Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-06
FACTION OF IRRIGATION BODY
ORGANIZES
WILL LOOK INTO ALL PROJECTS
OF ADMINISTRATION
Redress Is Cry Of Men Who Split from
Policy of National Congress. 4.
Oppose RooseveIt's u
Appointees -

~~~@S
as the 'kickers,'' from Yuma and other
points. They propose to investigate all
irrigation projects now under way and
those that are to come and will soon send
an agent into the field with the object OF
securing data to present claims for re-
dress to congress. l.. M. Holt Is president
of the organization.
The faction is composed of those antag-
nistic to the policy of Secretary Gar
field and Chief Forester Pinchot In the
conduct of the governments projects.
Luther Burbank, the wizard of Califor-
nia,'' was a prominent figure In the
progress of the national irrigation con-
gress. Other features In connection with
the convention were the nomination OF
officers by the committee on permanent
organization and important adoptions by
the committee on resolutions.
Hon. Frank Goudy of Denver was nom~
mated for president.
When called up by Governor Chamber
lain for an address Mr.. Burbank chose
as his subject the cactus and made the
prediction that the thornless variety
would become the great fodder of the
arid regions.
When Merle B. Vincent of Colorado,
director of the American Livestock asso-
citation, was about to be called to deliver
an address on '"The Leasing of Public
Grazing Lands circus parade came
along. lnlS WAS tOO IluCn VI dh cltA az
tion for many of the delegates and spec
tators and there was rush to the door.
Steam Horn Winner
| Mr. Vincent was able to combat with
the rival attraction fairly well until the
steam calliope loomed up. This was
strong opposition and angered A. p Grif-
| fifth of Azusa, Cal, who broke out with
a protest against the parade proving
such strong rival to the congress. Gov
ernor Chamberlain called on Executive
Beard to suppress the calliope, but the
operator continued to render the sweet
strains of some touching melody that was
not at all in harmony with grazing on
public lands. The calliope soon passed
and harmony and quiet again reigned.
| Burbank said there was no secret con-
Injected with his business and that he
stands ready to assist by giving informa-
ton to anyone seeking it. At the outset
/ Mr.. Burbank stated he has more than 5000
species of plants in training for improve
ment, but that he would speak only OF
the cactus.
After telling of the loss OF sheep In
the semi-arid regions, through the de-
struction of their eyesight by thorns of
the cactus, he went on to detail his work
of seeking to develop a thornless variety
of the plant.
Fifteen years ago." said Burbank Il
/ was eAdLllIlln6 anu otudythb 4oi d6S
plants for dry regions, to see what inn
provement could be made upon them,
and it struck me that the cactus, IL the
thorns could be taken off, would be one
| of the best, if not the best, of all the
plants for desert culture.
! ST gathered all the cactus of all kinds,
I secured the best that could find from
my collectors in South Africa, and /
gathered them from North Africa. where
the cactus has been somewhat cultivated
for the use of camels.
Few Perfect
"This is a partially thornless variety.
There are two or three others. I found
| by raising them by seed ninety-nine out
| of hundred would. however, be thorny.
A few were partially thorny. They had
not yet acquired the habit of leaving of
the thorns, but once in a while one would
be found among the thousands that
would have less thorns than even the
parent. Taking that one and raising
| thousands and thousands of seedlings
produced some that were absolutely
thornless.
| Now, l wished to get a cactus that
would produce a great amount Of nourish-
ment. OF course my first object was
/ to get thornless, then next to get an
individual which would produce a great
Weight of forage to the acre. That has
been very well accomplished have a
cactus that will produce 200 tons of food
| per acre.
| "Beets, carrots, turnips and cabbages,
almost anything cultivated in the soil,
produce about twenty tons per acre for
| a good crop, while some of the older
cactus will produce about 100 tons My
object is to combine this great produc-
| tion with great nutrition, and then my
| opinion is that the cactus will be the
most important plant there is on earth
today for arid regions. and | have not
the least doubt of securing that"
| Mr.. Burbank then described how cows
and other animals relished cactus, and,
when accustomed to it, preferred 1t to
any other class of forage plant.
! ''If people only knew what cactus isl
| said Burbank, ''and knew what the varie
ties were, am perfectly sure they would
say it is the greatest thing that has
ever been produced for the soil naturally.
| It has always been the reclaimer Of the
desert"
| The address of Mr.. Burbank made a
deep impression on the audience and he
was warmly applauded.
Goudy for President
| At the meeting of the committee on
permanent organization, Hon. Frank @.
Goudy was the only one nominated for
president. George y. Barstow of Ari-
| zona, was named for fist vice president;
| Judge ]. e. Baker of Modoc county, Cal,
second vice president. and Herbert II.
Strain of Montana. third vice president.
| An effort was made to nominate Con-
gressman John Henry Smith of Utah for
| a second term as first vice president,
| but the plan was defeated.
| 3. F. Fowler of Phoenix, was named
for secretary.
| Resolutions providing that Officers be
not eligible for reelection and granting
the secretary more power were defeated.
| It was the understanding Of the dele
gates who sought the nomination of Goudy
| that Governor Chamberlain. who has so
ably presided over the congress, does not
desire to serve again.
The election of officers is scheduled for
Saturday morning. Congressman Smith
of California urged the adoption Of reso-
luton declaring the price charged for
timber cut from government forest re-
serves too high and that the excess should
| be refunded An amended resolution, in-
! troduced by F. Cloudy on the subject was
adopted declaring that there should be no
(Coztinued On Page Two.a