The Delta independent., 1897-09-17

Address Delivered Before the Wsstssa Siees
Congress BY Hsa. s. s. shsrnaa.

NSoTeSs OeuSSseo oStosO tno WetteSo 0b0po
Congress BY Hsa. s. s. shsrnaa.
Continued from last week.
But must say what ! have heard. II
was excavated TO a depth OF 100 feet and
its width was q stadium (6O9ft) every
where; it was carried around the whole
OF the plain and was 10000 stadia in
length 1t received the streams which
came down from the mountains and
winding around the plains, touching
cities at various points, was then let Cd
into the sea. From above likewise.
straight canals Of q hundred feet in
width were in the plain and again let o6
into the ditch. toward the sea; thess
canals were at intervals OF one hundred
stadia, and by them brought down from
the mJuntains TO the city. and conveyed
the fruits Of the earth in ships, cutting
transverse passage from one canal to
another and to the city. Twice in the
year they gathered the fruits Of the earth.
in winter having the benefits q the rsine.
xnu IN sumne. intruouczrE ms watsft
q the canals" We are creditably in
formed that the Assyrians. Babylonians.
Carthagcnians and Phoenicizns all prac-
ticcd irrigation; and France, Italy, Spain
and many other Of the European nations
still irriaate their most choice and valu-
able productions. Irrigation in France
has greatly increased in the last twenty
years, with the result OF more thar
doubling the crop production upon the
lands irrigated.
II is said that there is evidence in
South America that in Bolivia and Peru
irrigation was praciicei long before the
Christian Era. and in Arizona, 90 near
us. south and east OF Pboeuix. are now
found remains OF large stone aqueducts
and canals constructed and used FOR
tilling the soil decades of centuries ago.
India, under the British rule. has car
ricd irrigation TO the greatest perfection
OF any country Of the present day. 1t
has a single canal that cost tl5.00o.0oo
and that waters about 100000 Acree OF
land. Its main line is &56 miles long.
and il has total mileage Of laterals and
drainage cuts OF nearly 1000 miles. You
will notice that the expense Of this
canal is about el50o an acre. 1t has
other canals equally large. Many OF
them are built % as to supply water ways
FOR navigation. but navigation is second
airy consideration. Official reports OF
1sp show that there were 100000
acres OF land cultivated by irrigation in
India that year. II is estimated tina;
irrigation is needed in nearly one half OF
the area OF the United States TO compcn-
safe for an insufficient rain fall. which
large territory has . population OF about
6.ooo 600 people. China and India, with
their thickiy settled multitudcs Of people.
would 10 unable TO supply eustcnance
for one third Of their population without
irrigation. and ss population increases
in other countries and the Human Race
is becoming more thickly eettled and
widely spread out. the arid regions Of
our earth's surface 10 being more in
trcnched upon. and by mesns of irriga-
ton is fast becomine the most productive
and thickly settled portioos Of our
country. the garden spots oe the earth.
RESKFrrs OF IRRIGATION.
The benefits of irrigation over that of
natural rain fall in the watering q crops
are % numerous - 10 many tim~s repay
all the cost and expense u iriestins.
The first great bseeft that acss natural
ly suegssts itself 10 hat which , receiv-
ed by the soil froo ths deposit of silt in
times of fsrshes. One cassot estimate
the bsnsat 10 ths gso~i.g alfalfa sod
grain aelas frva Tie fsssilisssioa they
receive fFco bsieg irrigated ~ tAs tAick
muddy vssss q oss sssssos dssiaG
tisss q frssAst Will ssos a ~
sssssss ~ - e.sy ~ &s Ssalisy
and ricAs0 s(ual 10 ~ Xls a -.