Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-10-11
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AGRICULTURAL
Bone Up to Date Hints About cultivs-
ton of the Soil and Yields Thereof
Horticultr.s yIticuItars and Klori-
ealturo.
Britons u"~s.::Sa:s Irrigation.
Xyvomin0 bulletin saws.

Britons I"~ss.:Sa.s Irrigation.
A Wyoming bulletin says:
On Dec %. 1854, the British govern
ment appointed royal commission on
water supplies and irrigation 1t was
! the duty of this commission to investi-
gate the subject of irrigation in
Egypt, Italy, India and the United
information for the guidance of legis-
the province of Victoria This COM
mission made special study Of irri-
CATION laws, water rights, and methods
of constructing large irrigation works
in the various countries visited. They
have made various progress reports
from time to time which have been
printed by the British government in
Australia These reports contain
much valuable information, and
have led to the adoption of
the system now practiced in
Victoria, which is regarded as
combining the wisdom and best meth
DDS Of irrigation that can be culled
from the practice of the world.
STATE OWNERSHIP
On the sabject of irrigation in Italy.
lowing statement:
In the first place. 1t is important to
note that almost all the irrigation
canals in Piedmont and Lombardy
now belong to the state, and the fact
is all the more striking when it is re-
membered that majority of them
were originally constructed by pr;-
vste enterprise. The reason for this
change of ownership is not difficult of
discovery. As Baird Smith notes, the
dangers arising out of monopoly of
water, apart from the ownership of
the soil. have commended their pur-
chase to the statesman. Both pro-
ccsses, starting out On different prin-
ciplcs, have arrived at the same con-
clusion. The Lombard practice of
never separating the water from the
land has palpably produced most ben
eficfai results, and, in his judg-
ment was the chief cause of the
rapid multiplication OF secondary
canals constructed by the pri-
vate enterprise in that province.
I'm Piedmont, the states proprietary
flea cious in encouraging its equitabl
distribution; bu. its ownership of the
head works has come to be recognized
in each as the best means OF insuring
justice to the irriga.or."
IN ITALY, FRANCE AND SPAIN.
The commission further states that
"Italian experience, French expert
| ence and Spanish experience all go to
| show that the interests to be stud led
| in relation to irrigation schemes are
| so many and SO various, and so inti-
mately bound up with the public well
| fare, that state control is imperativelY
F., necessary, and that for the protection
| Of its citizens no monopoly can be
| permitted which would separate prop.
erty in water from property in land to
which it is to be applied. But at the
| same time it is established that while
| ageneral central control by the state
/; is essential, the business management
and distribution of the water is
much better placed under the local
| authority, as this is more effective in
| its supervision, more economical in its
| administration, and is educational,
| also, in political sense, to high de-
prehensivc system Of irrigation by
| private enterprise is possible only
| under unusual conditions. II it en-
braces many sources of supply, large
areas, or conflicting interests, it is
impossible. The capital required is
large, the returns are not rnpid, and
! the full benefit secured by the close
| occupation and complete utilization
of considerable areas are so reduced
| that the state could reach those bene-
, ITS in uunumbered ways. and settler3
are rot justified in assuming large re-
! spor sibi tiles in their initiation This
! becomes palpable when 1t is perceived
p, that as in Egypt and Italy, carefully
! matured schemes insure au enormous
I agricultural production, and the
stable pro, perity Of large number of
| producers. 1t may be safely asserted
from foreign experience of many gen
| erat.ons that irrigation is one of the
| soundest nationul jnTsath. no, m..are
| eneireer.pg ability and executive
work ure expsuded upon large canals,
which arc af,e-ward taken under
local control, guarded by Z carefull y
| complied code Of water laws ard reg
! duction is enhanced is charged with
| The interest upon the capital expended
| in supply ing it. All of these condi.
tions we ought to possess in Victoria. ;
I IN VICTORIA.
The investigations OF this British
commission led to the adoption OF
what may be called the communal"
principle for reciaiming the arid lands
Of Victoria. Water trusts are formed
somewhat similar 10 the irrigation
| district in California under the Wright
! act; but these water trusts by law are
| under governmental control, and can
only be ca rried forward by the sane
tion Of the government, which passes
| upon the feasibility of The icheme, ind
| also the available water supply for
the uses of the proposed water trust.
The irrigation act of 1856 in Victoria
declares the water of all streams to
be tho property of the crown. pro-
vidcs for tie extinction Of any riparian
rights that might prevent the use
Of water for irrigation. author