Stenographic report of proceedings of second an- 

 nual SESSION OF the TRANS-MISSOURI DRY FARM- 

 ING CONGRESS, HELD AT SALT LAKE CITY, 

 JANUARY 22-25, 1908. 



The Congress was called to order at 10 o'clock a. m., on Wednesday, 

 January 22, 1908, by Prof. B. C. Bnffiim, of the Wyoming State Agricultuural 

 College. 



PROF. BUFFUM (Presiding): Gentlemen, in behalf of your distin- 

 guished president — and it is very sad that he cannot occupy this place — I 

 now declare the second annual convention of the Trans-Missouri Dry 

 Farming Congress in session. 



It is your purpose, gentlemen of this convention, to deal with a problem 

 of most inestimable importance to the human race — the larger development 

 of the great agricultural area of arid America. This arid region is the 

 largest factor in the United States, and it is my firm belief that when it 

 is developed it will outweigh in wealth any other portion of humid America 

 — which we call East. One of the first factors among the big . broad 

 mountain states is the one which is in the center — Utah. (Applause.) 

 Here — in this very spot — in 1847, the hardy pioneer smote the rock and 

 let the waters of your own City Creek out onto these lands, giving birth 

 to modern irrigation. All honor to those people, and to that system which 

 reclaimed from the desert perhaps one acre in ten. But that reclamation 

 enabled them to build cities, make millions of happy homes and create 

 a vast amount of wealth. Now, gentlemen, I believe it is your duty to 

 treble, 3^ea, you will more than ciuadruple the number of acres which 

 will be brought under cultivation in this vast domain. Utah gained recog- 

 nition, which is distinguished, in the reclamation of arid land, and now 

 she has shown again her determination and her faith by making liberal 

 appropriations to further the interests of dry farming and to increase her 

 agricultural development. It is, therefore, indeed a high honor for me to 

 attempt to get my clumsy feet into the shoes of your distinguished presi- 

 dent, Mr. Fisher Harris, who has overcome obstacles — how .great none of 

 us may know — to make this meeting a success. 



It is my honor, gentlemen, to introduce to you this morning, the most 

 distinguished and favored citizen of this commonwealth, Honorable John C. 

 Cutler, Governor of Utah, who will be your temporary chairman, and who 

 will now address you. (Applause.) 



After the invocation by the Reverend P. A. Simpkin, Pastor of Phil- 

 lips Congregational Church, the Congress proceeded to its regular order 

 of business. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



(By Hon. John C. Cutler, Governor of Utah.) 



Mr. President, Members of the Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



In welcoming such a Congress as. this to Utah, I realize that I am 

 lielping celebrate an epoch-making event in the history of the State, of 



