The San Francisco call., 1899-04-12
NO CHANGE HAS
TAKEN PLACE IN
THE SEASONS
An Average Rainfall
Is Maintained.
THE PROBLEM OF IRRIGATION
SUBJECT IS DISCUSSED BEFORE
BOARD OF TRADE.
Pumping Plant System Finds Favor
With Authorities Over Present
- ,+bod Of TalxiOr Water
THE PROBLEM OF IRRIGATION
SUBJECT IS DISCUSSED BEFORE
BOARD OF TRADE.
Pumping Plant System Finds Favor
With Authorities Over Present
p rthod of Taking Water
From Streams.

The climate Of California has undergone
no change and is undergoing none. The
average rainfall, taking years in groups
and not singly, has shown no diminution
in the past fifty years. This was the die
tum laid down at a meeting OF the State
Board of Trade yesterday by men who
have made part Of their life work the
study of conditions which have bearing
on the farming industry of the State.
Their deduction is that the potency of the
forces that are at work to produce rain
are the same now as in the past, and that
they will continue in effectiveness.
The discussion as to existing conditions
in California was opened by w. H. Mills.
From a recently compiled chart he showed
the rainfall for half q century, declaring
that it was not quantity, but distribution,
which had the most bepeficent effect upon
field culture. 1t was best to have general
rain. 1t should, properly, be light in OCto-
Der and heavy in November. There should
be none IN December or January, and then
light rains into May. According to sta
tistics, January 10 marks the middle of the
season, the rainfall up to that time being
usually ore-half that for the winter Mr..
Mills dilated upon the benefits to be de-
rived from irrigation as an adjunct to the
rainfall. On this he said;
Fruit raising, vine growing and small
farming in California will depend for
their success in a very great measure
II upon the artificial application OF water.
These applications have proven prof
liable and Will continue to be so under
favorable conditions without irriga-
tion; but they are far more profitable
with it. Every orchardist and vine
yardist ought also to be a gardener,
and, in order to diversity the products
of the land, irrigation must be resorted
to- Glover, berries, gardens, orchards
and vineyards should be found on the
same holdings and should occupy the
attention of the cultivator of the soil
in their various seasons. This diversity
would in a measure equalize the de-
mand for labor throughout the year
and greatly improve the labor condi-
tons. Irrigation will enable the or
chardist and vineyardist to supply his
table with poultry, eggs, milk, butter,
vegetables and fruits, and thus confer
upon his holding its first and para
mount duty of affording him a COM
plete subsistence. The problem of liV-
Ing having been solved the question
of profit would become more certain
and, happily, less important. The an
cient methods of irrigation will be su-
perseded by modern and more econom-
ic methods. This revolution will be
referable to the cheapening of mechan-
fcal power and the increased efficiency
OF pumping machinery. Under the old
method main canal carrying water
at an elevation to lay a certain district
under irrigation was necessary. It's
construction and maintenance were
costly, while the application of water
10 lateral ultcneS was also costly and
unsatisfactory. A gravity supply of
water can be passed over g. surface
where the decline is constant. There
are no lands sufficiently level to make
more than 60 per cent of their surfaces
subject to irrigation from any point of
elevation in their vicinity.
Naphtha or gasoline engines have
pumping, whiIe improvements in
pumps have made their use far more
economic than the application of
water by more primitive and crude
method of bitches OF course, the
water must be brought to point from
which 1t may be pumped economically,
and this can be done in three ways
first, by q main canal, which is tapped
only with the suction of pumps Such
a canal would cost less and would be
more permanent in its construction,
because it would not be constructed
with reference to supplying water to
laterals. Second, by the use of the
channels of living streams. For the
most part the irrigable lands of Cali
fornia are accessible to streams Third,
by the sinking of wells. Concerning
the latter, it should be noted that an
irrigated country soon fills with water,
and wells in such a country afford an
ample supply for such portions of land
holdings as need irrigation. The eco
nomic use of the pump is also greatly
reinforced by the facility with which
In modern times electrical power is
transmitted at cheap rates. Some
! practical experiments in pumping were
made in various parts of the State
during the drought season of 1898. 1t
is stated, on seemingly reliable au-
! thority, that there are not far from
200O irrigation pumps in operation in the
county of Santa Clara alone For the
most part these are using wells, and
their use has proven beneficial and
economical.
Regarding the use. of irrigation sun
Elemental to the rainfall in Santa Clara
! County, the following was volunteered
/ MANY of the orchards of twenty acres
| have their own pumping plants Some ten
! acre orchards have plant and sell water
also to neighbors. Most of the larger
plants are so arranged that they also
! this system. which is now pretty we'll
developed, owing to the drought of last
| year, the principal orchard district of
! Santa Clara County is pretty well pro-
tected in the way of Irrigation
| l. H. Thomas of Visalia, Tulare County.
! contributed to the discussion the folIo1s.,