OCR Text |
Show ASK II. S. TO fill I1IGJT1SC10L Senate and House of Idaho Memorialize Congress on the Subject. BY C. E. ARNEY. Special to Tho Tribune. BOISE. Idaho, Feb. 6. Probably few measures for consideration of the Idaho state legislature, In its cloventh session, will bo of moro far reaching Importance, should It accomplish tho end sought, than the Nlhari house Joint memorial No. i. It is as follows: "To the honorable, the senate and house of representatives of tho United Slates. In congress assembled: "Your memorialists, the senate and houso of representatives of tho state of Idaho, "Would respectfully represent and make known that the development of Irrigation Irriga-tion hns been very rapid in the west. I thero having been millions of acres added to our irrigation area during the past few years; "That tho settlement on these new lands has been almost wholly by people from the east who have practically no knowledge of Irrigation; that Irrigation farming is an Intricate science which requires re-quires considerable study; that the Inter-, OBts of tho millions of farmers In the irrigated ir-rigated portion of the west and of the west wholly demand that these settlers learn Irrigation farming In the shortest possible time. "Wherefore, your memorialists urgently petition thnt the government of tho United States provide moro liberally for education educa-tion on tho subject of Irrigation through the Irrigation branch of tho United States department of agriculture, and that at somo placo centrally located in the irrigation irri-gation belt a pormanent Institute bo established es-tablished nt which Instruction in the subject sub-ject of Irrigation and allied subjects be mado a. specialty and that said subject be taught to all those who deslro Instruction Instruc-tion therein." Phonomenal Growth. In our acrlcultural sections, the growth of Idaho has been phenomenal. Tho country population for tho past five years has far oxceeded tho city population In polnl of Increase. Especially Is this condition con-dition true in the arid section of the stnto whero Irrigation is a prerequisite. For the most part, indoed. more than 90 por cent of the new population Is utterly ut-terly devoid of a knowledge of Irrigation. Those familiar with It arc. almost to a man, versed only In the crudest phases of the science, for irrigation of tho beneficial bene-ficial order is indeed a science. There Is no higher rnto of intelligence anywhere In agricultural sections than with this new population In arid Idaho. They are men for tho most part young men possessed of fair education and a mental capacity to study and retain that which they see and hear about their business. Il was my privilege six years ago. just at tho beginning of the irrigation of the famous Twin Falls project, to ride over tho tract from Mllncr to Twin Falls with the congressional irrigation committee's party, of which Prof. F. H. Newell was a member. This was before the railroad had reached Twin Falls, hence our trip was mado by team, and the first year's work of the farmers could be the better studied at closo range. Irrigation ar a Science. I remember well the statement of Mr. Newel! as wo ncared the end of the trip. U was his statement that these hardworking hard-working men were using about twice tho amount of water necessary for. the perfect benefits of their crops nnd of their land. This Is but nn Incident, but It serves to Illustrate only one of the. minor points on 1 which tho successful Irrigation farmer should be duly advised. A year ago it was my privilege lo bo present in tho Boise Commercial club rooms whon tho Burloy potato excursion delegation was locturlng to tho farmers eBiPThjMj rooms, spacious though they are. were fJIIR insufficient in size to provido for the H Hi crowd. Aftor each address hands wero U IK up and tho most eager thirst for knowl- HjjG edge was exhibited, to an extent (ns will !W3jj bo remembered) that Mr. Gruhb was com- H 2 polled to break In on tho questioners. 11 JB stopping them, that tho regular pro- MiW gramme could bo carried out. I havo nfill heard dozens of Boise valley farmers since , IS gn express their disappointment that they 'Bij8j could not have heard the scientists preis- J;h cut elucidate certain points upon which f,H i thov wero eager for moro comprehensive gj |