7 
of August, September, and October favors the important process of 
curing on the ground. This enables thousands of cattle to live during 
the winter on the nutritious forage furnished by this method of curing 
the grasses which grow at this point” (Brannon). Such a climatic con- 
dition would soon destroy the ordinary cultivated grasses, but the native 
species have flourished under it for centuries, and there is no reason 
why they should not continue to do so and still yield plenty of forage, 
if properly handled. 
THE IRRIGATION PROBLEM. 
“The successful solution of the irrigation problem in the Dakotas 
would be of great value to the grazing as well as to the farming inter- 
ests. In North Dakota an abundance of good artesian water can be 
secured by boring from 90 to 260 feet at many places in the eastern part 
of the State, but in the middle and western portions the artesian sup- 
ply is to be found from 1,000 to 3,000 feet below the surface, and can 
not be certainly secured at even 3,000 feet in many places. There is 
considerable hope of irrigating successfully from surface wells from 30 
to 90 feet deep which afford a large supply of good water. These wells 
may be operated by windmills at small expense” (Brannon). One of 
the most serious difficulties in the way of successful irrigation is a lack 
of sufficient capital on the part of the farm owners to put down good 
wells, build ditches and reservoirs, and keep up other necessary expenses 
until the farm is placed upon a paying basis. Another trouble is the 
lack of proper experience in handling the water after it is ready to turn 
on the land. 
Experience has shown that many of the most valuable of the native 
grasses are very much benefited by a judicious application of even a 
small amount of water. As a rule there is sufficient rainfallto give the 
grasses a good start in the spring, and if enough water could be had 
to keep up a strong growth when the dry, hot summer weather comes 
on, an abundant forage crop would be assured. 
In South Dakota, flowing wells can be had at varying depths through- 
out the James Valley, a portion of the Missouri Valley and of the Big 
Stone Basin. That excellent crops can be grown under irrigation from 
these wells is being proved by the State experiment station on the 
Hunter farm at Mellette, as well as by many private individuals in 
various parts of the artesian regions. 
CONDITIONS IN THE ARTESIAN BASIN. 
The following, taken from Mr. Wileox's report, gives an aecount of 
the forage conditions in the artesian basin: 
On the 17th of August I left Brookings County and went west into the artesian 
basin of the James River Valley, stopping first at Iroquois. The country “rom 
Brookings to I isi lling irie. The principal grasses are Little Blue-stem, 
Big Blue-stem, Western Wheat-grass, Porcupine-grass, Switch-grass, Big Sand-grass, 
