1905 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 517 



acquired an unusual amount of skill Most of the projects that are at a 

 and experience. The determination of distance from the centers of population 

 the farm unit must depend on the re- are in the midst of large stock ranges. 

 suits to be obtained by the average There is a ready sale for hay and feed, 

 farmer. The unit should be of such which during the first years of settle- 

 size that wasteful or slothful methods ment will probably be raised easier 

 of agriculture will not be encouraged, than any other crop. The tendency 

 but account should be taken of the will be to plant alfalfa. If the settler 

 capabilities of the men who are going is a good farmer, he may in the first 

 to settle upon these lands. In short, three years average six tons per acre 

 the size of the unit should result in the per year. If he has 35 acres in alfalfa 

 most advantageous development of the he will produce 210 tons per year, and 

 agricultural and industrial resources at $4 per ton will realize $840. The 

 of the country. cost of putting up this hay will certain- 

 The size of an irrigated farm de- ly be 50 cents per ton, or $105, and the 

 pends upon the crop which may be payment of his water right will be 

 grown upon it, which in turn are gov- $ I2 o. This will leave $615 to support 

 erned by the climate, soil, water sup- his family for a year, which may be 

 ply, transportation facilities, the char- considered ample, 

 acter of the surrounding country, and. The above results will be achieved 

 most important of all, upon the class of under the very best conditions. If the 

 farmers on the land. Forty acres of settler is not an experienced irrigator, 

 land properly handled are probably but is only an average man, his return 

 sufficient for the support of a family will not be near so great. The first 

 in any part of the West, provided the year he may not get all of the 35 acres 

 head of the famliy possesses the requi- seeded, or he may lose a part of his 

 site knowledge, skill, and industry to stand. For the first three years he 

 make the land produce its best crops may average only 3^2 tons on his 35 

 every year. The average American acres, which gives him a yield of 122^ 

 farmer, however, is apt to lack one of tons. From this he may realize $490 ; 

 these three requisites, particularly he must pay $62 for harvesting and 

 when entering a new country. He $120 for water right, and will have 

 must spend several years learning how left $308 to support his family. Had 

 to farm, and meanwhile he is obliged this man 80 acres of land, he would 

 to make a living from a kind of agri- have been able to put in a larger acre- 

 culture that is not so profitable as that age and with due diligence the income 

 he will pursue five years later. Fur- on this second 40 acres would have 

 thermore, to make 40 acres support a equalled that on his first 40 acres, giv- 

 family, the land must have been under ing him at the end of the year $600 for 

 cultivation several years and in the the support of his family, 

 best possible tilth. The feeding of hay to stock general- 

 Most of the reclamation projects are ly is more profitable than selling it. and 

 at considerable distance from centers this method has the advantage of re- 

 of population and established markets, turning to the land valuable plant food. 

 In such cases the farmer will find diffi- For this reason many farmers, when 

 culty in opening a new market for his selling hay, contract to feed it on their 

 products, and it is likely that during farms at the going price. The farmer 

 the first years of his residence he will who has only 40 acres loses this oppor- 

 receive minimum prices for his crops, tunity, as he has neither the quantity 

 As practically all the irrigation works of hay nor the room to make such an 

 will be completed by the time he com- undertaking successful, 

 mences to harvest his crops, there will Many intelligent farmers claim that 

 be no sale for hay and grain to con- a man cannot profitably rai-e stock on 

 tractors. from 32 to 35 acres of available land 



