Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-10
WATER STORES ITSELF
IN GOOD FARMING SOIL
FORESTRY TELLS HOW RAINFALL
is ABSORBED
Mexican National Road Can Do Good
by Taking Control Of Forests
Away from Lumber
men

"A recent NUMBER or the water supply
and Irrigation Papers is one on the Po-
tomac river basin, which includes a dis
cussion of the relation letween soil char
acter and erosion. If all the rainfall is
absorbed, as 1t may be by coarse sardy
soil, there Is no runoff and no erosion.
Ahe coarser the soil the quicker the rain,
as 1t falls, Is absorbed. Fine SOIL on the
other hand, will not let the rain perme-
ate 1t unless the soil has been broken up,
as by tillage.
There is room for large storage Of storm
water in farming soils, and rational farm
fng methods must increase the storage
capacity. This is one reason for manur-
ing land. since the presence of humus in
the ground makes 1t more sponge-like.
damus Is substance formed by partial
decomposition Of vegetable or animal
matter which is more or less covered and
thus kept from the air. Outside of the
Improvement Of farm soils by cultivation,
the only way additional storage can be
secured is in forest soils. through the
agency of humus.
The functions of humus are ~ to main
tain the volume and depth of the soil;
(2) to secure the porosity of the soil; 90
to promote the absorption of rainfall by
the soil, in retarding the runoff of heavy
showers, until the whter can be absorbed
as the air is gradually expelled from the
soil: () to act as a mulch and lessen the
evaporation of soil moisture.
Where the forest soil is of coarse sand
and the ground is level, humus forms
least rapidly, because air circulates most
freely in the soil and beneath the litter of
leaves and twigs from which humus is
made. The larger the proportion of clay
In the soil, the shallower its depth, and
the sleeper the slope, the more important
is the function of humus in retaining
moisture. Its functions in this regard at
tain maximum on heavy shallow clays
and on steep mountain slopes.
Surface Water Supply of U. s.
The water supply of the United States
is of more Importance to the life and
pursuits of the people than any other
limit of agricultural development is de-
termined by the amount of water availa-
BILE for irrigation, while in all parts of
the country the increase in the popula-
tion of cities and towns makes necessary
additional water supplies for domestic
and Industrial uses, in procuring which
both the quantity and quality of the wa
ter that can be obtained must be consid-
ered The location of manufacturing
plants may depend on>waterpower facili-
ties and the character Of the water. The
notable advances made in the electric
transmission of power have led to the
utilization of water powers for the opera
ton of manufacturing establishments,
railroads. and municipal lighting plants,
many OF which are at some distance from
the places at which the power is devel-
oped.
The rapid increase in the development
of the water resources of the United
States has caused great demand by en-
gineers for information in regard to the
flow of streams. 1t is now generally real
lied that the failure of many large power,
irrigation and other projects has been due
to the fact that plans were made without
sufficient Information In respect to the
water supply.
The United States geological survey has.
for several years, made systematic studies
of stream flow, with view. to determin-
ing ultimately all the important features
to the principal streams of tho
country. The results of these investiga-
tons are given in series of water sup
ply ard irrigation papers. The studies are
still in progress.
VIII Extend Road
The Mexican National railroad is to be
from Durango to the Pacific
coast and will pass through the heart of
an immense timber tract. This railroad Is
part of the system now administered by
the government. which has acquired
majority of the stock. 1t is to be hoped
that the government will follow UP this
move by taking control of the forests and
them scientifically.
Many Americans hope for relief from
lumber scarcity In the United States by
from Canada and Mexico;
but this relief can be only temporary, .un- !
less these countries also will conserve
their forests In a scientific manner. 1t is
TO be hoped they will do this rather than |
ALLOW American investors to devour them
hastily.
Irrigation in Mesopotamla
Con5ul William G. Magelssen, writing |
from Basdad, in Asiatic Turkey, calls at |
tention to vast irrigation program IN !