The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-04-12
NEW CULTIVATION
TRIED ON RIVER
Start Made Near Colconda to Prove
Advisibility of Intensive Guilt
vation of Large Land
Tracts Along Humboldt

Will the Humboldt become a semi
intensive cultivated area? Are con-
ditions ripe for change in methods
of cultivation? Are the lands Of
such a character that they will
yield good returns of alfalfa and
grain, for dairy cows, sheep, hogs,
poultry, beef cattle? II the land is
good; can the food waters be con-
trolled.
These are developments Of the
future and the answer in part to
these questions, says Extension
Agent Wilson, is being made by
the Willow Vista Land & Cattle
Company of Golconda, under the
management of Walter W. Akers.
The Willow Vista people are seeding
this year four hundred acres of
Swedish select oats on the bottom
lands of the Humboldt. In addi-
tion to the oats two hundred and
fiftl acres Of winter wheat (the first
large acreage we know of in this
section) is now bidding for its pro-
portion of sunlight, moisture and
plant food. This wheat is two to
four. inches high. Four acres of
truck garden will supply 20 work
ingmen, family Of five and leave a
few hundred dollars worth Of peas,
beets and spuds to sell to Winnie
mucca, which has previously i'm
ported annually over 100000 worth
Of these products.
When asked il he wasn't afraid
of the floods, or afraid of drought,
Mr.. Akers said: most Of the land
in this country gets too much wa
ter. l haven't put a drop Of water
on my land yet and the winter
wheat is coming through fine. Gull
tivation is needed more than water
to give the crops a chance. The
water never gets within more than
six feet of the surface on our land
since Gu. a spillway in one of the
dams in the field below me. Should
the water get low in the summer the
grain will be far enough along so
that it will not need additional
water, and l will arrange to pump
the water from the river for the
vegetables, or other intensive crops"
In answer to the question: "Can
you raise alfalfa on your bottom
land" Mr.. Akers replied, Eyes,
there was alfalfa here before came
and l will again seed $50 acres this
spring and 100 more as get it
in condition and level"
"Can other large ranches adopt
the methods you are using, that is,
raise grain, alfalfa hay, beets or
other crops adapted to this climate?"
"Yes. All they would have to
do would be to lower the water
table by cutting the dams and
Strengthening the river in a place
or two, and provide proper irriga-
ton and drainage. Most of the
bottom land gets too much water"
1t is well known that many of
the large land holdings on the mid.
die Humboldt have been operating
at q loss since the depression of
Cattle. Will the operations of the
Willow Vista Land & Cattle Com
pany be key to the way out,
key to the making of profits? Can
land which is located on the river,
on two railroads, and now for sale
at six to nineteen dollars per acre
be made worth SIS, 500 to 500
and $3.50 per acre? Will the con-
struction of large reservoir at
Iron Point by Taylor and Sheehan
controlling the food waters be of
value, in an evolution of agriculture
along the Humboldt And If these
things come will there be, not more
beef cattle but better beef cattle
with better loins, better quarters
and returning a better profit per
head to the farmer and stockman
who are competing with the out
side world?