Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-01-04
IRRIGATION IS FIXED FACTOR
There Is Not a Section in West. Under
Good System, That Is Not Be-
coming More Productive.

BY rotation with alfalfa to keep the
ahd irrlgating to supply just the right
amount OF moisture. lana In many OF
the western section th.st had been
planted to wheat until TIE yield was
reduced to 10 or Is bushels per acre.
was brought up to yield OF 80 or
60 bushels.
Irrigation In connection with the
growing of alfalfa has had wonder
full effect In keeping up heavy yields.
and In greater diversity Of crops
throughout the west. and at less than
one-tenth the cost OF keeping up Ter
tility as practiced In the older coun
tries.
The enormous yields. and sure crops.
due to these two factors. are simply
beyond belief to the man OF the more
humid sections who depends on rain
for moisture for his growing crops.
There is not a section in the west
today that has been under good sys-
TEN OF irrigation for ten or more
years. that is not becoming more pro
ductive every year. in quantity. quail
ity and variety.
In the irrigated sections. the most
difficult problems have been solved.
and their future Is assured
The same methods viii not apply TO
the east. but the irrigated area is be-
ing greatly enlarged. and its further
development will reach much farther
than thought possible a few years
ago.
New ways have been evolved for
developing and using water supplies.
and It has been found that much OF
this water supply can be used over
and over agsin.
The law OF nature that water is in
destructible is being realized In many
irrigated sections. where the soil for
a great depth is gradually being filled
with water from irrigation. and is
either being pumped to the surface
again or is allowed to reach the sur
face at lower level where It Is again
diverted by bitches and carried 10
storage reservoirs. from which II is
drawn off as needed
The great reservoir systems depen-
dent on spring and summer food wa
ter. waste water and seepage from
irrigated districts above. are becom-
ing a big factor In western irrigation.
The extent to which the same water
is being repeatedly used almost as a
constant element. is clearly illustrated
in northern Colorado. where great
storage reservoirs are being construct
ed at a cost OF millions OF dollars TO
impound water. most Of which has
been used at least once before In fur
nishing moisture 10 growing crops.
In this same district more than is
years ago 1t was generally believed
that the limit had been reached In ir-
rigation.
Since then the area has been more
than doubled. and the present area
will be more than doubled again when
all the works now In course OF con
struction and projected are com
pleted
The same forces that have made in
this arid region. OF so little apparent
value only a few years ago. come OF
the most productive and valuable
acres in the known world. are still at
work. and we can look for ever great
or results in the near fut'ire. extend
/ ing over this whole region
| Nature seemed to put n special pre-
MUM on human effort when she first
made these waste places dinlc and
unattractive. and then gave to man
kind for their development her
choicest prize.