The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-27

cellent practical knowledge Of it
through years of profitab BILE experience.
Mr.. Adams then explained the puT-
pose of the irrigation Investigations Of
the department of agriculture to be to
help the irrigatiOnists to solve some OF
the problems OF conservation. distribu
ton and use of water in irrigation, and
TO gather from the farmers and the
court records such facts bearing on
irrigation laws and customs as are OF
Importance to the communities here
and elsewhere. As stated in other
words by Mr.. Adams, the object is to
study the laws and customs Of irrigat-
ed agriculture in typical sections and
to embOdy the results in reports of a
practical nature. which may serve as
a guide to irrigationists and to in
vestors in irrigation enterprises and to
legislatures and congress in preparing
wise laws
The Investigations of the department
Of agriculture are to be continued and
extended throughout the west. Mr.
Adams added, and the reports of re-
suits published annually In Utah the
study will be along the river systems
and Utah lake, extending even to the
southern part of the state. and much
valuable aid may thereby be expected
by the farmers. In this study the de-
partment has the assistance of the ag-
ricultural college, the state university
and the state engineer.
Ruinous Losses of Water.
Referring to the loss of water
through evaporation and seepage Of
canals, Mr.. Adams said that while it
varies in different localities. investi-
cations had demonstrated that in
twelve canals in Utah and adjoining
states the loss in 1890 averaged 2.47
per cent of water per mile, so that in
canal forty miles long and having
capacity of 100 cubic feet per sec
ond the entire flow would disappear
from seepage and evaporation, The
ain will be 10 point out how these i'm
mense losses may be checked.
The farmers in Nebraska and other
states east of the mountains are be-
ginning to be encouraged by the ex-
amples set by the reclaimers of the arid
lands. In western Nebraska farm
crops had increased an average of 50
per cent with the aid of irrigation. and
this is acting as a stimulus. Mr. Adams
stated. to the farmers further east,
where dependence has been entirely
upon rain.
Engineer Doremus in Reserve.
When State Engineer Doremus was
called upon to deliver his address all
of the delegates primed themselves to
hear one of the most entertaining talks
by this practical and scientific son OF
Utah. IT was expected that his address
would be a feature of the convention s
proceedings and that il would occasion
more discussion, more cOncurring sen
timent and more dissenting opinion on
certain topics than any speech on the
programme, but Mr. Doremus was not
disposed to say what he had prepared
himself for until a more OppOrtune
time. He excused himself from max
ing the anticipated address by saying
he expected TO take part in the discus
sion of the various topics in their or
der but until the proper time came
he did not feel justified in speaking his
sentiments.
Mr.. DOremus added that the pro-
gramme of topics for discussion pre-
scented nearly every important ques-
ton and will bring out all phases of
the irrigation problems which will test
the intelligence Of the convention.
Many of the questions are being con-
sidered by cor greSs. and he believed
that the national law makers will be
glad to receive such suggestions as the
convention is capa BILE of Offering. That
the conventions conclusions will have
great weight in solving rro7v of the
great irrigation questinTS ho had no
doubt
The convention then took a recess
till 10 o'clock this morning.