Show IRRIGATION IN W WEST ST Already Aheady Done Great Deal for Development Development Development De De- of Country Lands Now Utilized for Pasturage If Planted to Wheat at Present Average Average Aver Aver- age Would Produce More Than Double Crop Irrigation has done much for the De Development development de- de of the far west and will do much more but irrigated lands whether er reclaimed by private enterprise or by the government whether yielding a profit to the tho investor or sold by the government at the bare cost of reclamation reclamation reclamation mation are expensive although well worth the expenditure of any reasonable reasonable reasonable reason reason- able price Furthermore the area that can bo ho reclaimed by Irrigation in the west is limited as compared with the mighty expense of this vast ast territory When we shall have well irrigated 50 acres we shall have performed the most prodigious task ever accomplished accomplished plashed by man in agricultural devel- devel ment writes F. F W. W Mondell Mandell in Field and Farm On Oft the other hand the lands In private private vate ownership and on the public domain domain domain do do- main between the ninety-eighth ninety meridian merl meri dian dlan and the coast range now utilized only for tor pasturage purposes which purposes which will ultimately yield profitable crops by proper methods of cultivation far cultivation far exceeds the area that can eventually be Irrigated and he Is a bold man indeed indeed indeed in in- deed who would limit th the area of successful successful successful suc suc- dry farming yet to be undertaken undertaken undertaken under under- taken to acres Planted to wheat at the present average yield throughout the country these lands would produce more than double our present annual wheat crops Some say that this Increase In our supply of breadstuffs in wheat and andrye rye rye for for rye will yield well with less moisture than any other cereal cereal must must be at the expense of our beef and mutton mutton mutton mut mut- ton supply a considerable part of which now comes from the lands lands- lands beIng be Ing and and to be occupied by dry farm ers Those who argue thus have taken taken ta ta- ta ken but a superficial l view of the situ situ- When the dry farmer has cultivated cultivated cultivated all the lands In the I termon- termon west that will successfully grow crops without irrigation there will still remain millions of acres acre of grazing lands and for each acre that the dry farmer takes from the open range he will produce in cheap forage in addition addition addi addi- tion to his grain much more in feedIng feeding feeding feed feed- ing value than the sparse grasses this land formerly produced Our methods will gradually change The largo herds and flocks will be bemore bemore bemore more or less leBs divided depending upon local conditions Winter grazing with Its losses and dangers will be abandoned abandoned abandoned aban aban- for winter feeding and the aggregate aggregate aggregate ag ag- ag- ag of beef and mutton will not be diminished but Increased In conclusion conclusion conclusion sion lest I be put down as an unreasoning unreasoning unreasoning optimist and dreamer let me add a word of caution Because a wide range of crops can be profitably ly grown on the tho right kind kl d ion with proper tillage with jit limited ll d amount mount of moisture mois- mois ture re del deliver nt lin t in n th the usual way ivay It itI I does d es not follow follow that all classes class of crops cops can ti b be lie grown on grown wn on any any s rl fJ Jari with moisture to speak tan with ito not noti t 1 J e abne a do i Se i i. I ther 1 i K a r u there Ui J M fa r ar pome i ome m J p gi the southwest s where r the P prevalence v n e pt op P. P i winds render farming uncertain and precarious except with liberal supplies of moisture |