El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-02
FARMING
IRRIGATION IN
THE UNITED STATES
Figures as to Area Irrigat-
ed, Value Of Lands
and Of Soil.

Washington, D. C, Jan. statistics
for irrigation in the United States are
soon to be issued by director Durand,
Of the bureau of the census.
The number of farms on which irri-
cation was practiced, for purposes
other than rice growing, in 1909 in the
states Of the arid region was 15S.713, or
II percent of the total number of farms
IN the same states.
The acreage reported as irrigated in
1909 was 13,T3S,4S which constitutes
IL percent of the total land area of
the same states, 3-5 percent of the total
land in farms and 10 percent of the i'm
proved land in farms.
The total length of irrigation dis
tricts In the United States when the
census was taken was 1881 miles;
of this 49, 62 miles were IateraIs: the
capacity of reservoirs was 125S1129
acre feet; the number of flowing wells
was 300, the number of pumped wells
I4,9oS; the average cost per acre for
irrigation was 1882; the average an
nuaI cost of operation and maintenance,
$l-OI per acre.
California Leads.
California contained the largest num-
Der of farms on which irrigation was
pracuced, having about one-fourth
GAS percent) of the total number. and
COLORADO the next largest number,
nearly one-sixth (16.3 per cent? of
the total while Utah ranked third in
TINS respect with about one-eighth
o
The percentage of increase between
1883 and 1893 in the number of farms
irrigated was more than double that
during the succeeding decade, but the
absolute increases during the two
decades were approximately equal Ne
braska showed the largest percentage
OF increase during the former period
and Texas during the latter period but
IN neither state is the actual number
Of irrigated farms large
IN total acreage irrigated California
ranked first in 1889, Colorado second,
ana Montana third In both 1899 and
1903, Colorado reported the largest ir-
Ilgated acreage. while California and
montana were second and third re-
sPeetvely. Idaho followed closely in
Cost of Irrigation.
me totaI cost of irrigation enter
prlSses up to July l, 1910. was reported
crease of $24O, 904094 or 359S percent
over the cost reported at the Census
OF 1SOO. In no state in the arid -egfon
was the increase in cost for this Derfod
less than 100 percent the highest No. 49,
GenIaSe OF increase being in North Da-
kota and the lowest in Oklahoma
value of Irrigated Crops.
The report shows for all crOns re-
ported as irrigated an AVERAGE vai,1a !
per acre Of $25.OS. The highest average /
NaIue per acre for crops raised on iT
. . q "a et sS lanG Is that for Washington, (
8f5-o-, Wnlch is followed by that of I
Texas, $45.43 Exclusive of rice9 ana I
that for California, $3.50 Wvomine- I
showed the lowest average value per
d, a IN acreage alfalfa ranked first with 4
49, percent of the total reported: !
via, salt, or prairie grasses" second 4
with I'll percent; and oats third, with 4
1O-2 percent. ~ win
=. 4 rom the report it appears that at I
DClh censuses alfalfa was the LEADING {
Top grown under irrigation, but rFa1 If /
o ~ p Is a considerably larger prcpor- /
total o..
crops in 1909 than in fS90 ''eu
me most notable relative increase x
tila az LOT sugar beets. the growing of
ms crop IN the irrigated region bSiSa-
.jargeIy a development of the Iasf
IeCStue. POTATOES also showed a marked
~ nsi use IN relative Importance. Trop- !
81 ana subtropical fruits occuDicd !
1I1ett the same place in the tvs c.
: us uses, with the exception Of wild
5eIl, or prairie grasses" the ii-rigatlJ
5rops which are increasing in 9cre-
re most rapidly are all among Inc
3cIp with relatively high values per