Smyrna times., 1889-05-29

1T SEEMS little odd in the midst of
the floods Of rain we have been having
recently and have had to the detriment
farm crops for the past four years. to
elaborate treatises by scientific men
how to supply this deficiency in other
portions of our widely extended do
main. The question is how to enlarge
the fertile area. The traveller who
crosses North America from ocean to
ocean is struck with the wide expanso
OF dry, barren territory, on which no
thing grows save here and there o
stretch OF sage bush, and on the rno7n-
tain a stunted forest growth. As he
gazes from the car window he is ant 10
ask himself, if not his seat-mate con
.nese barren plains ever be put to use
Can they be converted into farms ~.
even wood lands? There arc fnII,
I'9OO miles of this dry belt. or over
4,25OOOO square miles in which tbe
annual rain fall is less than ten ;ncbes
whereas ours is between fortv and ff-v
inches. It is comforting to be told that
something can be done, and will poro
and more as the fertile lands Of tbo
Territories are pre-empted and occu.
pied. The chief effort in this direrticr
Will be by irrigation. The first object
VIII be to get moisture and then fro,
and the stirring of the plow will assist
The soil to hold moisture. and incro.so
precipitation from the clouds. Senator
stewart, of Nevada, in o recent articI.
IN the Forum, entitled "Reclaimipo tba
Western Deserts" presents the su6ieot
IN way to excite widespread popnIar
interest. He says:
George P. Marsh. in his ,ro.l-
The Earth as Modified L,, IL, tI. oH
Action tells US that ever;.,,,b.o- '','''.l
.,otSse a"tesvlhe the traveller sees traces Of ..
clsJerns and reservoirs, from which ~ {
- ,--ieilO i'lnaO aOllants once obtained water
70 irrlgate the land and supDort a 80. 80. a
population. In India. where irrio..'t.-,l 80 O.
lS more extensively practiced than In B
,',ly o'ues part OF the world, hydraulic
-, ,i,.-9 eAiS's over vast regions, some i'm
49, ,u'-i9 anu OIhers still in use, which "a
81 constructed at a period SO reno,,, Il
ia. . ~ Is impossible to approximate d
1ueir age. In fourteen G.-...'t ~ h
province OF -.lou.a-. the ill.,. n
%, ,OOO reservoirs, 10000 mill. 90" q
Dankment, and 900 0.. I'M r.,
~ works, c. Oh,
o.. - D.. ---e-.t oi ines. . ,rjrs | Z,
-fre -It. IN Indla 1t IS impossible to ate -
ao--'s-. ~ 's1I Foir5 appear, on the D.. IN a.
49, 49, Ho"Iiy haIi OF the area G.. .,.4 q
80 'o1S: or example, the Iolairv -
80. '--., ~ ~ l IIcDlnopoly has an cmlaDk-
- o.@Ly Dliil miles III length and stor ~
1--SN Ci ABOUT seventy square miles =,
! ,:,oSiecV '55.t OF tnese hydraulic works and
10y 10y construction In modern times
6o = Occasioned frequent famines and on
ne ',, loss OF millions Of lives anu or
There are historical account I
III 81 'iOr tanks similar to those of va
: 90 , eAisulng IN the island of Cevlon Of
.Ial - as OOt Is. Z. The rulers of thai ar
,ietit e4efted their energies for manv ha
St;e-;iI' ~ constructing reservoirs or en-
4. Ia - IaAes OF enormous magnitude
- 1lieIsOh remnant estimates that a..
-,e- eHese hydraulic works were of ~ sa-
80, S.'es ~ oea, eatent the population was 90,
~, ~. Io,OOO'OOO to 2O,OO00OO, whereas roi
ocw, IN consequence Of the ruin Of Tnoe1 re-
them, It is only 100000. and q largS el am
oItion Of their food is supplied fro9o lot sI
idia. Remains of ancient bvdrsnIio Az Al
orks Tor irrigation are found aIso ~ 4se
IuIh America and Mexico. evidencino ~ ~
uch engineering skill among tbe Re ai
lYians and Aztecs. In Arizono ~ I
lins Of ancient cities, canals. Yeservoirs ed
q dams show that it, too. once sns- Of
med a large population" yea
Mr. Stewart has long been known IS eyr
very earnest and tireless advocate ~ We we
e silver-mining interest in which ~. VII ~1
ate is largely engaged; but n sten- ma
ng INTO this crusade for an enlarge. old
ent Of agricultural resources he w;Ii con
eet with little dissent Here i h,s eol eon
ethod Of dealing with the American ioir M
sert, as given in a speech in tbe cou
mate on February 9th last: was
There IS on the eastern slope Of the ;ois ;oN
1cky Mountains an arid region wbicb ~.
an empire Of itself It Is Ia lenofb tse
AIRY @ thousands miles from British ~
'iamoia 20 Mexico, and in width else