Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-01-25

the midst OF a waste of alkali and
sand, today are fields OF waving grain
and blossoming omnge-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 fertiliEed by the rich silt
OF the swift mountain streams. once
trackless wastes and desolate valleys
in the arid southwest, have become as
fertile as the famous valley of the Nile,
and sends forth crops of endless variety
and exceeding abundance
Irrigation is intensive farming.
Where the water supply is ample, It
is sure farming, There are no failures,
and crops are enormous, The expe-
uenced trrig0tor is like the trained en-
gineer 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 g., the irrigahlc sections OF
the west fertilizers have never been
used, although the land has been con-
| stantN cultivated for over two cen
turtles, In many sections fields may DO
seen which have yielded successive
crops of wheat for forty years and
show no dimiputiou OF productive
! strength.
Wonderful progress Is shown In the
methods OF constructing canals. dams,
and pumping machinery. and in tho
manner OF distributing water. Modern
inventions in machinery have greatly
lessened the time, labor and cost of
| construction and management and
mado possible many gigantic enter.
prtses OF land reclamation and water
utilization
Mountains have been tunneled and
whole rivers have been lifted from
their beds and spread over the valleys
precisely MS wanted. High up in the
ranges and on tho elevated plateaus
immense storage reservoirs have been
constructed to impound tho flood.
waters OF tho streams 80 that tho
thirsty land below shall not suffer- dur
ing the long rainloss summer.
AS the successful solution OF the
problem or conservation OF flood
waters means the reclamation OF mill
lions of acres Of public land, the people
naturally ask the government To pro-
mote measures having this end In
view. 70 this demand the government
responds, Lands containing excellent
reservoir sites have been set aside anda
thorough study OF tho sources and pcr-
manenee OF tho water supply OF arid
regions has been made to enable con.
gross to loglslate with Intelligence
upon this important subject,
In aid OF this work tho twelfth CEN
sus viii endeavor comprehonsIvcly TO
show tho present condition and values
OF agriculture In the arid and sub.
humid regions; tho length Irrigahie
extent and cost of tho various canals
wells and bitches; tho character. vol
ume and constancy of water supply:
systems employed In distribution;
| amount paid for water and the crops.
acreage and yield Of irrigated farms.
This effort viii be successful II those
Interested IN irrigation shall heartily
operate with the census office and
| Its agents.
Within u brief period the main
schedules for taking the census OF IT.
rigntion VIII BIO distributed and III
rector Merriam requests that recipients
prepare properly to MI them out and
to return them.