acts.
During the years 1909 10 1.403 APP
plications for State lands were filed in
the office Of the Survey or. General. ag-
~gregating 1871 .557.1 acres. During the