IRRIGATION IN IDAHO. 



(Extracts from a recently issued Bulletin.) 



A recent bulletin issued by the census office on agriculture in 

 Idaho, shows very conclusively that irrigation has done much for the 

 farmers of that state. Not only has it aided in increasing the area of 

 farming land', but it has multiplied the value of such land, and brought 

 about an enormous increase in the agricultural production of the state. 

 The following quotations are made from the bulletin: 



"The greater part of Idaho lies well within the arid region, but a 

 narrow prolongation in the northern part of the state, adjacent to 

 Canada, extends into a comparatively humid region. The nonirri- 

 gated counties of Idaho, including Latah, Nez Perce, Idaho, Shoshone 

 and Kootenai, reported 52.8 per cent of the cereal 'acreage of the state 

 in 1899, and 56.9 per cent of the total production. These counties con- 

 tained 83.3 per cent of the acreage in barley, 53.3 per cent of that in 

 wheat, 40.9 per cent of that in corn, 36.6 per cent of that in oats, and 

 12.4 per cent of that in rye. They produced 85.8 per cent of the bar- 

 ley crop, 59 per cent of the wheat, 40.7 per cent of the corn, 38.2 per 

 cent of the oats and 20.4 per cent of the rye. 



"The Snake River Valley is described as a broad, lava-covered 

 plain, dusty and with a dense growth of sage brush and similar woody 

 shrubs. The surface of the lava flow in most places is covered to a 

 considerable depth by an alluvial deposit of silt and gravel brought 

 down from the neighboring mountains. This, in turn, is covered by a 

 soil of volcanic origin, which, when irrigated, possesses wonderful fer 

 tility. In the great central portion are vast lava fields, some portions 

 of which are covered by a thin sandy soil, which, like most of the soi 1 

 of the arid regions, is highly productive when watered. This central 

 region is used chiefly as a winter range for sheep and cattle. 



"Of the 53,945.600 acres of land surface in Idaho, 3,204,903 acres 

 or 5.9 per cent were included in farms in-1900, and only 1,413,118 acres 

 or 2.6 per cent were improved. Of the improved land, 1,385,596 acres 

 are located outside of the Indian reservations. The irrigated land has 

 an area of 602,568 acres. 



"Within the ten years from 1890 to 1900 the investments in irriga- 

 tion canals and ditches increased from $1,029,000 to $4,168,252, or 30.5 

 per cent. There were 36 canals involving a constructive expense of 

 $947,975, which distributed no water in 1899. Three canals, which had 

 involved an outlay of $480,000, were failures by reason of mismanage- 

 ment. The area under the ditches not operated, which ultimately will 



