Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1900-01-26
Irrigation Statistics.

Irrigation Statistics.
We arc in receipt Of the following
from the Cusus Office Of the Interior
Department:
The preliminary work Of tho Gen.
susOfice in collecting data relative to
the arid and sub-humid regions shows
that during the past ten years vast
areas have been reclaimed by irriga-
ton, both by ditchipg from running
streams and drilling for subterranean
waters.
Where only n few years ago the
%sagebrIsh struggled for existence in
the midst VI a waste OF alkali and
sand, oday are fields OF waving grain
and blossommg orange groves. Hun
dreds Of miles Of canals and bitches
have been constructed; hundreds Of
wells have been sunk, and thousands
OF acres OF land have been cultivated
in zones where once the desolation OF
Sahara reigned.
Moistened by fresh waters and fer
tilted by the rich Gilt Of the swift
mountain streams, once tracklese
wastes and desolate valleys in the
arid Southwest, have become rs fer
tile as the famous valley Of the Nile.
and send forth crops OF endless var
iety and exceeding abundance.
Irrigation is intensive farming.
Where the water supply La ample it is
sure farming. There are no failures
and crops are enormous. The eIper-
fenced irrigator is like the trained
eDginev. with his hand on the lever.
The movements OF his hand regulate
the amount Of water supplied to his
fields as those OF the engineer control
his engine.
] In most OF the irrigable sections OF
the west. fertilizers have never been
used, although the land has been
constantly cultivated for over two
centuries. In many sections fields
may be seen which have yielded sue.
cessive crops OF wheat for forty years
and chow no diminution Of produc.
tive strength.
Wonderful progress is shown in the
methods OF constructing canals, dams
and pumping machinery, and in the
manner OF distributing water. Mod
ern inventions in machinery have
greatly lessened the time, labor and
cost OF construction and management
and made possible many gigantic ell.
terprises Of land reclamation and
water utilization.
Mountains have been tunneled and
whole rivers have been lifted from
their beds and spread oyer the val
leys precisely as wanted. High up in
the ranges and on the elevated plat.
eaus immense storage reservoirs have
been constructed to impound the
flood waters OF the streams so that
the thirsty land below shall not suffer
during the long raiDless summer.
AS the successful solution of the
problem OF conservation OF flood
waters means the reclamation Of mil
lions Of acres Of public land, the peo.
plo naturally ask the Government to
promote having this end in
view. To this demand the Govern
ment responds. Lands containing
excellent reservoir sites have been
SGT aside and n thorough study OF the
sources and permnDence OF the water
supply Of arid regions has been made
to enable Congress to legislate with
intelligence upon this important sub.
jcct.
In aid OF this work the twelfth
census will endedvor to show the
present condition and values OF agri.
culture in the arid and semi humid
regions; the length, irrigable extent
and cost OF tho various canals, wells
and bitches; the character, volume
and consistency Of water supply; sys.
tens employed in distribution;
amount paid Tor water and the crops,
acreage and yield Of irrigable farms.
This effort will be successful IL
those interested in irrigation will
heartily cooperate with the census
Office and its agents.
Within n brief period tho main
schedules for taking the census Of
irrigation will be distributed, and hi.
rector Merriam requests TIN, all re-.
cipients prepare properly to fiji them
out and return them promptly.