THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



239 



There were present over 220 real estate 

 men who have been helping to develope 

 the thousands of acres of fertile lands of 

 Louisiana and Texas. The agents have 

 decided to organize themselves into a reg- 

 ular organization to be known as the 

 "Land and Immigration Agents' Associa- 

 tion of the Southern Pacific Company." 

 George M. McKinney, of Chicago, was 

 chosen as president and John Howard, of 

 Houston Texas, as first vice president. 

 Fifteen other vice presidents were chosen. 

 Fred C. Pickert, Chicago, is secretary and 

 George Graybill, Shelby ville, 111., treas- 

 urer. 



Agriculture A recent census report on ag- 

 in Illinois. r i cu lture in Illinois shows that 

 the farms of Illinois June 1, 1900, num- 

 bered 264,151 and \rere valued at $1,765,- 

 581,550, 86 per cent, of which represents 

 the value of the land and implements 

 other than buildings. The total value of 

 farm property, including live stock and 

 machinery, was $2,004,316,897. The 

 value of farm product for 1899 exceeds 

 that for 1889 by 87 per cent. Cook 

 county, most of which is incorporated 

 within the limits of the city of Chicago, 

 is the second county in Illinois in the 

 value of its farm products. It contains 

 more farms than any other county in the 



State (2,827) and produces agricultural 

 products annually of the value of nearly 

 $7,000,000. Champaign county is the 

 only one that exceeds it in the value of 

 agricultural products. 



Mississippi The Morris bill for the pre- 



Forest Reserve. 8er vation of the timber at 

 the headwaters of the Mississippi has 

 passed the house, and has been favorably 

 reported in the senate by the conference 

 committee. The measure is the result of 

 years of disinterested agitation by Col. 

 John S. Cooper and others, who foresaw 

 the necessity of preserving the natural 

 reservoir at the head of the father of 

 waters. In the Chippewa reservations at 

 the source of the Mississippi, which com- 

 prise some 850,000 acres, there are ninety- 

 seven lakes and seven rivers. By the 

 terms of the Morris bill 95 per cent of the 

 pine timber on 250,000 acres of the land is 

 to be sold to pay the obligations of the 

 Chippewas to the government, and the 

 land is then to be set aside as a forest re- 

 serve under the care of the agricultural 

 department. Col. Cooper and his associ- 

 ates tried hard to get congress to set aside 

 the whole tract as a forest reserve, but 

 150,000 acres are allotted by the bill to 

 the Indians, and the remaining 500,000 

 are to be opened for settlement. 



