The Chicago real estate dealer who had sold Mr. Janson his
land had not enlightened him on this fact, and so he had already lost
the best part of two years' work by failure of crops. Rupert Ames
learned of all this from Mr. Janson, and then he wondered why advantage
was not taken of the stream in the bottom of the valley for irrigation
purposes.
One day--it was near the end of the harvest, and they were pitting their
last potatoes--Rupert asked Mr. Janson if the adjoining lands could be
bought.
"Why, yes," was the reply. "I was offered nearly the whole valley for a
small sum, but I have all the land I care to handle. You see, this
region would be different if we could rely on the moisture, but we
can't, and I am nearly tired of it myself. Do you want to buy me out?"
This with a laugh.
"Can you raise money enough to buy this whole valley?" asked Rupert
seriously.
"Yes; I could get it."
"Then I am going to propose something to you."
Whereupon Rupert pointed out that the rich bench lands on each side of
the river could be brought under cultivation, and crops secured every
year by bringing the water from the stream in canals, and watering, or
irrigating them.
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