Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-12-25
SELECTING IRRIGATED LAND.
Don't Make the Mistake In Selecting
too Level . place, but Look Moro
to Proper Drainage.

II has often been claimed tina
The North Side has . vast advantag,
over many other irrigated tracts ir
that the land 10 rolling and thu.
has q proper drainage. We do moi
believe that enough emphasis is put
ON this fact. and our attention hav'
ing been called to the same by ont
pf our subscribers, we give below
his opinions as expressed in a recent
letter received by him.
Spokane, Wash. Dec. 1918.
lincoln County Times, Jerome.
Having been in Z position for the
ysst thirty-fve years to keep pretty
close track OF the different irriga-
ton projects in the northwest it has
interested me to watch the people
when making locations under the
various bitches -invariably a locator
will select the --LATEST piece Of
ground be can find and the heaviest
FOIL and does not seem to take into
consideration the question of drain
ege.
l would advise any man who con-
templates buying land under an
irrigation system. especially if he is
not thoroughly familiar with irri-
gated lands to make a trip to a few
If the older irrigated tracts. If he
does he will find that the level lands
and heavy soils are not the most
valuable for the reason that these
level lands and heavy soil in course
Of time will not produce as the
rolling lands with lighter soil. In
der the older bitches the lighter
rolls and the rolling ground has be-
come tho more valuable.
When the Twin Falls South Side
tract was opened. people made a
grab for all the fiat land and heavy
coil which was a good thing to do if
they have the good judgment to let
go OF it before it becomes generally
known that the more rolling land
and lighter coil will increase
IN value constantly while the fat
land and heavy soil will gradually
eesp and get cold and sour for the
want OF proper drainage.
1t wa a little amusing to me q
few years ago while riding over the
South Side tract to hear some of
those fellows boast over the fine
level land they had and the clay
foil. About that time the North
Side tract was about to be opened.
These South Side fellows who
were boasting over their level farms
and clay soil we're making all man.
nsr Of fun Of the North Side tract.
They said the soil was sandy, would
not grow good crops and was so
rolling it could not be irrigated and
30 forth.
! am sorry to say but not at all
surprised 10 notice that many of
-those 6ne level tracts Of clay soil
are now showing the effect of spread
ing water over the land one season
after another and not having proper
drainage. As . tract the North
Side has the best drainage of any
tract l have seen and while it will
take more time to get the sandy
land under cultivation than it does
the fiat clay land it will only be a
matter OF . few years until this 30
called sandy and rolling land will
DO growing more products of all
kinds TO the acre than the level clay
lands. and Is the drainage is perfect
on the more sandy soils and rolling
ground tho ground gets better from
year to year, while the fiat ground
and clay soil goes the other way.
II any man doubts this statement
just lot him 60 and look over the
older irrigation projects. The his
tory OF irrigation is just beginning
to repeat itself on the South Side
Twin Falls tract and those fellows
who have the level clay farms had
better begin making arrangements
for drainage.