The Bozeman courier., 1922-01-18
IRRIGATION PROBLEMS.
Continued from Page One.)

hitch. The engineering problem on t
these early bitches was simple and the q
cost of construction usually small t
Such cooperative irrigation enter
prises have continued to be construct {
ed but the problems to be overcome I
and the expense of construction have
IF all the land under tic
bitches was owned in relatively small
tracts and each owner a partner in
the ditch and had aided in its coz
struction, under these conditions the
strong probabilities are that the en-
terprise will be successful because all
the land may be put into production
at once and thus each acre viii begin
to pay for the cost of construction |
and the maintenance of the ditch.
In 1894 to aid the western states
in the reclamation of their lands, con-
gress passed an act known as the
Carey Act, which granted to the states
containing desert land, 100000 acres
each on condition that the states pro-
vide for its irrigation. Six enter
prises have been undertaken in Mon
tana under the Carey Act, with an
irrigable area of $4,000 acres, but
in 1920, under only four enterprises
was land irrigated with a total of
| 100000 acres.
The United States Reclamation Act
passed in 1901 provides that begin
ming with the year 1901 all moneys
received from the sale Of public lands
in western states except per cent,
shall be appropriated as a special
fund known as the Reclamation Fund,
to be used in the construction of ir-
rigation works. Under this law some
seven different projects have been
started in Montana, involving a to-
tai of nearly $4,000 acres. To date
$4,000 acres have had water made
available to them as a result of this
law but only 145,00O acres were ac-
tually irrigated in 1920.
From a study of the experiences Of
these new irrigation projects, most Of
them have not been a financial sue
J cess from the standpoint of the in
vestor who has put money into the
project. In any private project,
whether constructed under the Carey
Act OF other acts, the overhead ex-
pense begins as soon as the const1uc-
: ton work starts. When funds are in
] lvested, interest charges must be pro-
, vided for. With ample funds provid-
ed the works will be completed in q
few years. This construction, while
! very important part of the enter.
: prise, is only it's beginning. Som,
persons have to dig out Of the sol
! below this ditch the interest charges
and the capital cost and at the same
J time make a living for themseIve
: and families and build the communit,
: they will have taxes to pay. Thes
I people have a task Of many, man.
years work.
The lack of financial success wit
t, these newer enterprises is imainl,
It due, it seems to me, to our failure t
: recognize the magnitude of the prot
lem of the settler under the new il
rigation bitches. We have failed t
y make adequate provision for his stal
E on the land and have failed next |
D. follow up his advent with proper an
! close supervision. This should il
!, c!ude not alone the production Of tt
= crops but knowledge on the be-
y methods Of getting the products
Ill the market Part of this failure ms
IN also be attributed to the failure
,o get the type Of settler who would
~ willing to pay the price of success
they must be "hand- picked"
o0 Fortunately we have some peril
ent illustrations of methods of lal
of settlement that appear to be succee
;s ing. One of these is the7Mead pl;
in California on irrigated land, a.
~ the other may be called the Wisco
ly sin plan as applied to the cut-ov
lands of northern Wisconsin. VIII
bo the method of financing is differel
!, the two methods are based on esse
: tally the same idea. Briefly put Il
OF plan involves ~ a careful study
to the district to determine the type
Ise agriculture best adapted to the {
matte and soil conditions, (2) ca
full survey and mapping of the soil
AA every farm by the state agricuItu
1lu college, (3) the construction of bui
lat ings, house barn and other outbui
for ings and the fencing of the farm
fore the settler arrives, (4) care
selection of the settler, who shol
ed, know what farm work demands;
an must also have sufficient capital
rec make small payment down, 10 q
vide necessary horses and machine