Las Vegas free press. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1891-1???, 1892-05-21
MONEY INVESTED IN IRRIGATION.

The assertion that the United
States stands second among the ma
tions of the world in the extent o.
irrigation progress will cause sur
prise. The art of irrigation, this re
port says, probably originating in
Southern Asia, has been known from
remotest historic times. The Chi
nese, the primitive inhabitants of In
dia and Persia, those contemporary
with the kingdom of Babylon and
Nineveh, and who then inhabited
the country lying between the Eu
pirates and Tigris, and finally the
Egyptians, all appear to have made
extensive use of irrigation. The Ro-
mans borrowed the system from the
East, and transported it into Italy
and the south of France. Lastly,
the Arabs, also coming from the
West, introduced it into Spain.
Since then, however, the art of irri-
cation has remained almost in the
same condition as at that time, and
in spite of the unprecedented spread
of modern civilization and in spite of
the indisputable progress made of
late in agriculture, but small
amount of territory, comparatively,
has been reclaimed by irrigation.
The largest progress of area in later
years has been made in British In
dia, where about 30,ooo,ooo acres
have been either newly reclaimed or
made secure to the cultivator by the
construction of new supply works.
The larger proportion of this great
work has been done within the last
thirty years, and one-half of it at
least within the past fifteen years.
The amount invested exceeds $780,
100000, and the profit thereon is
large though obtained from indirect
methods, such as land revenues and
the increase for industry found in the
security and peace of the empire. A
considerable portion of the works
has, however, yielded fair
per centage of profit for sew
eral years on the large capital invest
ed. In the northwest provinces, for
example, where the administration
has been able to concern itself with
some simple questions, though of
great magnitude, such as the recla-
nation of new lands, the restoration
on purely engineering grounds of old
works, the renewal and settlement of
land workers or ryots,and the framing
and execution of simple laws and
based on old customs and
rules, the direct profit resulting on
capital invested has been sufficient
to satisfy the most exacting of in
vestors.
The progress of the United States
is next in order. In the past seven
years the actual area of reclamation
by irrigation cultivation has increased
from about 100000 acres to at least
{, 100000 acres, or, according to the
table accompanying this report, g.
O26, ,526 acres. There are small areas
throughout the region be-
yond the Tooth meridian west from
Greenwich, of which no reports have
been made, sufficient in total amount
10 increase the figures to over $780,
300 acres. But greater activity than
.ho addition of the S,500,000 acres to
,he area of cultivation is seen in the
growth of important hydraulic works.
Under ditch" this Office reports for
1891 an estimated area of ls,2s6,207
acres. The largest proportion of this
yreat addition to the cultivable area
will be made available for use within
he next year, and by the opening of
he Worlds Columbian Exposition
he United States may anticipate the
by means of irrigation of
1t least 100000 acres of land that