Arizona silver belt., 1888-09-22
Irrigation Statistics Abroad.

The report of the Commissio on Irrigation in California furnished the following data of what has been done in foreign countries in this respect:
 The works in course of construction and projected are estimated to cost $l75,000, 900, and the rate of expendi- ture is now many millions annually. The work can be dene cheaper in that country than in almost any other, as the wages of a skilled laborerer are only 50 cents per day, and of an ordi- nary laborer l2 cents per day. Earth excavations can be made fer 5 cents per cubic yard, and masonry from Sl.- 50 to s per cubic yard. In India four systems are in operation: Canals, tanks sr reservoirs, the inundating system, and wells. Tbs Ganges Ca nal is 10 feet deep, 170 feet wide at its upper part 900 miles leng, and IS intended to irrigats l ,500.Q00 acres. It can carry 1000 cubic feet of water per second It cest about Si2,000,- GOO, and would probably have cost many times as much in this country. This canal is navigabls, aAd was built and is owned by the government. There are several others which rival it in magnituss and importance.
 The tank system prevails in Ma dras, where, 1t IS said, there are 5000 tanks, with 30000 miles of embank- ment, and 300,000 separate masonry siuicss aud weirs. They are general iy shallow from 6 to 10 feet deep. Tk. govsrnment owns thsss tanks, and the revenue from them IS S7,750, ! 900.
 | ITALY.
 1 The first canal of which there IS an authentic record vas built in the 1 twelfth century The large Muzza 1 Canal was built IF 1920 Tho rain 1 fall in Italy is aboat g inches, CT 3S ! inches annually ill Lembardy, and about 22 inches in Piedmsnt, but not withstanding tbis fact very large arsa Is irrigated in these provinces
 Italy uses about 24,000 cubic feet ot water per second, aud 100000 acres of land are irrigated In the TOO year in which irrigation has been practicsd in Lembardy, 1t Is estimated tha' S2OO 600 O0O have hasn expended, wltI tue result that tbo whola country is ! garden.
 SPAIs.
 With its high temperature ana scanty rainfall. Spain needs irriss ten more, and repays it better tbs, almost any other country. lrrigats' land is ofteu worth from S700 to s9o per acre, while the same land witbon such improvement Is only worth SeC The Spaniards received their ideas Q i irrigation from the Moors, and man. of the elder systems are the work 0 that people. The assa of land irriga ted in 5pain is, according to otiicls reports, 4,+39 squara miles Tho prin eipal canals, however, only irrisat
 500,000 acres, tue multitude of suaalle canals and reservoirs furnishing wate
 for the remainder.
 h France irrigation is more of 3 le
 cal than national enterprise. Tn
 rainfall! is from IS to 62 inches annu ally, SC it IS nos q necessity. h EG gland thsra are now extensive wRts meadows, and irrigation On the lts
 lian plan has recently bosn attempted No industry Ill America has grew faster than the fruit industry. No maj ter how fast the gardens and orchard {, are eplantsd, the demand increases Haste than the supply. Wbat is better, th bulk of consumption is by the labol ing classes. The costly Californi products go to the tables of the ricl but the poorer classes not only e' abundantly of home products, but ( the orange and banana. We eve know of small clubs eff laboring ms who send South club orders TOT cheit oranges. 4 large wholesale deslc
 reports that his orders from one sma
 town of H,ill operatives are nearl
 S2000 for fruits and vegetables in year. There ars two sidss 10 the sal :. itary problem--ene the removal
 filth and poison, the other the furnls|
 ing of hoalth-inspirins foods, especia ' ly fruits.
 l You remember the young lady WI :. went to have a look at ths penitel ,- tisry in San Quentin and get into eel | vsrsatisn with prisoner, and wish' s to ask how long he was in for in dc e ieate way. Sho asked: How long { e you expect to Do away from home