Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-28
Crushed by Cars.
IRRIGATION,
DIR. Shields Views on the Subject-what
Water Can Accomplish.

DR.. Shields Views on the Subject-what
Water Can Accomplish.
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN: Having lived in
Ell Dorado county from 80 to SO, often
traversed that part OF this county between
Folsom and Sacramento. The improved
farm with fruit tree ornament was the ex-
ception rather than the rule in those days.
Seeing few of these oases, for as such
they pleased and impressed the traveller
the burden of my wish was to see them
multiplied and enlarged. l have lived to
witness this in at least twenty-fold degrees,
and the whole phase of these plains have
been wonderfully changed.
l shall meet with no contradiction when
say that the change has been wrought by
the use of water. / will venture the asser-
ton that twenty-fold increase of water
will produce change in the future of the
same proportions in both number of i'm
provements and in their extent.
The ratio of sickness has not kept up
with the improvements and changes On
the contrary, the increase by this multiple
has caused no increase in the amount 7
sickness.
Let not the idea for the present be fur
ther advanced Than our abundant obserya-
tions will fully confirm If a ditch of half
the capacity of the American rlyer were
carried through Sacramento county with
no branches or subdivisions, and with suf-
tcient fall to make fairly securing cur
rent, the carrying could have no other
than a wholesome effect. Of course the
bottom of the ditch would or might need
stirring aud certain catch. basins to empty
the soil accumulations made to preserve its
carrying capacity; but both these results
are inherent in the very idea of a ditch.
The object in forming a ditch is not
primarily the change of the bed of stream
or the multiplying objects of beauty, such
as farms as above described. But if its
formation is attended bv the attainment of
these as adjuncts, the formation will be
stimulated and not retarded by it
AS the construction of sidewalks in a
city without attention to its shade will
produce blindness. SO in the country out
side, bare stubble field is injurious to
look upon. But the remedy of the field by
a coat of green growth is far more complete
than that of the sidewalk by a change of
color.
1t is not an exaggeration to say that the
green coating of fields changes the tempera-
ture even as the foothills and mountains
are changed by the destruction of forests.
Climatic changes are wrought by cultiva-
ton, but chiefly by verdure. For example,
the wind circulates by the change of tenn
perature. Heated air rises to higher alti-
tudes and the cold air rushes in to fill the
vacuum. If the vacuum is located nearer
to the ocean the current is from that source,
but if nearer the snow mountains the
direction of the wind is changed as to that
locality. This doubtless gives origin to
north or south wind for as, and we can
have either by changing the line of great
est heat toward the mountains or ocean by
ards near the one or the other
Thus, by certain control over the clrcu-
lation of the winds we have the means of
control over health that these give-in ad-
dition to the beauty and health created by
the current of streams-both of which act
thus together for our benefit if harnessed
for our use. F. NJ. SHIELDS.