The San Francisco call., 1905-05-24
THE IRRIGATION COMMITTEE.



found that the committee would make brief stop Yuma would
spend three days Southern California and then would
San Francisco by night train the Coast line and from here
would north As this cuts out all OF the extensive applied ga
the Joaquin Valley effort made change the
with reporting the utility and of Federal irrigation,
regretted avoids the opportunity inspect private
gang systems that would have served the purpose OF comparison
with the public systems
June Il the irrgang plant installed
Nevada taking its supply from the Truckee River 1t
expected Tgate about 10000 acres at cost Tor the water OF
could have inspected the Modesto districts supplied
with from the Tuoumne River by the highest dvertng dam
in the world furnishing water for 100000 acres of $40 per
This would be object lesson worthy OF study An expert
inspection OF might economies that would be of import
the Government The committee might also have learned
suppose irrigation everywhere the
values will produce to be expected TO yield results to the
California This mistake made by many
enthusiastic advocates of Federal
irrigation This led the conclusion that the high
Of Federal irrigation justified by the high expected from
In the San Joaquin Valley committee
the relation OF irrigation intensive farming wnteriess climate
and where the and value and number
than other OF the world The committee could
have learned that in the San Joaquin Valley by irrigation are pro-
duced rasns the genuine Smyrna fig and all other varieties
ol tns I ao variety OF decououS fruits IN NUMBER uk1wn
OUTSIDE OF california Nowhere else the world irrigation apped
many kinds crops here What done the San Joaquin
Valley done also in the Sacramento Valley and proper
OF both would have given the committee information OF the greatest
value to Congress, If that is what the trip is for
If the be extended the arid regions the high
eaus where Government irrigation works under way the
me would have had before the of climates element
the OF irrigation would have learned that outside Of
California the variety of fruit and field far less in number
and that the aIhe of harvests in this State
where conditions all production An official report
this branch OF the subject would much disappointment
settlers the Federal irrigation districts They being led by
enthusiasts suppose that the climate of California found also
outside OF California that of California fol-
lows the climate Our local isothema lines project
and northward.
The Agricultural Department keenly alive
the mistake that being taking California
and model for land that under climate and crop conditions
widely different from That department proceeding
practical way Federal irrigation dsappont-
and loss 1t establish irrigated by
the Government demonstration
which will be shown the kind the will
prohabl the method of cultivation, seeding applying
and all other demonstrations that
loss by proceeding by rule OF thumb All such settlers have
supply their lands They allowed only eighty
from that limited holding themselves all
losses inflicted by wind and weather bad markets and high
and off the Government
They will have empirical They
lose andtry experiments for will
default their obligations the Government and
of their land The plan of the Agricultural Department will
much and distress and demonstration farms
whole Federal irrigation policy from wreck
Perhaps would be for Congress seek instruction
parment rather than from the flying visits OF Congressman
probably practical agricuu and but little equipped
for digestion of what they The the
only trained scientists but back of that they
perenced farmers They have titled the soil themselves
Minnesota. New England Middle
culture They employed by the Government
know and Congress will do well attention the reports
they make 1t will the expense of committees which
only duplicate the observations made without adding ANYTHING
of value to the conclusions reached
While the pride of California somewhat touched
faulty itinerary the State loses nothing that
Portsnce- The loss is sustained by the committee.