The record-union., 1899-12-09
PRIMITIVE AGRICULTURE.

PRIMITIVE AGRICULTURE.
How EARLY Tribes Drew Their sus-
tenance From the Soil
The most prominent feature in the
history of the gradual growth and de-
velopment of man, is agriculture. Hav-
ing it's origin in necessity its develop
ment has kept pace with mans ad-
vancement to the highly civilized plane
he has attained. Beginning with the
use of nuts fruits, roots and game Cd
tanned in the wild state, the require
ments became more exacting, for man
is in nature never satisfied. The resort
to planting and growing for themselves
the different fruits which the early in
habitants of the earth had been ac-
customed to use was but a natural out
come of observing how seeds sprouted
grew and produced the very articles OF
diet with which they were familiar.
The increase of population in the era
die of Man." gradually forced the weak
er tribes into the great deserts to the
west. Here they encountered the hard
est conditions, finding nature against
them in a land where water was scarce
and where no vegetation could grow
except in the immediate vicinity of
springs. It was under rigorous con-
ditions that the desert tribes lived and
grew in numbers and strength.
By reason of their surroundings and
the hard struggle for existence, these
people became fatalists. Under the
later influence of the Koran their
fanatical instincts were aroused and
they went forth to the conquest Of the
world to convert all to the doctrines
of Mohammed They are to-day a
sturdy, wiry race, But from the first
their training has been in the hard
school of adversely. Theirs was not a
land flowing with milk and honey: but
what they raised was by the abundant
sweat of the brow. The culture of the
simplest necessities meant indefatiga-
bic and patient labor.
From time immemorial irrigation has
been practiced by man in aid Of agri-
culture: in fact the birth of agricul-
ture was in irrigation. The idea I'M
doubtedly originated in the apt illus
tration afforded by the GASES in the
deserts. Here, with surrounding sand,
devoid of vegetation, the hardy sons
Of the desert were wont to seek TIE
grateful shade. Beside the springs they
could lie in the shadow of the date
palm, and sleep the sleep Of the weary,
rising refreshed and ready for the next
journey which was measured from
oasis to oasis. 1t was but natural for
man to observe that where springs and
water were plentiful vegetation throve.
By the cultivation of the larger of these
GASES they raised the food necessary for
their simple diet. When they needed
more Land for agriculture, it was but
natural to attempt to moisten the soil.
To secure water for this, wells were
dug. From these the water was drawn
by hand and carried in leathern bags
to the little patch which they intended
to cultivate.
Where the desert extended along the
banks of a river, as the Nile or the
Euphrates for instance, the water was
plentiful 1t but needed to be applied
to the land to produce the crops need
ed by man The sculptures of ancient
Egypt contain figures of men with a
yoke upon their shoulders bearing
possible where the water was near at
hand. Sculptures of a little later date
show the use of the bucket and lever
known as the shadoof by the Arabs
the simple well sweep of our older
country homes and still used for irri-
eating in many parts Of Egypt, Arabia,
Persia and India 1t consits of pole
pivoted upon at upright with a. skin
bucket fastened to one end and a
weight upon the other. With this the
water can be raised to the hight of
eight or ten feet into a trough from
which it flows into a small tank or sur
face reservoir. Where the water has
to be raised to a great hight it is ac-
complished by series of shadoofs, one
above the other, each depositing the
water in. tank Immediately above,
from which it is again raised eight
or ten feet and so on until it is finally
on the level Of the land sought to be
irrigated.
AS civilization progressed, bitches or
troughs by easy transition, replaced
the man with the bucket as the means
of leading the water onto land. Ridges
few inches in hight were raised
around small patches of ground and the
water was permitted to run in until the
soil was covered when the gap was
closed in this square and an opening
made in the next. After long ap-
premiership man gradually acquired a
knowledge of mechanics and the ap-
plication of the forces of nature to his
own ends. Crude water wheels were
constructed which We're propelled first
by human labor and later by oxen,
cows, donkeys or camels and finally by
the current of streams
The need was water water. water!
/ No matter how laborious the task
water must be gotten. So by these
methods. against overwhelming odds
mans struggle with the forces of ma.
ture has continued for untold ages
And to-day, through the application OF
/ the principles discovered by our pre-
decessors in irrigation, we see millions
of acres of soil, worthless otherwise
reclaimed and made fruitful Exper
fence has shown that where the water
is under control better and larger crop:
can be produced than on lands where
nature has been most bountiful in fur
nishing rainfall In the latter regions
rain often comes at inopportune times
and again fails just when most needed
nv the ma turing cron Failure or ma r