Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1911-02-03

of the soil is indicated by the size
and thriftiness of the sagebrush;
the larger, of course. indicating
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 sage
brush grows, and the natural
moisture is saficicnt, grain a 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
less degree with alkali, and is
often found growing thriftily
where the ground is covered and
white with alkali.
"Greasewood lands usually indi-
cate a deep, rich soil. and r
protective where there is a moderate
amount of alkali. All that Is
needed to make it 30 is a sufficient
amount of moisture, which, if not
found to exist naturally, must be
supplied by irrigation; and as a
rule, it may be said that all sage
brush lands, to be productive,
require to b" irrigated. thus pro-
du"ing all the cereals, fruits ana
vegetables adopted to this latitude
east of the Rocky Mountains, which
can be raised in Nevada in
abundance and in superior per-
lection.
THE prevailing opinion hat
the, desert lands of Nevada are
productive of nothing useful to
mankind is rapidly Lcirg dis
credited.
The experience of - to SO
years has proven that not only q
greater area of the public domain
of Nevada is susceptible of cultiva-
ton than was first supposed, but
that such land POSSESSES within
itself a constant recuperativc
power. Instances are numerous
where lands have been cultivated
for fifteen years and yet show no
signs Of deterioration, and some
farmers claim that their lanus have
improved in productivencs5 during
that time, although 70 artif1a
fertilizers have been applied G.,
them. This may be due, IN par
to the fact that such land contains
a supcrabundancc Of silicas and
alumina, and that through the
process of evaporation there are
annually brought to the surface a
proportion Of the salt, alkalics,
n~itrates and phosphatcs that lie
stored in ineXhaustible dcI osits 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 alfalfa. which crop instead of
diminishing, seems to increase in
abundance year by year. The
selection of farm lands is now better
understood, as the light Of ex-
perience has shown where the
earlier settlers were at fault"
From the 7O,O87,SG aces, the
estimated area of the state, there
remains 474 ,G8S acres Of unsold
government lands, the other 1861
l75 acres having been iii posed of
as follows: Grants TO the state.
2, 1872, S84; grants to Central Pacific
railroad, 5,734,65O; United States
entries. forG't reserves and rCscr,a-
tions of all kinds, 5,1i5,635.
The unsold government lands N
the state include mountairols.
desert, timber, 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 19O9-l0IO.
1903 applications for state lands
were filed in the office Of the
surveyor general aggrcgating
lSl,557.l acres. During the same
period l,277 contracts for the
purchase of lands were entered
into aggrcgating 1873. S32.d6 acres,
ard III lanl patents we're issued.
embracing 2l7,777.Gi acres.
TROUBLE CHASERS