Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-03-02
PROFESSOR E. W. HILGARD.

flt'li ESSOlt r.. W. HlLGAltD.
600 has actually been invested in irrigation
enterprises In July, August and Septem-
Der of last year not less than 100 different
irrigation schemes were recorded, contem-
plating the reclamation of 5000, COO acres
and requiring an aggregate capital of $50
100000.
Some Of the capitalists and investors of
the west seem to have become infected with
an irrigation craze, aud rushing in without
proper investigation, as they used to do in
the days of bogus mines and wildcat rail
roads, have dumped a great deal of money in
bitches mapped out to irIigate land where
no actual settlers have yet located. The
certainty of water on these lands will no
doubt attract settlers in time, and the en-
terprises will probably yet prove to be prof
table enough but the profits will not be
to the original investors who built ahead
of their generation and could not afford to
wait. The loss involved by such specula-
tions. however, must be comparatively
small.
The advantages irrigation secures to the
farmer in the certainty of yearly crops in
dependent of rains have been discussed of.
ten enough in comparison with the frequent
crop failures in seasons of drought in humid
climates, and there has been notable and
somewhat humorous change of sentiment
in regard to the matter within very short
term of years. 1t is not so very long since
the eastern farmer, proud of his bouuteous
rains when he got them in season and very
doubtful of Il beneficent Providence when
he didn't, had IA feeling of commiseration
for his brother in the arid west, compelled
to till an obstreperous alkali or adobe soil
and resort to irrigation AS a substitute for
rain.
Substitute for rain!" quoth some west
ern wit, alive to the advantages of being
able to apply water to his fields at Just the
times and in just the quantities required
by his crops. irrigation a substitute for
rain! Not much Rain might be consid-
cred substitute for irrigation, and a
mighty poor one at that. And as for our
adobe and alkali soils, chemical analysis
shows that they contain in abundance.
sometimes in superabundance the very sub
stances that you fasteners pay out money
tor when you purchase fertilizers to reno
vate your wornout land"
Thus croweth the successful irrigationist
over the man who was disposed to be eff
fusively sympathetic, and somehow before
the irrigationist is through with him the
man from the rainy regions begins to feel
as If he should in common fairness have re-
served his sympathy for himself Fora hese
irrigationists pride themselves on their sci
entiiic farming, and when they talk of soil
analyses and the different methods of pro.
cedure necessary with different soils it is
because they have studied the subject and
have been instructed therein as thoroughly
as may be by scientists vino devote their
lives to finding out and informing them
how to secure the best results from any
land they may choose to cultivate
DIR. h. w. Hilgard, professor in charge of
the agricultural college of the University
OF California, is one of these men, and his
work has been of incalculabie benefit not
only to the agriculturists and orchardists
OF his own state, but to those of neighbor-
ing states and territories and to the world
at large. Professor lilgard and his assist
ants devote considerable of their time and
attention TO the analysis of samples of soil
and water submitted for their inspection
by interested persons from all over the
great arid west. but they also apply them
selves To scientific agricultural experiments
OF n character calculated To prove of great
benefit TO the Golden State and to the
whole United States.
One of the professors recent and most
useful experiments was the reclamation of
some black alkali" soil in Tulare county.
Owing to an excess of carbonate of soda
black alkali" land has always been con
Fdered worthless and has been practically
untllable. Professor Hllgard directed that
a simple dressing of gypsum or land plaster
be applied, which converted the noxious
soda into harmless Glaubers salt, and lol
fields of golden grain were bowling in the
breezes on land that in its native condition
was the Vertable abomination of desola-
ton. What wonder, with such men to
help him and with an intelligent apprecia-
ton of the needs of his land, his crops and
the peculiarites of the markets he supplies,
that the irrigationist of the arid" west
should know himself the forerunner of the
agriculturist of the future and |
should foresee the day when the irrigated |
west will supply markets altogether too
profitable and important to be- left depend
emit on the uncertain and often untimely
rainfall of the humid eastS
IL. T. WHITE