136 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



The land-grabbing Octopus in its desper- 

 Desecration ation over the probable defeat of its effort 

 of the Cross, to repeal the land laws, has desecrated 



the Christian Cross by announcing that 

 it will continue its xmholy fight under its protection. 

 The organ of the Octopus in its last number prints a 

 large picture of the Cross on its cover, flaunts it in the 

 face of its enemies and announces its intention of 

 following this holy emblem in its unholy crusade against 

 the rights and liberty of the American homeseeker. 

 Think of it ! The various interests that compose the 

 land-grabbing Octopus raising aloft the Cross of Christ, 

 and with sardonic hypocrisy announcing that it has en- 

 listed under this emblem as though its cause were a 

 righteous one and entitled to the protection of the 

 Deity. This is the limit of frenzied desperation and 

 points to the conviction that the Octopus realizes that 

 defeat is inevitable. 



The college department of the University 

 Wheat of Wyoming has just issued a very im- 



Growing' portant bulletin on wheat growing on the 

 in Wyoming. Laramie Plains. These plains are situ- 

 ated in southern Wyoming and cover one- 

 half of the area of Albany County. It is a plateau of 

 level land from 7,000 to 8,000 feet high and is sur- 

 rounded by two ridges of mountains. The irrigation 

 ditch from the Big and Little Laramie Eivers with 

 their tributaries cover a large area of irrigated land. 

 mostly along the streams, though the Pioneer Canal 

 alone irrigates some 20,000 acres of the higher bench 

 lands. 



Experiments show that crops grow well at these 

 altitudes when properly irrigated and cultivated. Corn 

 does not grow well on account of the short season in 

 these high altitudes, but wheat, oats and barley find a 

 most congenial environment. The San Luis Valley 

 produces large crops of excellent grain and supplies 

 several large flouring mills and keeps them in success- 

 ful operation. There are over 100 head of cattle and 

 about 1,000 sheep for every ranch in Wyoming, yet 

 most of the animal products used for food are of the 

 packing house variety. To show how little the State 

 has been developed and what great possibilities it pos- 

 sesses, it is stated that the value of the products raised 

 in the State which is fed to live stock amounts to less 

 than $1.00 per acre for all farming lands. Wherever 

 irrigation is used, wheat produces large yields. It is 

 necessary to irrigate wheat from two to four times, 

 depending on the season, but the crop never fails. 

 There is a large home market for wheat and the bi- 

 products of the mills. The average yield is about 

 twenty-five bushels per acre. 



The only serious wheat pest found in southern 

 Wyoming is smut, which is easily controlled by treating 

 the seed. There is no doubt that Wyoming will within 

 a very few years become one of the great wheat pro- 

 ducers of the arid States. 



A number of letters are printed in this 

 Want issue of THE IRRIGATION AGE from cor- 



to Buy respondents who are seeking machinery 



Thing's. and implements of various kinds for 



irrigation and drainage work. The at- 

 tention of manufacturers is called to these letters for 

 the purpose of impressing upon them the absolute 

 necessity of always keeping their business before the 

 public. We have received a great many more letters 

 during the past month, and they have been answered 

 by letter. The letters we print are taken at random 

 from the pile of correspondence received and show 

 that buyers are always seeking the advertising pages 

 of the journals devoted to the business in which they 

 are interested for the things they want to buy. Manu- 

 facturers who are keenly alive to their interests will 

 not neglect to keep their business always in the ad- 

 vertising pages of THE IRRIGATION AGE, because adver- 

 tising is like bread upon the waters it brings returns 

 some times when least expected. 



The International Miners' Association is 

 Miner's preparing to give a great carnival at El 



Carnival Paso at the time of the National Irriga- 

 at El Paso. tion Congress next November. The in- 

 tention is not to have the two conven- 

 tions at the same time, but one will follow the other 

 closely enough so that persons who are interested in 

 both may attend at the same time. It is believed that 

 this Miners' Carnival will be a great benefit as giving 

 irrigation delegates a good impression of the products 

 of the mines of the Southwest and that capital may be 

 interested in this industry which could not be reached 

 by any other method. It has been suggested that a 

 purse of $5,000 be offered for prizes in a drilling con- 

 test. There will also be displays of the work done by 

 diamond drills, the electric and compressed air drills 

 and all other forms of drilling. There will also be a 

 miners' parade with miners in full working costume 

 and an old-fashioned barbecue. There will be a great 

 exhibit of mining machinery as well as the actual 

 products of the mines. It is the intention to have the 

 great copper mines of that region make fine displays of 

 their ores and machinery, and large prizes will be 

 offered for the best displays in order to induce interest 

 in the carnival. 



In answer to several correspondents who have made 

 inquiries concerning the Iowa Drainage Convention 

 held at Ames in January, we refer them to Prof. W. N. 

 Stevenson, of the Agricultural College of Iowa, who 

 will doubtless be glad to send all information regarding 

 the convention that is requested. 



Send $1.00 for THE IRRIGATION AGE, one year. 



