Albuquerque morning journal., 1914-12-21

tIne IOllOWinb pdptrt NhiNH 10 VI
interest to the New Mexico farmer,
was read before the Washington Ir-
rigation institute, at North Yakima.
Wash, on December II. by Samuel
Fortier, chief Of irrigation investiga-
tions of the United States department
OF agriculture.)
The results OF half a century OF
development throughout the arid re-
gion have demonstrated that irrigated
agriculture Is Its malnstay. The
revenue now derived from the chief
irrigated crops exclusive of some of
the highly specialized industries and
of the by-products of the irrigated
farm is probably not far from $500
000. 600 a year. As such records go,
this is not q bad showing when one
considers that this revenue has been
created out of worthless land and
wasted water. From the trend OF the
past IT is safe to predict that the
prosperity of the arid states In the
future will depend to a much greater
degree on the products of the irrigat-
ed farm. The irrlgators of the west
may therefore be justly styled the
standard bearers In the march of In
dustrial progress since upon their ef'
forts and those of their descendants
will depend in large measure the
future greatness of the west and the
welfare of its people.
The west has always had its trou-
bes TO use the language of the
eastern pessimist. there has been Just
one blankety-blank thing after an
other for the past 60 years but In all
the trials. hardships and the suffer
ings which western people have had
to undergo there have been few words
of repining. This uneonquerable
spirit of the west is the best product
of the union.
With reference to the topic | have
been asked to discuss. viz. the farm
er's part in irrigation development, II
may be said that every irrigation en-
tcrprlse has two essential features.
The first consists In the design and
construction of the works necessary to
provide a water supply and the sec
ond consists in a wise use on the
part of the farmer of the soil and
water. In the past conditions were
often such that farmers, either work
ing alone or in partnership with their
neighbors, managed to build, in n
rather crude way. the necessary ditch
es and structures. This is still pos
sble In q somewhat restricted sense.
II Is. however. the large and not the
small undertakings that We wish to
discuss and as has bcen stated, these
consist of the two parts named. IN
the one, consideration must be given
rigable lands, the methods Of acquir-
ing patents, the adequacy and depen-
liability of the water supply. the
character of the structures required,
the cost of the water supply and the
best method OF financing, managing
and executing an undertaking Of this
kind. After this first part has been
accomplished there remains the diff
cult task Of securing the requisite
number of industrious settlers hav-
ing money enough to make start un
der desert conditions. and when set
tiers are secured there follows tha
still more difficult task of putting the
farms on paying bas.s.a There are
feed bitches to build, sage brush to
uproot, fields to plow and level inn
plements to purchase, fences and farm
buildings to erect and no end Of
minor necessities TO provide for. Gen
orally speaking. the cost of water
right per acre Is less than that OF
the Improvements which the farmer
is called upon to make before pay
ing crops can be harvested. In other
words, the total average cost Of irri-
gated land apart from the cost Of col
onizatlon. when 1t has reached the
producing stage is smore than double
that of the water right.
Causes OF Disaster.
One of the chief causes Of the
wrecks of so many irrigation enter
prises has been the fact that those
who promoted them gave little
thought to the farmers part In such
invested the money, the engineers
who built the works and the real es-
tate agents who sold the lands SEEM
ed to take il for granted that when
water was to be had in a nearby canal
the success of the enterprise was as
sured They considered 1t unneccs-
sary to figure up what the farmers
part of the cost would be or how he
could best carry out his share of the
undertaking. In their minds a
worthless desert growth would tisap-
pear as if by magic and In its wake |
would appear heavily ladened orch !
ards, green alfaifa fields and comfort
able farm dwellings. hut because of !
this failure to recognize the full ex-
tent of the burden which the farmer |
must assume. and to make suitable al
lowance therefor, their visions in far
too marv instances have never been
materii lized.
Now this past experience ought n |
be woi ii something TO those who are