The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-02-26

FARMING

The opportunities for scientific
farming are present in the Salmon
district in very great degree. The
other part of the great irrigated
Northwest. This valley is only equal
ed by the Big Horn valley Ia Wyo-
ming The land there which may be
classed with our fertile helds has a
value of over s2O0 an acre based on
net profits returned frum the same
crops which grew here In even great
er yields. The market conditions In
| that valley are no better than ours.
The farmers are taxed for high water
rentals, which Is an item to be charg-
ed against the crops as cost of pro-
duction. This valley has the advan-
tape OF free water, an advantage over
! all the other irrigated districts. The
average crop returns TO the acre 10
the Big Horn valley is over s40, for
all the cultivated area. Tie average
value OF the Lemhi county crops is
not one-fourth Of that amount. There
is 40 other reason for this difference
than bad farm methods.
The farmers OF this district have
fallen into bad methods, and they
have abandoned business energy In
the blindness of their hard labor.
The farmers here work harder than
the successful brothers In the sec
tions where the labor Is directed In
systematic lines.
We have climatic and soil advan-
tages over any other district of the
poorer showing than any of our
neighbors Every little valley in
Montana is making great headway In
farm ing, and land is higher than in
Ltmhi county. The harsher climate
and the poorer soil handicap the
farmers but they have made prosperi-
ty 10y the necessity of better business
and better farming. The Lemhl
county farmer has so many natural
advanta ,es that he tries TO drift tC
fortune on the natural advantages OF
climate and snil. The example oi
fortunes made from the free ranges
of the pioneer days influences tht
present day farmer to misdirect his
efforts.
The present methods OF farmins
are devastating the fields Of their fer
tility without due returns OF profit
The fertility of the soil is beinI
washed into the alkali swamps Will,
the titled fields are being robbed o
the mineral elements necessary tC
produce crops. 1t is the history ol
all irrigated countries that the waste
water mas carried of all the plan
food from the fields to the water
cources and the lakes and swamps
In this valley half Uf the cultivate,
area is being impoverished by an eN
cess OF irrigation water and the othe
half is being ruined by dFpositing al
excess of mineral in the soil.
: The waste of labor in growing un
profitable crops is small compared L
the waste of fertility by the use o
too much water, on one field am
water logging another field. 1t is
E scientific fact that any field fron
; which waste water flows in the irrl
D cation season will become barren in
very few years; and the field whlc
- is hnnded will-become an alkali vast
D when the field from which the min
erals are washed will become a bai
, rem waste II should he made a Grim
u with a penalty TO let waste irrigalio
water escape from the field.
TIE prosperity of the country d.
pends upon the farmers, and I'll
farmers could all be prosperous
> they would adapt scientific aud bus
i ness methoos. The railroad NOR
e for which many are praying coul
d bring only temporary prosperit
i unless the farmers rally to meet tn
= emergency, and the farmers coul
| hring the same prosperity ~ithot
e any other railroad facilities. II
u II ethOds which are wasting the fe
e tiity and making swamps will pr
l. vent prosperity for ali time, Of
J. change 10 good 'nsthu1s will briu
O prosperity at once. Without a chans
Is OF farm methods our case is discoural
\ ing. Tns same energy noS waste
J. on the farms If properly directed 4
y one year would double the land va
m ues. Doubled land values wonld mai
u Lemhi tie hest place in the world.
ie NEWTON HIBBS