The weekly Republican., 1892-05-19

Desert of Sahara. Much of this waste land is below the level of the sea. The
 French agriculturists have undertaken to reclaim the desert. They began by
 boring wells at first as experiments. It was found that water could be obtained at depths ranging from 100 to 400 feet.
 Wherever water could be brought to the surface of the land great fertility was the result. At the last accounts there were no less than 13,000 wells in operation. By this means l2,0O0,O00 acres have been redeemed, and the work still goes on. The water IS col lected in reservoirs, and is conducted to the various plantations.
 On what was formerly a sandy waste there are now 120, ,000 acres planted with vines. Besides reclamation by means of artesian wells there are some living streams that have been utilized, SO that Algeria has 100000 acres under irri- gation, on which not only are all the cereals produced, but grapes, olives, dates and tobacco are all leading crops. In addition to annual crops, not less that 5000, ,O00 acres have been planted with forest trees. Where forests are planted and thrive, there can be no desert. This system of agriculture, it is expected, will be extended until a greater part of the 150,000 square miles formerly classed as desert, will have been turned into fruitful fields.
 Years ago there were many specnla- tions as to the feasibility of flooding the Desert of Sahara and creating there a great inland sea. But the French ag- riculturists have found better use for so much of it as is under their control. A few years ago Cardinal Lavigera pro- posed a plan for making conquests in the Desert of Sahara outside of Algeria stations were to be established at suit able points where water could be found. The desert was to be reclaimed in spots. Having created fruitful fields and or chards in one place, colony was to be sent forward to found another station. In this way a chain of agriculture posts was to be extended across the desert. These would have religious character. But the agricult Iral system would do much to break up the slave caravans and bring the whole country into a condition to support large civi- lized population. Very little is heard, of late years, about this experiment.. The establishment of single station might require years, and would at first attract little attention. But already the greatest agricultural triumph of the age is foreshadowed in the prospective reclamation of the vast part of the desert which is within the dominion of Algiers.
 The experiments which have been prosecuted on the desert lands of this country are not unlike those already noted. Water has turned some arid wastes into fruitful fields. On the Colo rado Desert the progress has been slow. But water has been brought to the sur face from various depths by boring, and extraordinary fertility has followed. Dates, olives, grapes, melons and every fruit known in semi-tropical climates, take kindly to the soil. The few sue cessiul experiments go far to sustain the theory that by the use of water there will yet be thousands of gardens and fruitful fields where there is now only aridity and barrenness. Agriculture has already established the fact that with sufficient water nearly all desert lands can be restored to fertility.