PLAN No. 766. PROFIT FROM IRRIGATED LANDS
It is just a little difficult to tell the story of irrigated lands and not seem to be painting the picture too bright. The enormous crops that can be produced by intelligent use of the water are so large that it is hard to believe that so much value can be taken off an acre of ground. Alfalfa is perhaps the lowest in value per acre per year, and yet this same hay fed to cows and pigs and marketed as milk and hogs can be made to pay an annual return of from $125 to $250.
The well-conducted apple orchards produce from 250 to 500 boxes of apples per acre per year. The average of the good orchards is somewhere in between. These will run from 60 to 80 or 85 per cent fancy and extra fancy and that means a sale price at the orchard around $1 a box.