New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-04
IRRIGATION AND COMMON SENSE.
Ac,1ysT RAIsMAKING AND HUMBUG.

TO the Editor OF The .,,u
Sir: The criticism on your editorial page ms
uor,,nc of the methods being pursued by rchera'
Dyrcnsurth's party seems 10 me very tinN anu u" "
The sensational exploiting OF that which hatara'A
,n,,d attract attention because OF Its novelty Is
likely to do very grave injustice 10 inc
Dcnartmcnt. which under tn present Administrator
hos accomplished some mos; admirable work Tor tho
agricultural interests Of the country, ana parucurD
IN the development OF the irrigation Industry
while the experiments made at Midland were III
progress tho csploiters made Claims Oh ha''"s p'o
a,cod -oIp Nv information fr ON t5at Immaculate
locality which comes to me almost daiiy' sho"' 'n'
there were showers in every direction nrounu 'eH' =
hundred miles 10 the west near Sierra Blanca therc
,ya. q 81 cloudburstp Thick. the succeeding day'
which almost DESTROYED q cultivated field and washeo
bn,n p,,l,I,s ON the sage lands In tho jug"
valleys CT TINT section. Daily reports, co'e.i"s
the record Of temperature and rainfall from hoay, eW
Mexico. about $50 miles from Midland where na'o
n,anted this year almost $50 acres CT fruit trees Snow
that there was Il succession OF showers GOVERNS 'e
DAYS and on two occasions within that time the ram
,all exceeded an inch In other words the conditions
wcr, almost precisely the same as those woch you
reer "a at Coipus Christi The experiments al II faso
were most carefully prepared for during seVerai us'
previous to the elimination OF the izz'e.
There Is another thing to be taken into consideration
n.,n- intimately associated with irrigation enterpnse
I have made many inquiries as to what erect ram
making should II prove to be practicable, VIII haVo
upon that former industry. AS there are many Vi
vour readers who arc probably not convcrsant wn 'o
features of irrigation, you Will permit me 10 suggest
that one of Its chief advantages Is that you can su
late the supply of water You can distribute u VINE"
and where you please Ycu can lave plenty OF "a'er
for corn in one field and the fence or across
ditch you may DO cutting and curing hay IN the Dns
est sunshine You can make your own seasons "
use farmers term. When pom are ready TO plough yo'
turn the water on and soak the land Thoroughly wv
or tlrco feet deep, give 1t time to settle ana 'e "
land Is ready to plough and In most perfect cohuIo
for planting When the plant reaches that stage Oh
growth where water is needed again 1t Is supplied In
such quantity as is needed ard Just at the right Time
Reccnty the news dispatches have contained notices
OF heavy cIoudbursts In Southern California DONG
considerable damage MY letters from there INFORM
me TINT upon the land covered by water the bowman
WAS 60 heavy s to pack the surface OF the ground ana
II nm of almost Immediately. leaving but very little
IN he absorbed so that within week after the ram
the ground needed irrigation as much as before
Granting that rain may be produced the question Oh
controlling IL would be of quito as much importance
as the producing Itself. Practically, who should de-
termlne when rnin Is needed Take for instance tle
raisn. growing and fruit districts where the success
Of the crop depends upon seasonaoe weater Ior VI.
Ing Although others not tel IN in order
fancy that the misin grower would cali upon e Ola
for an Injunction TO prevent any SUCH scienuho
wetting. ,,.,. A.. o~...s =,
scientific achievement, bnt do believe that any al
tennis IN modify snci forces OF nature mnst be con
sldcicd With due regard to their disadvantages as well
as ior ''' De''"'' " ~ CHARLES W. GREENE.
New York, Sept. 90, 1891.