Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-07-03
SUCCESS OF WELLS
FOR IRRIGATION
Grass Valley in Humboldt County Has
Wonderful Crops and Why Not
In Elko County?

The other evening a representative
of the Independent accompanied an
auto party down the valley to the Har-
ry Van Drillen desert claim where the
experiment is being made of pumping
water for irrigation.
In the party was Mr.. A. ]. Dubois,
agent of the Southern Pacific COM
pany for the sale of its lands in Elko
county.
Mr.. Dubois some time ago took a
leave of absence as cashier in the
freight office of the company here
and is devoting all his time to the
sale OF lands and to his homestead
over in Pleasant valley.
Mr.. Dubois since the first of the
year has made contracts for the sale
of fifteen thousand acres of Southern
Pacific lands, grazing and agricultural.
He is now about to close a deal for
the disposal of twelve thousand acres
more.
The prices on these lands range
from $2.75 for grazing land to $3.50
agricultural land ranges around four
dollars.
Parties In Utah who bought land
near the Dubois homestead in Pleas
ant valley have been so well pleased
with their experiment in dry farm
ing that this week they filed applica-
tions to buy other tracts.
Mr.. Dubois is also getting fair
crop on his homestead and will prove
up this fall. Mr.. Dubois is also show
ing his faith in these dry farming
lands by investing all his savings in
railroad land. He believes that land
now selling for five dollars an acre
will be worth forty and fifty when
dry farming methods are well under
stood.
1t is a fact that much interest is
being taken in dry farm lands. The
droutn this year is something that oc-
ours only about once in twenty-five
years. 1t is not fair to judge the av-
erage season by the present summer.
Even in the dry wheat belt up north
in Idaho and Washington as a rule
they grow crops only every other year.
The rain of one summer is carried
ing fine dust mulch on the top of
the SOIL This prevents evaporation.
Dry farming is to be used only
where one can not get water for ir-
rigation. After every drop of water
in Elko county has been stored and
after the artesian supply has been ex-
hausted and no water can be pumped
from wells then the remaining land
will be dry farmed.
SO far as is known the Van Dreillen
experiment six miles west of town is
the only one this year where water Is
being pumped for irrigation.
When the party arrived Mr.. Van
Dreillen and Ralph Brown, his lessee,
were standing by watching four inch
stream of water flow from the pipe in
the well. 1t made fairly good irri.
eating stream which was being spread
over forty ocre tract along the rail.
road right of way. The land is plant.
ed to wheat and vegetables.
The land is a sandy loan and lies
just right for irrigation. or course
the sand will absorb much water. But
II seems the proposition is bound to
prove success. The cost is the
main factor. The supply of water
seems adequate.
The water comes from q gravel bed
underneath stratum of hard.pan
down about twenty-five feet The
four.inch pump was just about able
to keep the water In the well at a
certain level.
There Is much land In Humboldt
valley that could be irrigated by
pumping. How this would ultimately
affect the ranchers who have water
rights along the river Is question
yet 10 be determined. Many wells
would undoubtedly diminish the flow
In the river.
The ranchers in Grass valley down
in Humboldt county who are pumping
water from wells this year for their
first crop are making wonderful sue.
cess. They viii send an exhibit o,