began irrigating in the spring of 1891 and has increased his acreage every year since then, He is an enthusiast in regard to the prospects of the South Platte valley. One of his ideas is that the state of Nebraska should offer a prize for the best planned and operated 20-acre irrigated farm.

John Kortz settled on table land but was obliged to abandon it and locate in the valley. He has a few acres irrigated by a windmill and grows plenty of garden. truck for home use. This spring Mr. Kortz planted a nice orchard. Part of Mr. Kortz's land lies under the canal described below.

The Miller and Warren ditch starts about seven miles west of Big Springs, is seven miles long and covers about 4,000 acres of land. The ditch is sixteen feet

wide at the bottom and two feet of water at the head. It is practically completed and water will be turned in by the time this appears in print.

George Warren, an old settler and one of the owners of the ditch, has a nice farm and will irrigate it from the ditch. The land of R. Beach is also under the ditch. He has a promising crop waiting for the water. Mr. Miller, also a stockholder in the ditch company, has a large body of land under the canal.

Abbott and Kimball have a fine stock ranch on which is a grove of trees grown by means of pump irrigation. They are large stockholders in the new ditch and are the most enterprising business men of Big Springs.

Big Springs is a growing and thrifty town of 200 inhabitants, with a church, school, stores, hotels, livery and other industries.

THE CONGRESS REPORT AGAIN.

I notice in the May number of THE IRRIGATION AGE a letter from Fred L. Alles, ex-secretary of the Irrigation Congress, in regard to the reports of the fourth congress held in Albuquerque last September.

It is due the members of the Fourth National Irrigation Congress that an explanation be made as to why this report has not been sent out. The local committee and the territorial committee each had a fund to draw on. The local committee had the funds subscribed by the city of Albuquerque, and the Territorial Commit

tee had the $2,500 appropriated by our Legislature. The Territorial committee in the division of work and expenses agreed upon between the two committees, were to publish the reports. I have had many letters asking for these reports, which I have referred to Col. Max Frost, president of the Territorial committee, Santa Fe. Some two months ago Col. Frost wrote me that 500 copies would be ready for distribution in "a few days," since which time I have heard nothing. I think if those wishing these reports will write Col. Frost, he will accommodate them with a copy.

I make this explanation because I feel it due to our own people, who responded so nobly to the Committee's call for money and help to entertain the Fourth National Irrigation Congress, that no false or erroneous ideas get abroad as to why these reports are not out.

I may say that the death of Hon. Walter C. Hadley, secretary and treasurer of the Territorial committee has no doubt delayed an earlier issue of the report.

J. E. SAINT,

Phoenix wants a packing house with ample cold storage.

The Highland canal has had plenty of water this year, and farmers under it are jubilant over their flattering prospects.

The 700-foot tunnel on the Rio Verde canal is completed, so that the twenty miles of canal already finished can be utilized.

The proposed Hudson reservoir will have a capacity of 900,000 acre-feet of water. Some of it is needed now; all of it will be needed in the future.

The strawberry growers around Phoenix have entered into an arrangement by which all fruit is placed in the hands of a single merchant, thereby controlling and regu lating the price. The berries are of superior quality; it is claimed they are much finer than California fruit.

A bill has recently passed Congress, and has become a law, under which university and school lands of Arizona may be leased under such rules and regulations as may

part of the Azusa water company to raise the price of water during the coming season. There is a decided tendency all through Southern California to increase the water rates.

Ontario claims to have produced the biggest, heaviest, juiciest lemon ever grown between the north and south poles of this hemisphere. It weighs twenty-one ounces and its two measurements are 14 and 133 inches respectively. Redlands denies, and claims one bigger by four ounces.

Large orders, covering practically the entire season's crops, have been received by the Los Nietos Walnut Growers' Association. The success of the association has been gained by organization and the World's Fair exhibit, which created a demand for the California product.

A. R. Smiley, of Redlands, offers $200

in five prizes to the persons in that city

who shall maintain the neatest and handsomest grounds during the coming year. The object is to encourage the planting of ornamental trees and shrubs, and thus add to the attractiveness of the place.

COLORADO.

Some of the leading potato growers in Weld county have been getting in new potato seed of improved varieties.

There is a twenty-five per cent increase in the grain area of the San Luis valley, and of 100 per cent in alfalfa this year.

An ice gorge in the Rio Grande carried away five bridges, and the Riverside railroad bridge was saved by the use of dynamite.

The acreage of trees planted in the Grand valley is greater than ever before this year, and the stock has been better selected and of better quality.

State Engineer Sumner has issued a letter of instructions and advice to users of irrigation waters, in view of an expected scarcity the present season. The snowfall has been light in the mountains.

IDAHO.

The Galloway ditch, near Weiser, is being enlarged to add to its capacity for this year.

The Statesman is advocating the organization of a state fair association and, of course, wants it located at Boise.

An active fight is in progress between the American Falls Canal and Power Company and the People's Canal Company for the control of the lands available for irrigation near the American Falls. The state appears to side with the first-named company, and the Interior Department in its rulings favors the state.

Work on the canal of the Lewiston Water and Power Company is progressing rapidly and it is expected that water for irrigation will be turned in early in June. The ditch begins six miles above Asotin in Washington and takes water from Asotin Creek. There is an immense amount of flume construction involving the use of hundreds of thousands of feet of good Oregon fir lumber. This is one of the largest enterprises being carried on in Idaho at the present time. E. H. Libby is president and C. C. Van Arsdol, chief engineer.

KANSAS.

The "Populist" weed hoe is a new invention intended to save a man from backache a great invention.

Alfalfa seed has been so scarce and the price so high, at Garden City, as to interfere with the planting which was intended.

The Wichita Eagle says "Possibly this is a year in Kansas when the calamity howl will have to be postponed on account of rain."

The creamery at Harper is now using 80,000 pounds of milk a day and its payments to the farmers foot up $1,000 monthly.

Six inches of water fell in less than a quarter of an hour in Dickinson county recently. It is hardly necessary to add that it gave the ground a thorough wetting.

The Garden City section was visited by a thirty-six-hour rain with a precipitation between three and four inches, wetting the ground deeply so that the prospects for a good crop were never better.

A co-operative congress, for the purpose of uniting the various co operative enterprises of the state into one body for educational, social and business advancement, was held at Topeka, April, 9, 10, and 11, under the auspices of the State Farmers' Alliance. Many interesting papers were read, a state association was organized

electing C. B. Hoffman, Enterprise, chairman; O. B. Wharton, Emporia, secretarytreasurer; Alonzo Wardall, Topeka,

chairman of executive committee.

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The Kansas Immigration and Information Association, of which W. C. Edwards, secretary of state, is president, announce that their Kansas Souvenir" is now being printed, and will be ready for distribution soon. This will be one of the most valuable books about Kansas, relating as it does to everything of interest in the state. The articles will be from the pens of the most noted writers, among them:

Ex Senator John J. Ingalls, Governor Morrill, F. D. Coburn, secretary board of agriculture, Geo. T. Fairchild, president agricultural college, E. R. Moses, chairman national irrigation executive committee and many others. Every industry in the state will be fully and carefully treated. Copies can be obtained from W. C. Edwards, the secretary of state, Topeka.

NEBRASKA.

Nebraskans think they are marching to prosperity this year.

There are 9,000 acres planted to sugar beets this year and the industry is a growing one.

Senator W. R. Akers has been elected State engineer in place of R. B. Howell, who has resigned.

More than one

thousand applications for ditch privileges have been filed with the state board of irrigation.

Arbor day is not a dead letter in this state. Over a million trees were planted in its daylight hours. Liberal premiums were offered by societies and individuals for the largest planting.

The additional mileage of canals proposed under the new irrigation (Carey) law between April 4th and December 31st of last year, amounted to 2,113 miles, estimated to cost $6,209,285, and to cover 2,367,689 acres.

The Southeastern Nebraska G. A. R., Reunion will be held at Falls City, Neb., July 20-25, and a number of notable speakers are promised for this occasion. Wm. Reece, the secretary, has issued a general invitation to old soldiers and their friends.

The abundance of subterranean water this year is matter of general remark, and where the earth has been destitute of moisture to considerable depth during the past three years, water is now so near the surface as to appear in post-holes immediately they are bored.

The Nebraska Irrigation Fair at North Platte, October 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1896, promises to be one of the most important meetings ever held in the state. The officers and board of managers are all working very hard to make it a great success. Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show will exhibit at North Platte during the Fair.

It is expected that work will begin soon on the Great Eastern Canal which will cover a vast amount of land in Eastern Nebraska. The canal starts in Nance goes through Platte and Colfax counties and extends into Dodge county. H. E. Babcock, of Monroe, is the president of the company and very enthusiastic in regard to the matter.

NEW MEXICO.

One farmer in Mesilla valley is planting 150 acres to tomatoes.

The water company at Santa Fe is preparing its splendid farm lands near the government Indian school for a big acreage of Kaffir corn and sugar beets.

There was a snow-fall of unusal depth covering the Santa Fe section and northern New Mexico, about the middle of April, insuring full streams for irrigation and a prosperous season.

Santa Fe is congratulating itself that a bill has passed the United States senate granting the Fort Marcy reserve to the American Invalid Aid Society to be used for purposes of a national sanitarium for pulmonary sufferers.

The Santa Fe New Mexican is getting out an edition of 50,000 copies of a twenty page paper which will present the resources of the entire territory in a comprehensive way. Cheap immigration literature is in demand, and the publishers are promised a liberal patronage.

M. W. Mills reports a heavy fruit crop on his large orchards in the Red River valley. He has been supplying pretty much all of northern New Mexico with fruit for a number of years and is reaping

rich reward for his enterprise in setting orchards when nobody else had the courage.

For several months very careful prospecting has been going on to discover all the resources available to justify the construction of the railway between El Paso and White Oaks. The work has been very thoroughly done under the direction of Mr. Chas. B. Eddy. From the fact that purchases are being made and options closed for coal mines at Salado, and from other indications, it is believed the results are satisfactory and that the road will be built.

The contemplated International Dam at El Paso, Texas, which was referred to in our last issue, is causing some excitement among the residents of the Rio Grande Valley above El Paso, who are petitioning congress to consider the advisability of erecting the dam at some point higher up the river, whereby they, as well as the El Paso people, would be equally benefited. The matter will come before congress next session and is likely to attract considerable attention, not only to the International Dam itself, but also to the general question of government approprations for the erection of dams for the purpose of reclaiming arid lands.

UTAH.

More than 100 carloads of very fine cattle are being shipped out from the range south of Moab over the Rio Grande and Missouri Pacific roads.

There is a pronounced movement in the Cache Valley in the direction of establishing dairies, and a packing house at Logan is also under discussion.

The movement of stock cattle to Montana and the Dakotas will be greater this year than ever before. At least 200 carloads are to be moved from southern Utah to Butte. Shipments will commence about June 1.

The Rio Grande Western is surveying a branch line from Provo to Park City, which it is expected will be built this year. In all parts of the state new enterprises are taking root, and railway extensions are incident to them.

Among the bills passed near the close of the legislative session just closed was one providing for the organization of drainage

districts. It is along the line of the irrigation district laws of California, which have become so generally well known. The last were, however, copied after the drainage district laws of the same state, which had preceded them.

WASHINGTON.

The spring was very late.

Yakima valley suffered by severe injury to the fruit buds by spring frosts.

A new creamery is being established at Wenatchee, the first one in that region.

Many new settlers are going into the Entiat valley. Work has commenced on the Entiat Company's ditch, and several hundreds of acres will be planted this year of the reclaimed land.

Paul Schulze promises to rank among the embezzlers, as H. H. Holmes does among murderers. He had previously been credited with stealing $1,500,000 from the different enterprises with which he was associated, and now it appears that he got $600,000 more from a St. Paul syndicate.

The Columbian Portage company is proposing to cut present railway rates in two. but asking those who will be benefited by the reduction to take stock in the enterprise. It is wise to get the commitment before the building for the average citizen feels but little obligation to pay for that which he can get without.