Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-09-20

ia some respects foreign from the means Of
rcnoyatiug worn out soils yet, on investiga-
lion it will be found under favorable cir
eumstances one Of the most offectual means
to realize such purpose. Water is large
Element in every species Of vegetable growth.
Strictly speaking without water, to combine
ith the other elements Of vegetable life and
.ubstance there would be no vegetation
lut, while this is true, water, Of itself, may
u very little to the productive capacity
Of the soil. Its excess may convert arabic
.ands into swamps and juDgles. Yet, due
proportion of moisture in the soil, is essential
70 realizing any crop. In addition to its Of
ice as an essential element Of vegetable
rowth, its presence in the soil may ct decay
I'd vegetables and other alkaline substances
0r conversion into new vegetable develop
mouts and growth. But in irrigation there
an advantage in the actual addition to the
Oh Of fertilizing substances. 1t has been
1mputed that lands oyeraowed by the spring
roshets, receive of vegetable debris, deposit
ID from the water, what is equal to six tons
1f barnyard manure to the acre and what
Is more, this fertlizing agency is in the best
nd most effective condition for its Office. For
'his reason, low interval lands, that have been
CODED within the last two years, have pro-
luccd large crops Of grass during the present
ry season in Vermont while generally the
aay crop on account of dry weather, is less
Than half its average in former years Be.
side the fragments Of vegetable growth found
u brook and surface water. dead animal
matter, from mites and flies to frogs and fishes,
distributed by irrigation over the land with
the effects of the most concentrated manures
upon vegetation.
On the sand barreus Of Long Island, crops
or Indian corn, to the extent Of a hundred
bushels to the acre, are forced by the appi-
cation to each hill of the carcass of fish
snown as Mossbunkers caught in thousands
for such use. But, for the lack Of bottom or
basis on which the soil can be sustained, the
same forcing process has to be repeated on
each succeeding crop. The virtue Of decay
ing animal matter in aiding vegetable growth
is thus illustrated in a form too tangible to
be overlooked.
In view of these suggestions we cease to
he astonished at the extraordinary crops pro-
duced by judicious management of irriga-
ton. So extraordinary have been these re-
suits that manufacturers, dependant on water
power from mill streams have entertained
well grounded fear lest the water from such
streams should be ,casted by farmers on their
borders in irrigating their lands, so the water
would fail of its office in turning their wheels.
1t has been held to be unlawful to divert the
waters of a mill.stream from its natural chan
mel to the channel Of another mill.stream, so
that it would not return to its natural course.
About the year 1925 one Hubbard, Of Wind.
sor, VT, brought suit, in the Windsor County
Court against one Amsden, who had turned
out the waters from the mill-brook, so called,
and flowed it in various bitches over his land
to promote the growth Of his crops. Though
Amsden's farm was ten miles above Hub
bard's mill, and though Hubbard failed tC
rrove special damages from the diversion o.
the stream, the court ruled the law in Hub
bard's favor, and a nominal verdict was OBJ
tqined for the plaintiff in the suit. The mat
Ter was settled by a stipulation of the de
fendant to refrain from the use of the waite
Tor agricultural purposes during the dry sea
sons of the year.
The object of the suit was substantial
gained, by preventing the copying the exam
pic OF trasting the waters Of mill streams
for agricultural purposes; which ofienc
against the millers, the extraordinary croE
of the irrigated lands on the Amsden iari
would have induced, and made eontdgioi
with all the farmers along these streams. b.
the law, as ruled in this case, has been the SUI
icct of grave doubts from that day to thi
The substitution Of steam for water pow
20 mills, and the diminished interest the pu
o may have in the location Of mills and ia
i1ries in their immediate neighborhood, W
10 doubt modify the law, as ruled in the ca
referred to- The greater necessity must pr
vail aud become the operative law of the col
munity and the State; and when water al
irrigation shall be essential to the products
Of agricultural crops, it will become of l.
account that the grain shall be ground, tn
that farmers shall have the proper iaciliti
for its production. In California, mine
have ruled the law as to ioater courses a
M the rivers and running streams in t
State have passed into the control Of gre
mining or water corporations. To such
extent is this monopoly carried, that wal
companies often charge mining firms or col
panies, two thirds Of the gold produced,
the use Of water used in the business.
these water companies, no regard is paid
natural channels or Riparian rights, but
water is taken over valleys and from bill
hill; and when used by the miners in VOL
ing down hills for their scattered gold, no c
thinks Of enquiring where the waste wa
may 60.
The development of agricultural iuteres
aud the extraordinary productiveness of I
" Fullands" along the margin and often
low the high tides Of navigable rivers,
claimed by dikes and levees, will CONNIE
irrigation to California farmers as the met
Of realizing crops during the dry sunni
months, and contest as to the rights
the mining and water companies to cont
the streams Of the State, will be realized
no distant day. When the real wealth of
State is found, as it inevitably will be, in
agricultural industries, the old water mono
lies created by early legislation will
doubtedly be rcpudiated, and the subject
the irrigation Of farm.lands there as in V
mont, will be esteemed of paramount pul