The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-11

mouse" which lives almost wholly upon
scorpions. Nv the ''instinct," which mean
experience Inherited through generations
it has learned which end to tackle its pre-.
by. Another creature In the same reUiol
that likes scorpions. also ia tho "chaparra
cock" which gobbles them by I'll. thou
sands, and is not less fond Of cerN ipedes
tarantulas, lizards and horned toatti. III,
last named are too big to swallow Nv y gulp
and 80 the FOWL tears them to pieces befor'
devouring them.
Perhaps the most beautiful mouse il
existence is found in Death valley, and II
known az the '~'grasshopper mouse" 1t II
4 lovely beast, fawn- col0red on the bnck
with q snowy belly and sides, a short tai
and pretty little ears. Other animals are
pocket MICE" with pouches outsido thei'
throats to stow provisions in, Rophers, wea-
/ sells, shrews and q newly discovered species
of lavenaer-eray fox without ears. A won-
derfully big species of coyote has been
found in the VALLEY.
Irrigation would make this arid region
blossom like tho rose. Scientific eyes have
been cast upon the Colorado for many years
and scientific minds have suggested plans
for turning its immense volumes of water
into channels out through tho valley. Gen.
John G. Fremont actively advocated the di-
version of Il portion of the Colorado into
the great 1ndio basin to the reclamation OF
the vast expanse of parched yet fertile land.
Another scheme was, by the Colorado's
waters, to make a vast inland sea of the
basin. Such a lake. it was urged, would
materially change the climate of the neigh
boring sections in making rain much more
abundant.
Upon the Arizona side there is a project
to cut a canal from the Colorado about
twenty eight miles above the own of Yuma,
at a point where the rocky formation of the
banks and the narrowness of the ohannel
furnish important advantages for the SON
struction of a dam. The plans of the dam
embrace details of an effective lock. in Or
der that the navigation OF the river be not
obstructed. In addition to irrigatinG the
lands north of the Gila river it is designed
to construct an aqueduot across the latter
stream and to furnish water for irrigating
the mesa lands lying to the south Of Yuma.
AS far as the Mexican line the canal would
unsurpassed fruit land.
The soil about Indio has lately produced
under irrigation some remarkable results.
authorities who have made care
full researches in this country claim that on
account of the almost entire absence of fog,
tho even, high annual temperature and
other favorable conditions that the date
palm would flourish at and around Indio.
The Importance of this fact will be appreci-
ated when it is considered how large a fg-
ure the culture of the date outs in Oriental
countries. Tens of millions Of people are
HalutAlIlcu ny sLo NdIIOus pAOAuCV VI bLS
palm family, and where the date palm will
thrive it is quite safe to believe that, with
irrigation, anything in the tropical way can
raised.
If the water continues to rise and this
great arid region becomes valuable, tillable
land, it will only be another evidence of
the remarkable character of tho country. |
The generally accepted theory of the orma-
ton of the Colorado sink is that the Gulf of
California formerly extended to the neigh
borhood of San Gorgonia pass, which was
cut off by the detritus Of the Colorado river.
or some of the other slow, silent forces of
leaving a great body of salt water,
LOO mives long by forty or fifty miles wide.
This residue of brine for some inoompre-
hensible reason, retained an e1%istance as an
inland sea for some time. finally drying up, |
the large bodies of salt that were
being proftably mined at Salton until the
water began to push its way upward. after
travelling no one knows how many miles
underground.
You can buy silk umbrella at The Bee Hive
for $1.75.