Date of Award:

5-1947

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Applied Economics

Department name when degree awarded

Agricultural Economics

Committee Chair(s)

W. A. Thoruor

Committee

W. A. Thoruor

Abstract

The kinds of agricultural commodities grown in an area result largely from the physical, economic, and institutional setting of the area. Seldom does one factor alone determine the kind of production. The nature of the soil, the amount and the distribution of the precipitation, the topography of the area, and the length of the frost-free growing period are all important. Likewise, location with respect to markets and means of transportation is important, as are also the ownership of the land, the size of the farms, and the balance among the factors of production.

In Duchesne County the physical factors, location, and the presence of large areas of government-owned lands suggest that range livestock should be the dominant product of the area. However, because of settlement policies, many farms are too small for economic range livestock production, and are producing dairy products as the major source of income. A brief description of the factors influencing this development follows.

Investigations made under the direction of Brigham Young as early as 1861 showed that the Duchesne territory could be farmed only with difficulty. At that time it was thought that the physical resources were not favorable to intensive farming and were better adapted to range livestock production.

Prior to 1905, what is now Duchesne county was largely an Indian Reservation. Brigham Young, territorial governor and ex-officio Indian Agent, had proclaimed the Uinta Basin, of which Duchesne county is the western portion, as the home of the Indians living in that area as early as 1851. The Federal Government confirmed this proclamation and entered into a treaty with the Indians by which all lands, except the reservation, which was only a part of the Basin area, were ceded to the Government.

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