The morning call., 1892-02-26
THE REPORT ON IRRIGATION.
Results Of an Extensive Investigation by
the Agricultural Department.
A VALUABLE FUND OF IMPORTATION.
Physical Laws Of ATidity - Influences Of
Pacific Ocean Currents California
Benefited by Water.SOrage.
A VALUABLE FUND OF IMPORTATION.
Special to THE MoRNISe CALL

WASHINGTON, F6D. II Inc reports OF
the irrigation inquiry and artesian and un-
derfow investigation will be ready for the
public as soon as some very elaborate maps
can be made. The cost of printing this re-
port is $500 for 1900 copies, that being the
Congressional edition. Three dollars is a
considerable price for the cost of Govern
ment report, but it is seldom that such doc
uments compel the Printing Committee to
say that careful examination has satisfied
them that a vast amount Of information
has been gathered by exceptionally compe-
tent agents of the Government. which
should be given as large a circulation as
possible, and the committee has no doubt
that when the report has been examined by
members of Congress large editions of it
will be ordered printed"
The report now In preparation will be at
least 400 pages in size, with thirty-four diff
ferent topics treated and thirty seven illus
trati0ns and maps.
The Pacific States.
The Pacific States, California especially,
are directly interested in the report. 1t
presents the Golden State, Nevada, Ore
gOn. Washington and Arizona, at least the
arid portions, in separate papers wherein
an effort is made to illustrate the chief
physical laws by which aridtY is produc ed
and through which irrigation may be
evoked. The influences Of the Pacific
Ocean currents, Of the passage of the trade
winds across il and Of the effect produced
upon that region through the mechanical
plane OF mountain masses, which these
winds strike in their continental move
ments eastward are described at length
The whole range Of the humidity bearing
curves produced by impact against the west
ern SUBMITS and the TANKS OF the Cascade
and Coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada,
from Puget Sound to San Diego, are eX-
planned, and the seasonal degrees Of moist
ure or aridity thus produced are given
with clearneSs. The great continental
forces which annually affect the cmatology
of the coast and the Nevada Basin region,
as well as the Columbia region and the
ranges in the Northwest, are all shown in
a clear, lucid manner. One of the most
interesting monographs is that relating to
the climatic and other physical data Of
Arizona.
The Irrigation Data.
The irrigation data proper for California
and the connected States and sections is
quite full. Iu some details it is especially
interesting. Mr.. Hinton, special agent IN
charge OF the inquiry. was on the Coast last
summer. lie presents q large amount OF
condensed testimony as to the progress of
irrigation in the Pacific Coast and range
sections Of California. Special attention is
gwen 70 IiiG pIUSItSS VI blOIdSt anu QISLLl-
button on q large scale in fruit-bearing
basins of Southern California; to the prog
reSS OF tile San Joaquin Valley fruit and
orchard sections; TO the growth of the irrl-
cation district system, and TO the changes
that are being produced by it in the great
wheat-ranch sections like Merced, STAN
islaus, TuolumEe, Colusa and Butte. De-
sCriptlons of the Alexandria and Perris dis
tTlCtS, with the entire Bear Valley system,
its storage reservoirs in the San Bernardino
Range, its distributing reservoirs at CrOf-
ton, its great fume and wooden pipe tUn-
neIS, cement conduits, open bitches, its
mountain tunnels, measuring WeirS and 80
or more miles of steel and concrete pipes,
which, altogether, Mr. Hinton declares to
be the most comprehensive system OF water
conservation and distribution on the con-
tinent, are among the valuable features Of
this report.
Development Of Fruit Culture.
Southern California comes in for full
recognition of its progress. The great dis
trIct work being done in StaniSlauS County
and on the Tuolumng River is adequately
described; so also with the Central District
OF ColuSa. The remarkable DEVELOPMENT OF
fruit culture by means Of irrigation in Gen.
trail and Northern California is described.
Especial reference is made to the rapid de-
YelOpment of small farms, to the security
afforded by the district plan, 10 thS lessen
ing opposition thereto and to the adVan-
Iages afforded by it, The conditions of irTi-
CATION in Kern and Tulare counties and in
Southern Fresno are also presented.
Civil Engineer Grunsky of San Francisco
is given the place Of honor by an admirable
paper, we'll illustrated, on the methods Of
irrigation used in the San Joaquin Valley.
This paper is regarded by the Department
of Agriculture as positive and valuable
addition to the literature on the subject.
One of the features of this valuable report
is a map of the entire arid region west OF
the ninety-Seventh meridian of west lOngl-
tude, on which by small blue circles, curves
and dots the progress of irrigation settle
ment and reclamation is shown.
To a Californian this map will give new
idea of his own great State and its progress
On it is table Of irrigation, from which the
following Is summarized: The entire area
under ditch has gown from L, 765, 600 acres
in 1889 to an estimated aggregate of Is, 2S6, 209
acres at the close of 1891, an increase OF
:, ,j2l, ,0J0 acres in three years" Colonel Hin
ton estimates nearly 5000, 600 acres more as
being now brought under ditch" by irriga-
tion works in course of construction.