The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-04-19

1. That irrigation has been successful and
profitable as we'll In regions of Large annual
rain fall as in arid districts.
2, That all kinds and conditions of soil
have been benefited
3. That centers of irrigation have uniform
ly become centers of population and wealth +,
while other sections equally blessed by ma
ture and natural resources have refrigerated
OIL remained dormant. AS as example of this
fact it may be stated that while California
has in ten years adCe ed to her population 80
pc rcent., thirteen non-irIigated counties have
lost from / to 70 per cent. The gain in the
eleven artifcially watered counties has been
753 per cent
4. That subterranean supply, wherever 1t has
been reached and utilized, he's greatly reduced
the need of surface irrigation. After irrigation
has been practiced for several years given
supply of water suffices for alargely increased
area. The explanation given is that the water
is largely retained by the lower impervious
strata, at varying depths; that on the surface,
aided by capillary attraction of plant growth
and cultivation, necessarily brings to the
surface large supplies of moisture; that the
increased humidity of the night cOndenses it.
self under the fall of temperature into dew
and mist, even where these were previously
unknown and that the greater humidity from
all these causes has a marked tendency to
produce greater and more frequent rain falls
and to retard evaporation.
Whatever the cause, true it is that greater
moisture exists in the soil, that springs break
out where none before existed, that dews and
fOgs prevail where they were hitherto I'M
known, that the number of cloudy days is
increased and that the water line at which
surface water can be obtained in ordinary dug
wells rises materially.
At Fresno. California, it was formerly forty
five feet to wafer, but now it is only six to
eight feet. The same is true in the great
plains east of the Rocky Mountains, and so in
parts of EUROPE
5. That measurably the same general result is
claimed of areas watered from bitches, streams
and lakes. as the same reasons prevail there for,
ex cept that subterranean wells may supply water
to the sub-soil which does not appear on the sur
face.
g. That in all countries where large areas of
forest have melted before the advancing march OF
civilization, there is q marked decrease in the
natural water supply and i'll many instances IT.
rgation has been found necessary for full crops
where the rainfall was formerly sufficient.
T. That in some instances it is claimed that
general irrigation has had the same influence
upon the rainfall that former forest growth had.
g. That increased humidity of the atmosphere
rainfalls, and accumulation of water do have
some influence upon the temperature.
8. Thatwater may carry very valuable fertiliz-
ing qualities This only be determined by anal
ysis. Water from one creek in California carries
to the land it irrigates about half grain of
potash to each gallon. If twelve inches OF water
were used during the season, each acre would re-
ceive about twenty pounds offullly available pot
ash The same water carries with it the equiva~
lent of one hundred pounds of quick lime These
elements have definite cash value in the market
Artesian water, water from mostlakes and rivers
and especially stagnant swamp and muck water
contain fertillzng elements of more or less value
which come as free gift to the irrigator.
10. Apparently rather poor lands that have
been systematically and thoroughly irrigated
have continued to bear heavy crops for years
without other fertilization. Whether this comes