442 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



September 



The temperature of the artesian water 

 is about 72 F., and advantage is taken 

 of this by numerous irrigators on Terra 

 Ceia island. The artesian flow is turned 

 on the north side of the cucumber fields, 

 and has been found to protect them from 

 frost for some distance. 



GENERAL STATISTICS. 



Among the humid states where irri- 

 gation is practiced for general crops, 

 Florida continues to hold first place in 

 the number of irrigators, amount in- 

 vested in irrigation systems, acreage irri- 

 gated, and total value and average value 

 per acre of irrigated crops. 



In 1902 irrigation was reported from 

 405 farms, the irrigated area being 3,772 

 acres and the irrigation systems rep- 

 resenting a constructive outlay of 

 $512,859. The total artificially watered 

 area producing crops was 3,313 acres 

 and the value of the crops grown thereon 

 was $1,432,530, an average of $432 

 per acre. The irrigation systems cost 

 $446,569, an average of $135 per acre. 

 There were 56 farms, having an irri- 

 gated area of 459 acres, which did not 

 produce crops in 1902, the land being 

 in young orange trees. The cost of con- 

 structing irrigation systems supplying 

 these farms was $66,290. There were 

 also reported 25 irrigation plants, costing 

 $26,658, that were not operated in 1902. 



The highest average value per acre 

 of irrigated products is reported from 

 Manatee county, the irrigation being 

 by windmill, steam pump, and hydraulic 

 ram. One of these systems is employed 

 in the irrigation to two acres of pot 



plants and nursery stock, which are 

 sold mainly to owners of conservatories 

 in the North. The value of the pro- 

 ducts in 1902 is reported as $30,000, or 

 $15,000 per acre. 



The lowest average first cost of irri- 

 gation per acre is reported from Saint 

 John county. This is partly due to the 

 large volume of the wells and to the 

 simple methods employed in applying 

 the water to potatoes, the principal crop 

 irrigated. The comparatively high 

 average first cost of irrigation in Orange 

 county is due to the expensive system 

 of tiling employed in applying the 

 water and draining the land. In Man- 

 atee county, where the system of tiling 

 for irrigation and drainage is also very 

 complete, the wells have a stronger flow 

 and greater pressure, and supply larger 

 areas, thus reducing the initial outlay 

 per acre for irrigation. 



In view of the very large increase in 

 the use of irrigation in the cultivation 

 of general crops and the success which 

 seems to have uniformly followed its 

 application, a very much greater de- 

 velopment in the trucking industry is 

 to be expected. 



In nearly every section of the state 

 possessing favorable transportation fa- 

 cilities, the first experiments with irri- 

 gated truck have resulted in a steady 

 increase in the acreage thus cultivated. 



The information contained in the fore- 

 going article is contained in a report 

 prepared by Clarence J. Blanchard for 

 the Census Bureau, and is based upon 

 information obtained by correspondence 

 and work in the field. 



THE HOMEMAKER OR THE SPECULATOR? 



A STRONG NOTE OF WARNING ON THE DIS- 

 POSAL OF THE REMAINING PUBLIC LANDS. 



BY 



WILLIAM E. SMYTHE. 



SHALL the nation's great domain of used to furnish security and happiness 



western arid lands and the nation's for millions of men, women, and chil- 



money be used to enrich a comparatively dren ? 



few greedy individuals, or shall they be Uncle Sam is still rich enough to give 



