The sun., 1893-07-02

past, do SO almost wholly by affording pas
turage for meat-producing animals, It be-
Ing very questionable whether as much az
three per cent. OF the surface can be made
serviceable In any other way.
The Census reports dealing with the sew
eralirrigation districts show that the water
available for irrigation ut any reasonable
cost has nearly all been appropriated and
brought into use in the major part OF the
fluvlal basins, and yet the lands brought
under cultivation represent but fraction
OF one per cent Of the arid regions. More.
over, 1t is actually shown that New Mexi.
can areas which have been under cultiva.
tion for more than a hundred years have
had to be abandoned because OF the appro-
priation Of the water, nearer the heads OF
the streams. In Colorado.
In all this region water is abundant when
not needed. but in the growing and ripen-
Ing season the streams are at their lowest.
and the supply Is so diminished by the sum-
mer heats that there Is little left for the
parched fields.
So dependent is the agriculture of the
arid regions upon artificial Watering, and
30 deficient are available supplies. that with
millions desirous Of opening new farms
upon the public domain. and after two
flfths OF a century spent In developing the
irrigable lands Of Utah and other mountain
Territories and States. less than one-half OF
one per cent. of the $50, 200. 900 acres included
In the arid belt has been brought
under cultivation by irrigation: and OF
this small fraction more than 25 per
cent. Is found in the sub-humid regions Of
the Pacific States. Although much Of the
land under cultivation in the eight noun
tain States and Territories is found in linn
tied districts where the rainfall sufIices, as
In northeast Colorado and Latah county.
Idaho. yet the whole cultivated area OF the
irrigated districts. excluding California.
does not equal one per cent. Of the enor-
| nous area of aridity.
In nearly all the irrigating districts the
| Census officers found the irrigators divided
into classes having primary. secondary.
| and tertiary water rights. such rights be-
| ing determined by priority Of settlement.
| the water being distributed under regula-
tions varying with State. Territory. and
district. These diverse rights are an end
| less source Of neighborhood trouble. and
result in much litigation that adds to the
cost Of production.
Cultivators possessing secondary rights
suffer. in seasons OF deficient snowfall.
quite as much from drought as do the
farmers OF the central States. Their crops
are often hopelessly ruined by the absence
Of the needed water The possessor Of ter
tiary rights has not right that any one
respects. and never has sufficient water for
his crops II it is possible for his upstream
neghbors to use 1t all, or even waste it. al
though he may have gone to great expense
In securing his water right and in preparing
the means Of distribution. The result
OF this deficient supply is to reduce greatly
the yield per acre. and to bring the average
down nearly to the level of those secured
in the central States. where no irrigating
expenses are incurred. But for the high
prices resulting from a deficient local sup
ply OF farm products. the returns from the
whole aret. under irrigation would be less
than from an equal number OF acres under
the same crops in the areas OF well-dis-
tributed rains. The Census makes it clear
that insurance OF crops by irrigation prac-
tically accrues only to the owner Of primary
water rights.
Irrigation has been practised for hum
dreds Of years in New Mexico and for nearly
half century in Utah. Millions OF dollars
have been spent on schemes that have irri-
gated only the pockets of their promoters.
While the triumphs of the system over
nature. and its exceptional advantages,
have been trumpeted through the land. yet.
after all. the Census shows that In 1880 the
entire irrigated area actually productive
was but 100000 acres. or a block of land
seventy-five miles square. In other words.
the whole area under irrigation was equal
to four or five Western counties.
The single State of Nebraska. in the rain
belt. has about four times as much land un-
der harvested crops as have all the irriga-
tors Of the United States; and one county
In North Dakota grows more wheat than
the eight mountain States and Territories.
No matter what may have been the ideas
heretofore entertained. the Census reports
force the conclusion that the plain and
mountain areas. from the Tooth meridian to
the western base OF the Sierras and Cascades.
excepting limited areas in Washington. are
pastoral rather than agricultural. Their
contributions to the food supply will as
sumo the forms OF beef. mutton. and fruit
supplemented by limited quantities of veg
etables. mostly for local consumption; the
meats being produced with little or no aid
from irrigation. and the fruits and vege-
tables only with irrigation.
Such being the character OF the plains and
mountain plateaus. it follows that we must
rely for the great primary food staples upon
the 1000. 100000 acres embraced In the re-
gions OF weli-distributed rainfall Hence |
the ability Of the United States to sustain q |
dense population depends upon the produc-
tive power OF the narrow valleys OF the Pa |
cic States and the great central basins |
which merge into the arid plains about 200 |
miles west OF Arkansas. Missouri, Iowa. and |
Minnesota.
or these 1000 900. 900 acres some 24O. 900. 900
are now devoted to orchards. gardens. and |
harvested crops; 35O.OOO.OOO are employed. |
in whole or In part. as pasture: and OF the |
remainder probably 4O.0OO.OOO acres have |
been appropriated for cities, towns. villages.
roads. and parks. while at least 800. .OO0. 900 |
are mountain. swamp. and forest. where |
cultivation is not likely until farm products