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Show to t Be Progress mmaumm m Devoted VOL. L &. Development o m -- - Agriculture in tfie Qreat Uintah Basi VEKNAL, UINTAH COUNTY, UTAH, JULY, 1924. The Livestock Industry of the Great Uintah Basin By JOHN T. CAINE, III, Livestock Specialist, Extension Division, U. A. C. The livestock industry has done more to build up Utah than any other business due to the fact that the major portion of money which is secured for agricultural products comes from this source. This livestock money unlike the money from mines or sugar is distributed into every hamlet within the borders of the state. Basin A Livestock Country. The great Uintah Basin district is particularly a livestock country for there are great areas of good range and feed such as hay is produced in abundance. Importance of Industry. run-oranges like depleted, run down soil, means poor citizenship and a poor community, but good ranges, well managed, like good, well managed soil, will mean high class citizenship, modern communities and a pleasant home life. Much of the success of the future inhabi-tanc- e of the Basin depends upon the methods used in handling both range Do not, just for and farm lands. a present gain of a small amount, endanger the success of your boys and girls who will be the next owners of your lands and the next lessee of your National forests. There should be a willingness to run just that number of livestock which will allow the range to produce to the fullest capacity and on the farms the fertility should be carefully handled and put back into the soil thus insuring good crops now and in the ut future. IV Value of the Industry. It is difficult to figure the exact return to tfye Basin from this industry but a guess at the sheep businessto $lone would be one and of one-ha- lf Sheep of Most Importance. The sheep business is of most importance to the section and is an industry that gives back much for When you what little is taken. are on most of the that sheep figure the range a good part of the year the true value of this industry is In the Basin a number of realized. breeders are attempting to breed up their flocks and this should be Careful selection the idea of all. both from the standpoint of wool production and mutton should be carried on and by this means the clip could be increased in quantity A definite and quality. project should be undertaken to find out just what grades and classes of wool are produced and what changes should or could be made to the advantage of the Bheepmen. Methods of handling sheep to increase atthethelamb crop running should be tried such of more rams, the flushing of the ewes with extra feed at breeding According to the best auth-ortie- s time. the sheep business seems sound an increase might be made in and our numbers without overdoing the business. Improvement in Dairy Stock. Dairying has made a healthy growth in the Basin during the last few years and provided marketing facilities can be maintained or improved the business should expand. The most striking improvement in the quality of livestock is found inThere Basin. the of cattle dairy are a number of good bulls to be found in the district and some good. establish-edpurebred herds are being , millions and dollars to the flock masters. Dairying should return several hundred thousand and the beef cattle even more which with the hog money would add up to a substantial sum. Carefully Husband Range. Enough livestock should be main talned to use all available range with the best grazing pracThe only way to harvest any tice. the vast range area of from crops the Basin is with livestock and this range should be carefully husbandGrow Own Dairy Cows. ed so that the present generation sane way for the Basin farmThe and generations to come will be in good pure- Depleted er to develop is to use sured of a good living. none mtum three-quarte- rs con-sista- nt NO. 7. Threatened Water Shortage Lessened by Cultivation By E. PETERSON, Uintah County Farm Agent. A serious water shortage is confronting a great many farming sections of the Uintah Basin and unless we get some heavy rains in the near future there will be a great Much of this many light crops. water shortage, however, could have been avoided by a little more cooperation and planning on the part of water users. The story of the ten virgins could well be applied to water users during a time of drouth were it not for the fact, that we very seldom To the have the five wise ones. writers mind there is nothing more gratifying than to give a creep a bred dairy bulls and grow his dairy cows. Put Beef on Lamb Basis At the present time it is difficult to say much about beef cattle though the future of the industry looks much better than it did a few Prices at the markets years back. are much higher than a year ago and the predictions are that the business is going to continue to get A determined effort should better. be made to cut production cost, improve quality, increase the calf crop, market younger, and sell by modern methods. It is being urged now by many practical range men that we put the cattle business on a which means to run lamb basis ojily cows and sell everything as In districts calves or yearlings. of all year range this should be Quality in beef carefully studied. counts more today than it ever did and care should be taken to run only high class pure bred bulls. Hogs are Local Problems. The hog business is more of a local problem and should be studied with the idea of at least growing enough pork for home consumption. A sow on every farm is the slogan and this is safe where by-prod- feeds can be secured. Basin Richer by Sane Policy The Uintah Basin will be richer by an adherence to a sane policy in the production of high class liveWith improvements in prostock. duction will come increased Income and an increased income will mean happier, more modern homes in which will be found more of the conveniences which lift the burden from the mothers back and give her time to enjoy some of the finer A better livestock things of life, business means better soil on which will be bulld'ed better homes, better churches and better schools, good irrigation Just when it is be- - ginning to suffer for moisture. Next to a farmers love for his children is his consideration for his livestock and his growing crops. Not alone does he consider the money value of his crops, but his close association with them has given him a love and consideration which he places beyond all cash values. Any father, worthy the name, would go to almost any extreme to keep his children from starving, or suffering, so it is not surprising to hear occasionally that a farmer, with all of his sympathies keenly developed, has gone to the extreme of taking a little water at night to relieve the suffering of his second considBut like the eration, his crops. unwise parent, who at the first indication of pain, rushes to the medicine chest and pours into the childs stomach the contents of the first bottle of patent medicine which suggests relief, the farmer at the first suggestion of drouth rushes to the canal for a little water, that cure all in the plant World. True, the child often gets temporary relief with but soon the pain increased violence and we often find,, when the doctor or wise nurse is called in, that what the child needed was a good systematic massage,, So it is change of diet and rest. with the farmers crops, drooping leaves are not always an indication that they must have water, very often what they needed is a good soil massage with a cultivator, equipped with all of the knives and diggers necessary to cut the weeds and re-occ- break the crust. The writer will not attempt, nor will time and space permit at this time, a detailed discussion of all of our irrigation problems. But it is hoped, that some definite action will be taken by the Uintah Basin Irrigation congress at Fort Duchesne which convenes during the time of.' the U. B. I C., July 29, 30 and 31. At this time it is planned to discuss, and take action on Buch subjects as: good canals and ditches, seepage, head-gatewater rotation, crop rotation, crop diversification to con- serve water, consolidation of water companies for efficiency, and many othqrs. An old Indian at Fort Duchesne the other day told the writer that his farm was spoiled by being too In spite of the much soaked. drouth, we may take a little consolation in the knowledge that a great many good farms in the Uintah Basin like a great many good men have too much been ruined by being soaked. s, - It Promotes We Should All Cooperate Because it Increases Efficiency. Good Feeling ; it Improves Quality; Creates Enthusiam and it Gets Results. N i; j: 4 y-j- 1 |