New-York tribune., 1902-07-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE RECOVERY OF THE ARID LANDS.

H1Tne 5N the Hewe WHTER Emo PA XIX AZ
Thomas Y. Crowen & Co
Irrigation of the arid lands Of the West has
been prominently brought before the public by
President Roosevelt's recent advocacy OF gov
ernmental action for the conservation or water
supply. and the introduction of a bill into Con-
gress with that object. Mr.. Newell in this book
has given clear explanation of the conditions
of the problem of irrigation; he has told what
irrigation is, why it is necessary, what has been
done in certain regions what remains to be
done in others One-third of the area of the
United States consists Of vacant public land'
and about two-ffths Of the total area of the
country are arid lands. The system Of survey
ing public lands, by which rectangular lines are
run across the country without reference to
natural features, has operated greatly to the
disadvantage of the arid regions of the West.
Title to few hundred acres lying along the
watercourses has cut off the possibility Of
ether settlers using the water supply, and has
thus deprived Of all value thousands Of acres
lying back OF the streams, or else has thrown
them into the hands of the riparian owners.
BY a systematic method of irrigation all this
land could be rendered of approximately equal
value.
The practical questions connected with irri-
.xation are treated by Mr.. Newell in simple and
clear fashion He describes methods of meas
uring the flow of water in stream to ascertain
the amount of supply; the way TO lay out
bitches and the usual procedure in allotting the
supply Of water to the different takers. There
has been much dispute and bad blood over this
matter. and the result has been the gradual
disqualification of judicial decision and State en-
.actment, though the subject is still far from
settled, either in law or in custom. The present
stage of development is:
The adjustment of interests as to allow
apportionment of water in such way as to
increase it's economical use. For example in
stead of dividing the water strictly according
10 priority, and thus wasting considerable por-
tons In forcing it down stream TO lower bitches.
the scanty supply IS so distributed as 10 give the
greatest benefit to the greatest numbers. The
last stage OF evolution of water distribution is
Ethat in which. all or the greater part of the
interests being mutually adjusted. the united
efforts directed toward water storage and
conservation of the supply by building reservoirs
and by adapting the methods of irrigation to
suit the fuctuating quantities
The use of irrigation, according to Mr.. Newell,
IS characteristic of the highest type Of agri-
culture. With ability to apply water to the
dry fields the regularity Of the crop is insured.
and farming operations can be conducted with
9, certainty unknown in humid climates. Small
farms are also characteristic of the successful
development Of irrigation. The author assumes
that the national government is the only power
competent 10 carry 10 d SUCCESSFUL CoiiCiOSioii
the mighty enterprise of irrigating the arid
lands of the West. He believes that by such
a governmental undertaking every section Of
the country will be benefted-the East and
Middle West finding in the ''regenerated empire
a market for machinery and manufactured prod
ucts, the South a sale for her fabrics;' while
~the farmers of the reclaimed regions will send
the cereal products of their acres across the
Pacific to the swarming millions of the Orient"
Whether or not there is justice in such an ex-
penditure by the government, raised partly by
the taxation of Eastern farmers, to build up
rivals for their farms in the Far West. he does
not debate.