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Show AGRICt'LTlRAL LANDS Irrigation ami lleclamatlo . Editors Herald I heartily concur wish the views expressed ex-pressed in an editorial which appeared in your iue of the "2Stli inst., headed, "Why have we nnt more money ?" The suhiect of agriculture in (his Territory is on account of tho vast influx in-flux of population consequent upon the ' development of its mineral resources becoming of daily increased importance. import-ance. To neglect or lose sicht of that first element in political economy i simply suicidal in any community. I, , for one, fully realize the axiom thai "lahor is wealth;" tirst , in agriculture; second, in manufactures; and third, in pursuit of puch other occupations as , are of honeGt to society and necessary concommitants to a state of civiliza- lion; and that tha true and proper channel fur the investment of capital is in the promotion of home industries. indus-tries. As you justly observe, the supply oi bread stuffs, vegetables and fruir is not equal to the demand; and the question ques-tion therefore naturally arises, why is this ? My reply is, that it is not from want of industry on the part of producers, pro-ducers, but owinfl to natural and physical phy-sical difficulties by which our farming population are surrounded. Tho iirst of these that presents itself to my mind is drouth. Experience has demonstrated de-monstrated that most of tho valley lands in the Territory are rich in soil, and adapted when artificial means are employed, for cultivation of the highest high-est order. Nature in its wisdom has not chosen evenly to divide the supply of water, but has furnished an ample quantity in the a l-i; rebate, leaving it to the ineunily and industry of man to draw from its varied sources of supply. The husbandmen of the past uud present day alike have toiled under peculiar pe-culiar disadvantages, vexations and disappointments; dis-appointments; and it is not to be won-1 dcred at if some few of the number j have, in despair, neglected following the plow ibr the (to all appearances) more promising and alluring bait comprised com-prised in the hidden treasure secreted under the surface of the ground, and seemingly only awaiting the application applica-tion of the pick and shovel to bring it to light. It is the duly of all who have the interest in-terest of the Territory at heart to aid by suggestions and active co-operation in bringing about plans by which the anxious, hard-working agriculturist may be, in at least some measure, relieved; re-lieved; and that he may not in future, as heretofore, be solely dependent upon the elements for water to moisten the roots of his parched and dried up crops. The subject of iirijiaiiou is by no means a new one among the residents of Utah; indeed, i may say it has been well digested; for many plans have been formed and operations commenced. com-menced. Acts of the legislature have also been passed, granting certain privileges priv-ileges to private associations nnd cor-Dorate cor-Dorate bodies desirous of embarkiog in the enterprise; but up to the present time nothing effectual has been done. Want of capital sccm.i to have been the main obstacle in the way of earry-nur earry-nur out these great and important designs, de-signs, whieli are daily and hourly becoming be-coming more and mre essential to the present and future welfare of the present pres-ent community and its descendants. Surely, Mr. Kditor, if so much foreign capital can be (.as is now the case) drawn into the Territory Terri-tory for investment in mining interests, when the speculation is so great, a proportionate amount from the fame sources could, by using proper influences and representations, je obtained l'or a more tangible and permanent security. Ln the history oi' all countries where systems of irrigation irriga-tion and reclamation of lands have been adopted, I have never road of a single failure, hut on the contrary, the most successful results have invariably followed both in utilitarian and linan-eial linan-eial points of view. The present high prices of bread-ntuli's, bread-ntuli's, provisions, vegetables and fruits consequent upon non-production at home, involving as it does the neces sity of impoitation from abroad, is a terrible tax upou tho public generally, business centres and the mimng interests. inter-ests. All this difficulty, I contend, may be obviated by the adoption of proper measures; indeed the aspect of affairs may be entirely changed and the citizens of Utah be large exporters export-ers (instead of, as now, importers) of the necessaries ot life. As a stroke of financial policy you aud your readers will not fail to sec the bearing and importance im-portance of such an attitude for the Territory or future State to assume. There aro hundreds of thousands of acres of land now lying waste in different dif-ferent valleys, which to all outward appearances ap-pearances are utterly worthless; but at a comparatively moderato outlay these vast desert and salt lands can be brought into such a stato of cultivation as to equal any soil on the surtace of tho globe; and when such arrangemenus arc perfected, which 1 hope in part at least to see in my day and generation, Utah will bo tho pride and ornament of tho sister States; tho great agricultural agricul-tural distriot and granary between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada; Ne-vada; demonstrating beyond doubt the power of man to make tho "desert blossom as the rose." 1 purpose, with your permission, to enter more largely upon this most important im-portant subject in a luturo letter; aud in the meantime beg to say, that plans are now under consideration to form a oasis of action in regard to carrying into e fleet measures having for their objccLs the irrigation of sterile or desert des-ert lands. In the meantime, jou will confer a lavor if you will invite correspondence from your numerous readers containing contain-ing suyge.-tions on this very important subject. AiHUOt LTUillSl'. |