The San Francisco call., 1897-11-23
NEEDS OF THE
ARID REGION
Professor Hilgard on
Whitney's Recent
Report.
Agricultural Department Has
Received Needed En-
lightenment.
VIII Investigate Conditions In Sec
tions of Deficient Summer
Rains.
Special Dispatch to The CALI.

DEhhELE1, n OV. ZZ.-Mucn attention
and comment have been given of late to
the statements made in a report OF
Professor Milton Whitney of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture at Washington, of
the observations made by him during q
recent tour OF exploration through the
"arid' region west OF the Rocky Noun
tains. As reported by telegraph in the
issue of The CALL of November is, this
report recites, in substance, facts familiar
to dweliers in the region concerned, but
which thus far have failed to be properly
apprehended and appreciated by the
population living east of the Mississippi,
including even the Department of Agri-
culture itself.
1t should be matter OF oongratulation
that at last this understanding of the true
state OF things In the great West las found
its way to the official consciousness of the
department and is likely to receive its
effective aid in full investigation of the
various phases of agricultural problems
presented in the regions of deficient sum-
mer rains, for that is what the word
''arid" has practically come to imply. 1t
has too long been left 10 individuals and
States alone to investigate these prob
lens, without the aid of the national De-
partment OF Agriculture even TO the ex-
tent of supplying the seeds distributed
annually in time for sowing the same sea-
son, despite annually repeated admon-
tions ana requests to that effect both from
private parties and from experiment STA
tions.
Professor Whitney's mission of explora-
ton Through The arid and semj- arid re-
glon OF the United States is the first fruit
of this better apprehension and change of
policy on the part OF the national Depart
ment of Agriculture, watch is doubtless
in the main due to the fact that Secretar ~
Wilson has himself had experience in the
experiment station work Of his own State
(lowa) and therefore thoroughly under
stand the need of the knowledge aid in
vesigation OF local aud regional facts and
conditions and Cf the adaptation of the
policy of the department thereto in order
that the benefits of the work of the same
may be fairly distributed instead OF being
practically confined TO the Atlantic and
Gulf slopes, as has been the case hereto
lore.
The fact is that that work, as well as the
agricultural textbooks and periodicals
published east of he Rockies, have always
taken for granted the essential clim ATTIC
and soil conditions of Europe and of The
Atlantic Slope and have hardly taken into
things in the arid regions which form so
large and important a part of The cuttiva-
BILE area Of the globe. To a greater or
less extent these conditions have, it is
true been known and described for long
time past; but they have hardly entered
into tue active consciousness of those
dwelling outside, being considered rather !
as unimportant exceptions to the normal
regime of the regions of summer rains, |
lust AS irrigation itself was viewed a. a |
rather undesirable makeshift and substi- !
tute for the natural rainfall of he humid |
countries. The change of opinion that of
late has been gaining ground in this latter |
respect in the East, causing the more fre- |
quent use of irrigation in the regions |
whers summer rains do usually but not
always supply the needful moisture for
the success of crops 10 be seriously con-
sidered and practically carried out, has
doubtless had its share In directing the
attention of the department more directly
to the irrigation regions
But however We may welcome even
this tardy recognition OF the peculiar
needs and consequent rights OF the arid
region it cannot DE admitted that, as the
telegraphic reports intimate the depart
ment or Professor Whitney have lust
made a new discovery Of matters hereto
fore unknown or unpublished. While it is
quite true that "these soils will make the
most rem dTkaCle CUdpter LII Ine WOTlQ
history of agricultural it Will be so
largely because it illustrates so forciby
the conservative tendency even of men OF
science. and still more OF farmers TO re-
gard as normal and as generally true
whatever happens TO be so in their own
surroundings. The Eastern farmer
brings with him to California the ideas
and practices 10 which he has been accus-
toned, and it oftentimes takes years of
failure and unnecessary expense 10 con-
vince him that circumstances alter
cases" very EN- ph atically in this instance.
Even thus it has taken Professor Whitney
a ersonal exploration to convince him of
the truth OF what the California expert
ment station has for many years past re-
corded in its publications, and even in
special bulletin (No. 3. 1892 of the identi-
ca branch of the Agricultural Depart
ment at Washington, under which his re.
cent explorations have been conducted,
VIZ the Weather Bureau.
That bulletin (Which has been repub-
lished in considerably enlarged transla-
tions both in France and Germany, to-
gether with the regular publications of
the California Exper ment Station, sets
forth in full the important differences
existing between agricultural conditions