The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-07-22

and great in irrigation. There are millions
of acres upon the banks of streams that
could be made to bear crops of grass per-
manently with the greatest prof. at COM
parBtively small outlay per acre. 1t is where
the surface TO be irrigated is large that the
process of irrigation is the cheapest. Where
stream flows naturally above the surface
of a portion of the neigl boring land the
cost OF irri.ating the land will be very small,
and the cost per acre will be the minimum
when the supply of water is abundant and
the area TO be watered is large. In this case
no dam will be needed, or at most such a
one as can be made at small expense and
maintained with little trouble A simple
barrier Of stones or few planks, or log
laid across the stream and held In its place
by few stakes driven in the ground. will
suffice to divert the flow into a canal, which
will lead the water with the least possible
loss of level to the ground to be irrigated.
A narrow valley having a stream meander-
ing through its centre and with sides gently
sloping toward the stream is peculiarly
well adapted for irrigation. The whole
length of the valley, from its head to its
outlet, may be ~ u succession of
meadows. The small tributary streams of
the valley will be made to aid in the work
and contribute their share TO the general
supply Of water. Should the streams be
subject to early spring and late fall freshets
80 much the more valuable it will be. Every
food will bring down a large amount of
solid matter to be deposited as a fertilizer
upon the soil. The water Of floods is also
highly charged with soluble matters, which
are rendered up to the soil through which
1t is made to percolate The only disad-
vantage is that should flood occur when
the grass is nearly ready for cutting a con-
siderable quantity of sand may be deposited
upon it and much OF the crop may be
lodged.
have been somewhat interested in the
matter of irrigation, and IN the articles upon
that subject in the New York Tribune 1t
is generally spoken of as SOIL ething that will
be, or ought to be, in fact, the system has
long been in operation in various parts of
this country, with great success. Not
many years ago l took lively interest in
the attempts of my father, in the State of
Maine, to increase his hay crop, by turning
the roadside streams into his fields, and by
running upon one field in particular the
soaklngs of his barnyard. He plowed a
long furrow ON the brow of the hill on
which the barn stood, and conducted the
water through notches in its sides, all over
the hill side and upon the fiat below. !
cannot give the number of tons per acre
obtained from that piece of land, but it was
a remarkable yield for that hay reproducing
section, and produced upon me, who had
to help make it, most unfavorable impress
sion of its rankness and weight. The same
was true of the washings of the roads,
where they could be turned into the fields.
The finest timothy on the farm was grown
where the water had been, and an acre OF
two in the corner of good-sized field fire.
quently produced as much hay as all the rest
of the field.
Having seen these effects at home I was
prepared to take lively interest in irriga-
ton as conducted in Utah, Nevada and
California. About half way across the State
OF Nevada is an eating-station, Humboldt,
called the "Oasis," which those who have
crossed the plains by rail will well remem-
Der. 1t lies in the midst of the sage brush
desert. Water has been conducted from the
mountain two miles distant, and applied to
an acre or 30 of ground. The effects are
wonderful. l saw fine growing grain, vege-
tables, clover, and fruit trees, while Just
over the fence the sage brush-emblem of
esolatioH-hourished. Near the California
State line the water of the Truckee river
has been diverted and made to reclaim the
desert, with great profit to the enterprising
experimenters. OF course the tract re-
claimed is not extensive, but sufficient to
show what can be done. Without doubt
all the water from the mountain slopes will
one day be utilized.
In California there are two systems. In
the Foot Hills the old mining bitches are
becoming more and more valuable for pur-
poses of irrigation. They are now the de-
pendence of beautiful orchards and vine
yards, where the finest fruit in the State is
raised. With the decline of the gold ex-
element these bitches stood ready to the
rancher's hand, and they will ultimately
prove more valuable for the gardeners than
they were for the miners. Down in the Sac
ramento Valley the windmill assumes an
Importance it has nowhere else Every gar
den has its windmill and water-tank brood
ing over 1t like some gigantic bird The
application of water is as essential as the
planting of the seed. Labor costs about as
much there as in the East, and so of mate
rails, while their produce brings no more
than ours. So far as the expense is con-
cerned, why cannot we on the Atlantic
slope and in the Mississippi Valley irrigate
with as great profit as our neighbors on the
Pacific coastg Drought is the most frequent
cause of our failures. A few days irriga-
ton might save many crop of vegetables
and small fruits, if we could give it at the
right time. And water alone when proper
ly applied, would take the place of many of
our expensive fertilizers.-John Dane.