THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN AMERICA. 



75 



tendency ought to be just the reverse in the Salt 

 River Valley. A scheme of industry could be 

 devised which would make farming on ten acres 

 extremely profitable in this locality. We hope to see 

 some practical experiment along this line. 



Windmill The coming season will undoubtedly 

 Irrigation. gee a ra pjd development in the way of 

 independent windmill plants for the irrigating of 

 small farms, or for small portions of the 160-acre 

 homesteads. With ten acres irrigated, the owner of 

 160 need never have the fear of starvation before his 

 eyes. He can be absolutely sure of a living for him- 

 self and family, if that portion of the property be 

 well cultivated. If, then, the products of the balance 

 of the farm can be practically a clear profit, even 

 though there may be years when little is realized, it 

 will average as well as other branches of business, 

 for few of them are continuously successful. There 

 is, too, the distinctive advantage of owning the irri- 

 gating plant, being independent of company exac- 

 tions and charges. It will serve as a balance-wheel, 

 regulating the larger enterprises by the competition 

 it affords. 



Electric However startling the suggestion, it is 

 Farming. q uite certa j n tna t the substitution of 

 electric energy for human and animal muscle is near- 

 ing actual accomplishment very rapidly. All the ele- 

 ments of its practical employment are in existence; 

 it is only the adaptation of the proper generators, 

 motors and conveyors to the work that is to be 

 done. All of these are successful in hundreds of 

 practical applications; there is no good reason why 

 this wondrous force shall not be utilized to drive the 

 plow and cultivator, the thresher and the grinding 

 mill. It appeals with special force to the farmers 

 under irrigation, as in the natural order, the diver- 

 sion of water sources, and its control in canal and 

 pipes, is almost universally accompanied by the op- 

 portunity to employ either its weight or velocity for 

 the creation of motive power. 



A German invention has mastered one 

 , , ,...-, . . - 



ot the most difficult problems, that or 



conveying the current, or handling the 

 trolley in the open field. A chain is stretched across 

 the field and securely anchored at either end. The 

 anchors are light and easily moved. The chain 

 passes around the shaft of the motor, and the plows 

 are drawn steadily and rapidly from side to side. The 

 cables conveying the electricity are mounted on light 

 rollers, which readily follow the direction and move- 

 ment of the plow, so that friction and wear are almost 

 wholly avoided. The plows are "double-enders.'' 

 Two have been "built and put in operation. The one 



An 

 trie 

 plow - 



cuts two furrows a total width of twenty-four inches, 

 and a depth of nine and one-half inches; the other 

 is a four-plow machine. Both worked equally well. 

 The field was about 200 metres, or 650 feet, across. 

 The power necessary was about eight-horse for the 

 smaller plow, although a twelve-horse portable en- 

 gine was employed to drive the dynamo. For the 

 larger plow a sixteen-horse-power engine was used. 

 At a speed for the plow of only four miles an hour, 

 its capacity would be about an acre an hour. The 

 cost in the experiment at Halle was found to be less 

 than one-half that of animal power. When the power 

 shall be supplied by falling water in the canals near 

 at hand, the advantage will be still greater in favor 

 of electricity. 



Gauging The Wends of irrigation have made a 



the 

 Streams. 



strong effort to induce Congress to make 



an adequate appropriation for the gaug- 

 ing of streams in the arid region. The amount origi- 

 nally provided was only $12,500. This sum is ridic- 

 ulously inadequate to the needs of the country. The 

 effort was directed in favor of amending the proposi- 

 tion to make it $50,000. The lesson that we have 

 learned in dealing with Congress, is that the States 

 must help themselves as far as they possibly can. 

 The time will come when the nation will give-us lib- 

 eral appropriations, but this cannot be until the na- 

 tional aspect of irrigation is thoroughly understood. 

 Perhaps we shall reach this point very soon, but it 

 may take years. Irrigation is the fundamental inter- 

 est of our arid States. To know the extent and char- 

 acter of the water supply is a consideration of first 

 and last importance. Our States owe it to themselves 

 to expend their own money and effort in this direc- 

 tion, while neglecting no opportunity to induce the 

 nation to perform its duty. 



Allied Everywhere throughout the arid region, 

 Industries. j t j s encouraging to note the growing in- 

 timate relation between the stock raiser and the irri- 

 gator. Indeed, the stock raiser is becoming the 

 irrigator, and the more prudent ones are providing 

 liberally in the way of winter feed. It is most notice- 

 able in the growing of alfalfa, which is being under- 

 taken everywhere, and, by its use, the stock can be 

 taken through the winter with much less loss and in 

 a condition which gives a great advantage in a better 

 growth the following season. It finds expression the 

 other way. The irrigator is becoming the stock 

 raiser, and although the herd may be small, it may be 

 so choice that the profit from it is proportionately 

 very much greater. The irrigated farm of forty acres 

 can grow quite a little herd of fine stock, and the 

 profits from it will probably be as great as from any 

 staple crop raised for the market. 



