The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-29
TTE RECLAMATION or WESTERN
DESERTS.

| one thing for which more than TOT any
| other the people Of the United States are
supposed TO be distinguished, It is their
readiness 20 adopt advantageous systems
and methods In their industrial processes
/ Yet Il has taken US a long time 70 become
| even partially awake 10 the very manifest
advantages which lie in the system OF In
| tensive cultivation by means Of artificial
| irrigation.
Thousands OF years ago the Egyptian
| fellahin, with the shaduf and the sakRish,
| spilled the waters Of the Nile on the sands
OF Libya and Nubia and made them fertile.
/ Centuries ago people whom We regard as
I barbario made use Of irrigation canals in
| what is now Arizona, New Mexico and
! Nevada. The early Spanish settlers adopt
ed the system in southern California and
! elsewhere, The MoTmons, fifty years ago.
were the first Amerioans-using that term
In its modern signifcanoe-to follow in the
footsteps OF Spaniard. early Indian and
still earlier Egyptian. Pioneer settlers in
| other Western areas then took II up, and in
1907 the United States as a nation went
into the business. 1t was quite time.
A report Of the Census Bureau shows that
| up TO 1909 private enterprises had estab-
lished irrigation systems covering nearly
$500 900 acres. This In equivalent TO 5000
square miles, or about three times the area
| Of the State Of Connecticut The cost Of
constructing these systems il given as
SOS. 800 900. Unofficial students set the
actual cost far beyond this sum. Upon a
scale sufficient to make them worth official
comment, irrigation systems we're in use
in 1902 in thirty-one different States and
Territories.
For meteorological purposes the United
States is divided into three areas-the
humid, the arid and tho semi-arid. The
humid area covers the country eastward
from a north and south line, having a slight
westward curve. running from the Lake Of
the Woods to the vicinity OF Galveston,
Texas. Within this area irrigation is a
convenient advantage, not a necessity.
Immediately west Of the humid area lies
the semi-arid belt, two or three hundred
miles In width, from the Canadian border
TO the Gulf, It's eastern border follows the
line Of the humid area. Its western border
begins az a point q little westward OF the
Tooth meridian OF longitude, follows a gen
orally southwark course to the middle Of
Texas, and there curves southeastward TO
the coast, near Indanoh. Semi-arid areas
occur in the great arid region which lies
west OF the semi-arid belt. A humid area
Ia again found on the Pacific Coast strip
northward from San Francisco and swing
ing across the greater part Of the northern
border OF Washington. There it joins a
semi-arid area, which covers the eastern
part OF Washington, the northeast corner
OF Oregon, the northern part Of Idaho and
the western border Of Montana
The arid region covers, approximately.
two-fifths Of the country, exclusive Of
course Of Alaska and other outlying pos
sessions. Water only il needed to make
a large part Of this vast region one Of the
most fertile areas in the world. Much Of
il is land Of almost perpetual sunshine
The application OF water, scientifically
regulated in acc ordance with the needs Of
growing crops, converts il into an agri-
cultural paradise. Water supply is lacking
Tor reclamation OF the entire region, but
millions Of acres can and will be turned
from deserts into fruitful gardens and
highly productive farms. Irrigated areas
have produced 600 bushels or potatoes 70
the acre. as compared with the average for
the entire crop Of the United States in 1908
Of IS bushels. They have yielded 100
bushels Of onions to the acre. 80 tons Of
sugar beets, N tons Of alfalfa hay, and
other crops in similar proportions Farmers
dependent upon rain must take their chance
OF natures varying moods. With artificial
irrigation the agriculturist controls the
spigot and turns the water on or shuts IL
on 20 suit himself
In June, 1902. Congress passed a measure
Variously known as the Hansbrough bill,
the Newlands bill and the Reclamation act.
N NRGf hatV -
propriate title. II provides that all money
received from the sale Of public lands in
thirteen specified States and three Terri
tories shall be set aside allowance being
made for sundry prior claims, and shall be
known as the reclamation fund" This
fund Is to be used for the installation of
irrigation systems in the various States and
Territories. The land thus reclaimed is to
be sold 10 parcels not 10 exceed 100 acres
in extent TO any one holder, and only TO
actual residents on the land thus purchased
OF to one whose residence is in the neigh
borhood Of the land. The object of this ia
20 prevent extensive land speculation. by
which those Of limited means would be shut
out or compelled to pay e1tortionate prices.
Money received from land sales reverts 10
the fund, which lie thus made virtually DER
petual. sum Of about SIS 900 900 has
already become available, and consid-
cradle STAFF Is busily engaged in prosecuting
this national enterprise.
Naturally, a number OF more or less
serious difficulties have been encountered.
There il danger Of an undue interference
by the Federal Government with private
and with State enterprise, and with State
rights in water courses. Theoretically.
the idea is only the reclamation Of land
owned by the Federal Government. or that
which Is known as public land" But this
may not be done in all cases without trench
ing on the water supply already either in
whole or in part appropriated for similar
purposes by private enterprise In num-
Der OF cases private enterprise has estab-
lished systems on a comparatively small |
scale within areas which the Government
desires TO operate on far larger scale. In
other cases extensive tracts have been
purchased with a view TO their develop- !
ment or 20 their speculative sale TO irriga- |
ton companies.
Section Of the National Irrigation act !
takes special note Of this feature and pro- |
that Ia ehG. "a