IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE GREAT BASIN 
13 
The crops grown on the irrigated lands of the Great Basin include 
hay, grain, and potatoes in the more elevated and colder valleys, 
alfalfa, grain, corn, fruit, and canning vegetables on the bulk of the 
arable lands, and in the southern parts of both Nevada and Utah 
such crops as almonds, walnuts, and figs are successfully raised. The 
principal crops raised in Utah and the quantities of each produced 
during the census year in each decade since 1850 are given in Table 2. 5 
Table 2.- 
-Production of ivhcat, oats, com, barley, potatoes, hay, and sugar beets 
in Utah during the census years from 1850 to 1920 1 
Year 
Wheat 
Oats 
Corn 
Barley 
Potatoes 
Hay 
Sugar beets 
1850 
Bushels 
107, 702 
384, 892 
558, 473 
1, 169, 199 
1, 515, 465 
3, 413, 470 
3, 943, 910 
4, 100, 979 
Bushels 
10, 900 
63,211 
65, 650 
418, 082 
597, 947 
1, 436, 225 
3, 221, 289 
1, 724, 392 
Bushels 
9,899 
90, 482 
95, 557 
163, 342 
84, 760 
250, 020 
169, 688 
265, 361 
Bushels 
1,799 
9,976 
49, 117 
217, 140 
163, 328 
252, 140 
891,471 
365, 186 
Bushels 
43, 968 
141,001 
323, 645 
573, 595 
519, 497 
1, 483, 570 
2, 409, 093 
1, 648, 400 
Tons 
4,805 
19, 235 
27, 305 
92, 735 
301, 901 
850, 9C2 
1,015,913 
1, 031, 609 
Tons 
1860 . 
1870 
1880. . 
1890- 
1900- 
85, 914 
1910 
413, 946 
1920 
930, 427 
i Formerly nearly 100 per cent and in 1920 about 67 per cent of these products were grown in the Great 
Basin. 
According to the crop census report of 1919, the acreage devoted 
to various crops and the quantity of each produced in Nevada are 
given in Table 3. 
Table 3. — Acreage, yield, and value of principal crops grown on irrigated land 
in Nevada and comparisons with totals for the State, 1919 
Crop 
Acres 
Percent- 
age of 
total 
for State 
Quantity 
har- ., 
vested" 
Value 
Cereals: 
Winter wheat.. ... ._ 
2,921 
17,062 
2,501 
5,156 
112, 166 
4,229 
14, 059 
487 
29, 114 
706 
5,564 
134, 389 
2,823 
83.9 
92.2 
84.1 
92.1 
95.7 
94.8 
95.8 
62.7 
95.3 
91.2 
79.0 
75.8 
77.6 
Bushels 
60, 220 
377, 248 
64, 873 
138, 793 
Tons 
318,906 
4,855 
19, 351 
768 
31, 306 
545 
6,272 
122, 146 
Bushels 
410, 001 
$138, 506 
857, 670 
74, 604 
Spring wheat -. 
Oats 
Barley... .. 
242, 888 
Hay and forage: 
Alfalfa 
0, 537, 573 
111,665 
Timothy alone . .. 
Timothy and clover mixed . ... 
445, 073 
Clover alone . 
16, 896 
Other tame grasses ... 
641, 773 
Annual legumes cut for hay . 
9,810 
Small grains cut for hay .. .. 
116,032 
Wild, salt, or prairie grasses. .. 
2, 259, 701 
Vegetables: 
Potatoes.. . .. 
918, 402 
THE RELATION OF IRRIGATION WATER TO CROP PRODUCTION 
The extent of arable land in the Basin is estimated as equal to 
that of Iowa, and the soil on the whole is rich in plant food and 
easily worked; but the rainfall is so light that the greater part is 
well-nigh worthless without irrigation, and dry farming is confined 
to a few favored localities where the precipitation is above the aver- 
age and the soil is deep and retentive of moisture. The improved 
B Circular No. 44, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station. 
