Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-19
IRRIGATION FOR FRUIT.
ITS ADVANTAGES ENLARGED UPON BY
CITIZEN SHIELDS.
Steam Power VS.. Wind for Pumping Pur'
poses-Large Acreage in Sacramento
Suitable for Fruit Culture.

move! Inc experience with MI. stevens
large irrigation pump has convinced many
citizens of Florin and other districts OF our
county that steam for hosting water IS
better than the wind as power in the use
of the windmill. This conviction Is all
the more significant from the fact that
water in inexhaustible quantities may be
and is obtained at a depth of fifteen feet
from the surface.
dwell upoc this fact for the reason that
the short depth to water at this point has
been very much used as an argument in
the past against any other system OF irri-
CATION, and especially against running
water. am sure from limited number
that opinion is veering towards steam as
better power for several reasons than
the wind.
Lest this advance may be in many in
stances injurious, and even disastrous, to
many persons, and in g general way g set
back to the whole county and city ct Sac
ramento, feel it duty, and that il will
be a benefit, to prevent this halt at the
steam. power milepost.
A few years ago lone coal sold in this
market, for culinary purposes, for three
and even two dollars per ton. Now the
same article is sold by the carload for five
dollars, nearly or quite double. This WIN
ter coal from distance is % per cent.
higher than it was last winter in this city.
Fuel, conclude, although reasonable in
price here yet, can never be afforded to run
the immense number of irrigation pumps
that will be required to water the lands in
our county. 1t is not to be thought of that
these lands will not be utilized for all they
are worth-all of theD-slthough they
amount to many thousands of acres. 1t is
because we are slow TO believe this that we
are Indifferent about coming changes
Heretofore the conviction has prevailed
that few acres of strawberries would glut
the Sacramento market and such has
measurably been true. But the repression
of highly valuable and remunerative in
dustry may not continue much longer.
Already our producers have learned about
refrigerator cars, and through them are
reaching and have reached Portland,
Minneapolis, Denver and Chicago, and
points further east and north are already
on our timetables.
1t is already too late to repress the small
fruit business to supply of our local mar
ket 1t is already too late for any small
the attempt of lfprotection by producing
a limited supply. The demand has in
creased the delivery said preservation pro.
vided for, and the big task Of driving shot
to the center of the question is now upon
US.
The aim must be at the center, and not
pass our shot through the intervening tar
get of steam rower. A grand ditch ought
to pass through this county on high
l. IL.
and small fumes, the small fruit people
can get water that will cover the little
hillocks that they are now accustomed to
level with the plow and scraper, in many
cases to the injury of the soil.
Whether the water shall come from a
bold stream like the American river, gath
cred from the rivulets streaming from the
mountain sides, or from a tap in Lake
Tahoe, far-seeing enterprise must clear its
natural and legal eyes TO perceive. How
ever much capital may offer itself for the
realization of this end, it is certain that the
spade and drill will be the actual agencies
that will remove distractions and dig the
channel. 1t is equally certain that enough
idleness is in store in our city and county
to do half the work if il can be turned into
activity.
There viii be found great reluctance to
employing labor in this enterprise, and
much more reluctance on the part of labor
to engage in it. unless it shall be taken into
consideration that there enter into il ele-
ments wholly or largely wanting in other
enterprises embodying many of the same
considerations. II is undoubtedly true that
the game of freeze-out is often practiced, or
believed to be practiced, i'll enterprises
where stock shares pay for labor, or even
where small shares bought with cash con-
stitute part of the ownership.
But when water for irrigation of ones
own land enters into the consideration, il
will be too vital matter for small farms to
imperil A man will in this enterprise en-
ter the field to get fair bundle, and viii
freeze mot freeze OUT to it with the tenacity
and power that is found in title deeds TO
land itself.
Tne boy who dug for chipmuck on Sun
day replied to the visiting preacher who
neared the dwelling that Sunday or no
Sunday, they were out of meat and must
have it, for the minister was coming home
with his parents to dinner. So here the
feeling would be that the water is needed
and we must have it, and keep it.
However reluctant and incompetent l
may be to discuss the labor question in its
breadths and intricacies it so evidently en-
tiers into the question of Embarrassing, and
in such interesting and important bearings,
and in such new forms, that l must say it
is an open field.
Let me quote from one of Senator STAN
ford's speeches this pithy sentence: I'VE
are trying to live within ourselves" APP
piled to our case, it is inevitable that our
public school land private also children
will of necessity in the immediate future
be the gatherers of our small fruits. Incl
dentally may say that men must still
gather our horticultural products.
IT. he Ntcl-, Of frui
experiments have been making for more
than twenty years. Who has not heard
that gangs" of Chinese have been en-
plOveG to work in the vineyard and or
chard. but upon the slightest offense they
all shoulder their baskets and bamboo poles
and march away, leaving at most only an
approximate guess as to what has caused
the whole stampede. These have been
tried fairly, recently, and the colored peo-
pie from the South have been substituted
with not very satisfactory results. Here as
elsewhere these latter are much more
likely 10 be landowners, and in need of
help in harvest time themselves.
That the objections to iil-health and in
jury from child-labor under certain ages
will have no application in this field, is
quite evident to me- 1t will be healthful,
remunerative, and not only adaptive bst
being of the right hight, they are an actual
necessity, as well as OF cOnro!laDie age.
II will require of course, slight, and only
a slight change of the vacation periods,
aud some special tent or somewhat better
accomm mediation, to enlist this help to the
great prosperity of the whole people.
Why is this one OF the inevitable things
Of the immediate future? | answer that
this county has a large amount of lands
much better fitted for small fruits than for
any other purpose, and better fitted for this
purpose than the lands of any other
county, aud the product is of superior
quality, especially in flavor, and only wants
water to produce the most marketable
article.
That irrigation is necessity; that fruit
gatherers are necessity; that occasional
enrichment of the soil is a necessity, there
is no doubt. That, also, inventive genius
to find a way of preserving strawberries
with the natural flavor should be siimu-
lated to success by magnificent premiums
by the State Agricultural Society is, il not
necessity. clearly in the interest of our
best welfare, there is as little doubt.
Given all these, ! may leave others to
state the productive riches, the many
homes, the advance in mental, material and
moral welfare of our people, but good
imagination cannot refrain from drawing a
roseate result. while verbal history attests