The morning call., 1893-08-13

directly, Inc OOVcEuuicut WIZ SOW 80
terest on S3OO.0OO,0O0 at 3 per cent, or
$4,000, 600 year.
THE CAUSE OF CROP FAILURES.
The August report OF the Department of
Agriculture shows decline OF six points
in the condition of corn and of about ten
points in the condition of spring wheat
since the July report was made. In both
cases the decrease is caused by prevalence
of drought over large areas. At the close
of the week rain was reported from vari-
Gus points in Iowa and the farmers were
jubilant 1t seems strange that intelligent
communities should suffer so vital matter
as the crops tc, be wholly dependent Oh
meteorological caprice or accident.
In parts OF the river valleys the average
rainfall is three times that Of the San Joa-
Quin Valley, but so large proportion OF
the precipitation occurs in fall and winter
that the crops derive no benefit from it,
and every year or two the ordinarily we'll
watered plains of Kansas and Iowa must
be ranged among the arid areas. The
liquid which is essential for their fertiliza-
ton lodges in sloughs or flows off In
science long ago pointed out that the con-
tinued fertility Of these regions depended
upon the retention of the moisture which
fell from the clouds, but the admonition
was unheeded. and consequently every year
or two we publish reports that the condi-
ton Of the crops has declined from six to
ten points in July.
irrigation is supposed to be a Western
question-one which concerns the 100,-
100000 acres comprising the arid area. AS
hlgn farming becomes more general it will
be found that it is of vital moment to the
whole 2O0, 600 acres now under cultiva-
ton in the United States. There are coun-
tries like the British islands in which rain
falls so necessarily that the work OF fer
tilzaion by water may be left to meteor
ology. But these are exceptional. In the
great bulk of the cultivated area of the
grain-growing cOun tries. if the water sup
ply is left to the caprice of the weather.
the crop will always be gamble. That
we should only be finding this out now is
curious in view of the fact that the law
was well understood before the Christian
era. 1t was through an elaborate and
costly system of impounding the water
which fell in the rainy season in India
that that peninsula was enabled to Sus-
tain its vast population. Nothing but the
intricate network of irrigating canals
enabled Babylonia to become the ruling
power of the world. The enormous crops
of Egypt which so often saved Rome
from famine were raised by schemes of
irrigation which were based on the nat
ural overflow of the Nile; and at a later
date the Lombard plains and the mesas of
Central Spain owed their Iroductiveness
to similar contrivances. 1t is only mod
ern civilization which leaves on large
scale to nature the duty of supplying food
for mankind.
At Washington and In the Eastern
States he who talks irrigation is supposed
to speak for California and Colorado and
Utah and Arizona. and the valley Of the
Snake. 1t is, indeed. hardly needed in
some portions of the country. But the time
is coming when Ii will be found that it is
equally indispensable in Illinois. Iowa
and Ohio. And the more closely the
question is studied. the less difficult does
it's application appear. Experiment proves
that it takes much less water to fertlize
land than has been supposed. By hus-
banding the supply an annual precipita-
ton of ten inches is found to be ample to
produce fine crops. In parts of Utah five
inches at the right time, properly dis
tribIted, have answered the purpose.
Recent experiments in Colorado have
shown that the surplus rain precipitated on
three acres of laud by an average shower
will fertiliZe one acre on which not drop
has fallen. Rain enough goes to waste
every year in our San Joaquin Valley to
give life. if it had been saved. to large areas
where the crops fell from drought.
The trouble with the river valleys has
been an embarrassment of riches. Land
which would grow twenty five bushels of
wheat without manure and with scarcely
pretense OF cultivation seemed to need no
help; SO generation Of farmers grew up
who left to providence the duty which
they should have performed. They are
now finding out that. If they want
to thrive, they must rely little more on
cir own wits and their own muscles.