Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-04

RECLAMATION SERVICE TAKES CARE
IRRIGATION PR0JECTsusT YEAR
ALTHOUGH APPROPR|AT|ONuM

canal, the completed section extending
from the point Of diversion on the VIII
son drain to the Boise river north OF
Caldwell. The canal Is further cross
sectioned and located from the Boise
river to Sand Run gulch, a distance
OF 16 miles ready for construction work
as soon as the weather and funds per-
NIT. The water supply for this land is
secured by picking up waste water and
drainage water from the project and
putting II to use q second time.
WATER GOES UNDER RIVER.
In connection with this canal an in
teresting problem presents itself. The
Notus canal at the point Of crossing
the Boise river is located on top of a
bench sixty feet above the Boise river
On the opposite side of the river it is
still on top of the bench, and to con-
meet up these two ends of the canal
concrete siphon was constructed of
reinforced concrete, which carries the
water beneath the river and up again
on the opposite side and delivers 1t
again to the canal. This siphon is 20l5
feet in length and 5ia feet inside d.
ameter, and is now practically COM
pleted at cost of $4,000. Other
structures in connection with this I'M
dertaking represent an expenditure OF
$50, 900.
The completion of this extension to
the Boise project will bring under cul-
tivation 5000 acres of splendid land,
practically every foot of which is ir-
rigable. This land has been home
steaded and patents have been issued
to a considerable part OF it. AS soon
as water is delivered to this land 1t
will be worth from $3.50 to $3.50 per
acre at the least calculation. At an
average figure of $3.50 per acre this will
mean that an area representing a value
of $1,b00,00O will be put under culti-
walton and will commence providing
the necessities Of life for hundreds Of
people.
roo MUCH WATER INJURIES.
Some of the lower sections of the
valley are suffering, not from an in
sufficient supply of water, but rather
from too much water. This is caused
by the irrigation water seeking lower
levels, and results I'm the complete
saturation of certain low-lying farms.
To overcome this difficulty and to re-
store these lands to condition Of
productivity 1t is necessary to con-
struct drainage canals to carry off the
excess water.
Two electric drag line excavators
have been at work in the Riverside ir-
rigation district throughout the year
and these two machines have cxca-
waited approximately 10 miles OF drain
bitches during the past year. The
total yardage excavated has been over
three-quarters of million yards Of
material This district has work ahead
for these two machines during the
greater portion of the present year AMI
after that they will likely be removed
to some other section requiring drain
age.
FARMS CHANGE HANDS.
A large number of farms on the
Boise project have changed hands since
harvesting the 1913 crop. This Is
and partly to spirit OF speculation
prevailing everywhere. Tho value OF
the crops secured from these farms has
been increased quite materially,
as is shown by the following figures:
While the early frost did considers
able amount of damage on the project
the remaining apple crop brought n
good figure. one orchard reporting
slightly over 100 boxes per acre which
brought price of $1.s5 per box. or at
the rate of s192.40 per acre. Glover
seed was one of the best crops reported
for 1919, many farmers raising as high
as six or more bushels per acre and for
which they received As cents per pound.
or at the rate of $162 per acre. In nd
dition to this amount is to be added
the value of the first cutting Of hay
from this ground. as well as the value
of the clover after hulling. Several
farms brought in as high as $50 per
acre for their corn crop and the aver
age income from hay was SIS per acre.
with oats a close second at $12. Wheat
was slightly higher at $76 per acre for
a 40-bushel crop, although this does
not represent anything near top yield.
A number of farmers have made a
speciality of potato growing IN the
Wilder, Lower Deer flat and Melba sec
tions. the average yield being some-
where around 2S5 bushels per acre,
which means from $500 to $3.50 per
acre for this crop. 1t Is small wonder
then that farms have been selling on
the Boise project at from $3.50 to $3.50
per acre. depending on the location and
degree nf develnnmanf ~