134 



THL IRRIGATION AGE. 



porary shelter securing comfort in a region 

 free from climatic hardships. 



The unconventional life of the home- 

 maker is no tax on his pocketbook, and in 

 the first season he has plowed and planted 

 his "40." 



During the remainder of the season 

 there will be ample time for the cultivation 

 of garden supplies and for general im- 

 provements on the farm. 



In the second season the first cutting of 

 alfalfa is secured, and as three cuttings 

 are possible in one season, which will ag- 

 gregate at least 3 tons per acre and sell in 

 the rick for from $8 to $10 per acre, it may 

 be readily seen that the irrigated farm is 

 a better money producer than the factory. 



Railroads and We have nowhere found a bet- 

 Irrigation, ter illustration of the recog- 

 nized value of irrigation than in the cele- 

 brated controversy between the Oregon 

 State Land Board and the two reclamation 

 companies operating in the Upper Des- 

 chutes valley. 



Without going into the merits of the 

 case, which hinges upon the issuance of 

 contracts by the State Land Board author- 

 izing reclamation proceedings under the 

 Carey arid land law to the Pilot Butte De- 

 velopment Co. and the Oregon Develop- 

 ment Co., we will draw our lesson from 

 the statement of President Lytle of the 

 Columbia Southern, one of the most im- 

 portant railway projects of the upper coast 

 country: 



President Lytle said if the development 

 companies should postpone the commence- 

 ment of their contracts in the Deschutes 

 country until next year it would be a seri- 

 ous matter for the proposed extension of 

 the Columbia Southern, and might have 

 the effect of carrying that over also. "One 

 of the chief factors considered in deciding 

 to push the railroad 100 miles farther into 

 the interior of the state was the prospect 

 of bringing large areas of arid land under 

 cultivation. 



"We must have all the development 

 agencies possible at work in that valley in 

 order to warrant the construction of. the 



road now," said he. "The resources of 

 that country are timber, mines and agri- 

 culture. But little development has been 

 reached in those fields, but we are confi- 

 dent that, with the proper agencies at work, 

 the country will soon yield tonnage that 

 will make it worth while for a railroad to 

 go there. We have counted a great deal 

 on those reclamation enterprises to draw 

 settlers and get the land to producing. I 

 regret exceedingly that the matter is in 

 Buch shape as it is, and I fear the effect of 

 this delay will be disastrous." 



Railroads and irrigation are interde- 

 pendent, but irrigation must come first. 



Montana With commendable fore- 

 Progress, thought the recently organized 

 Agricultural Association of Montana 

 makes National Irrigation its battle cry, 

 and proposes a vigorous campaign for the 

 development of Montana's wonderful re- 

 sources. 



From the resolutions adopted by the as- 

 sociation at Helena this stirring declara- 

 tion of principles is noteworthy: 



"Now we, the Montana State Agricul- 

 tural Association, do hereby declare, 'The 

 making of two blades of grais grow where 

 but one grew before' to be the cardinal ob- 

 ject of this organization. 



"That we recognize the magnitude and 

 possibilities of the agricultural resources 

 of this great state, and that our life's en- 

 deavor shall be the promotion of irrigation, 

 of home building, and of the turning of 

 Montana's broad prairies and primeval for- 

 ests into happy homes for the industrial 

 masses of our state and nation. 



"That it shall be our endeavor by the 

 promotion of laws, both state and national, 

 to turn the wage-earners of our land into 

 freeholders, homebuilders and homeown- 

 ers, thereby making room and profitable 

 employment for untold thousands who pre- 

 fer to remain in the ranks of labor; that 

 we call upon our representatives in con- 

 gress to use all honorable means in promo- 

 tion of government irrigation as recom- 

 mended by the National Irrigation Associ- 

 ation and every enterprise calculated to 

 multiply the agricultural industry of the 

 arid west; that we oppose all measures of 

 whatever kind and description looking to 

 the leasing of the government domain." 

 The election of W. M/ Wooldridge of 



