Combined Agriculture and Horticulture. 137 



ment for the building of large tanks in the highest portions of these dry 

 lands. In these tanks the winter rains may be securely retained, and drawn 

 upon by farmers in the locality as needed, on the payment of a nominal water 

 rent. We believe the plan can be carried out, and would repeat that if such 

 assistance is to be given, the farmer who skillfully uses a knowledge of both 

 agriculture and horticulture will be the prosperous man in the early future. 



Forest tree planting, as an aid to general farming, should also engage 

 our attention. In many localities the planting of pecan and other nut tim- 

 ber has proved extremely profitable ; but we must look beyond the imme- 

 diate gain and realize, if possible, the vast good to result from an extensive 

 system of tree planting on o,ur western plains. The question of scarcity of 

 wood will be, perhaps, of no moment for years to come, but if any material 

 increase in the amount of rain-fall can be effected by tree planting, the argu- 

 ment in its favor becomes irrefutable. That the vegetation of a country has 

 a decided effect upon its humidity, few will deny ; and it is equally certain 

 that as the quantity of vegetation increases over any considerable area, the 

 average rain-fall increases also. To increase the vegetation without surface 

 water in advance, it is necessary to plant varieties which will seek water at 

 considerable depth. Deep-rooted forest trees will do this, bringing up the 

 water from below and giving it off by evaporation to charge the atmosphere 

 with moisture. We believe the states should follow the example of the cen- 

 tral government, and make timber culture a basis for the sale of state lands 

 to actual settlers. Texas has a vast area which she is trying to use for the 

 best interests of her school population. To secure the greatest good to the 

 greatest number, she should adopt some policy which will force an actual 

 occupation of land by owners, requiring at the same time a certain acreage 

 to be planted in fruit or forest trees, and allowing successful culture for a 

 series of years to offset a portion of the purchase price. 



At the present time immigration is pouring into the whole plains region, 

 and it behooves each state concerned to aid the material advancement of her 

 would-be citizens by all means in her power. 



Tree planting is no blind experiment. It has been tried, and to-day the 

 green groves springing up all over the prairies of Dakota, Kansas and Ne- 

 braska may furnish brilliant examples of its success. The farmers of these 

 sections are but proving the wisdom and foresight which brought forth the 

 national timber claim and homestead act, and labored so faithfully to secure 

 to holders in fee-simple the actual possession of the public lands. 



We believe the time is ripe for concert of action between the friends of 

 agriculture and horticulture; and, in closing, may we not urge that each 

 and every one interested shall do his utmost to advance the common cause ? 

 Let us use all means in our power for the education of those whom we seek 

 to assist, urging, always, the importance of economy in both time and labor, 

 and we mayreach results which will startle modern agriculture out of her 

 apathy, and link her fortunes still more closely with those of her horticul- 

 tural offspring. 

 10 



