Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1909-10-22

ton are not alike In every country.
The United States government has In
vestigated this matter thoroughly
and II finds that irrigated lands In
California are worth five times as
much as the same quality OF lands
are In the Rocky mountain country.
1t Is not the soil that makes this
great difference. but the productions.
The Rogue River valley lands under
irrigation should, under the same
system OF cultivation, be worth as
much as lands In California. Those
who have read the practical articles
on irrigation published In the Courier
written by MIR. Ruud, must admit
that irrigation is a science and to
this end every man who puts water
on his land must become a student
in the practical school of irrigation.
| am not going to tell you, however.
anything about the practical part, ex-
cept as relates to the value of water.
This | regard as most important In
Grants Pass and vicinity today.
Riverside, CAL, is fair illustra-
tlon of that higher type of irriga-
tion which overcomes difficulties,
and It also illustrates the market
value of water. To my mind the
physical conditions at Riverside and
Grants Pass are, to a considerable
extent, the same; that Is, the hill
sides and high lands to be watered
are alike In both places. The first
canal constructed at Riverside was
the Riverside Land q Water Com
lpany's and this supplied the lower
land with gravity system. Later
another gravity system called the
Gage was put In. and still later an
otner, the High Grove Irrigation
system was constructed; this was
pumping proposition and supplied
water to canal more than $50 feet
above the water fountain. After q
time the Riverside company's water
supply failed to furnish enough for
their additional acreage and at this
lpoint they increased their supply by
= the use Of pumps
'It can be said that the pumping
! plants OF Riverside have been n great
: success mention this for the rea-
!, son that ] have heard many people
: question the practlcability OF pump
a ing water for irrigation. This. In
@ fact, has been the one great stumbl-
n ing block in the way OF making
$ friends for the high line ditches
U around Grants Pass. Men have fall
ed to see clearly that productive
H. farms could be developed by the use
10 OF pumping plant. Riverside Is
o not the only place, however, where
r, water for irrigation IL pumped and
20 large profitable crops raised, but
VI let me not stop to talk about this but
s. hasten on to the most important part
ie OF irrigation which Is really the value
III OF water.
!" "In Riverside water hos Its value
'9 In the market the same as any othei
'e commodity sold in the stores. Mer
~ go TO market to purchase water thu
~ same as they do to purchase sugar
''' flour or any other product needed
y" for home consumption. The law o
~ supply and demand prevail In thi
-" the same as In anything else Wate
'V there ls sold by the miners inch ant
'os nm inch Of water In the amount whicl
eu will pass through hole an Inc
~, square under n four-Inch pressur
'V' IN "a hours, In the summer time o
1growing season, there is the creates
- demand for water and II then bring
10 35 cents an inch. Later II IL sol
"s" at 10 cents and still later at 10 cent
W, an inch, II being governed, as ha'
~, said, by supply and demand tn
"' amount OF water required by land
practical part or irrigation an
must be ascertaIned by study an
practice. The amount differs Q
-, various kinds OF land and crop
UN When you have water measured o.
to you and you pay a given mark
val. price you will then know tho impor
min ance OF using only the require
lon amount to produce your crop IT
,,,b not all irrigation that Is needed. cr
,ro. tlvatlon Ia the greater part OF farf
auv ing and fruit growing.
per. Grants Pass and the count
OF around II has reached point whe
as II In necessary TO study the matt
who OF water distribution and II is u
tlon portant 10 adopt a plan which "
be permancnt and at the same I'll
been II must be moderate in price. '
ron OF course, must build canals on
has hillsIdes and lower levels In which
has convey water, but there mrst b'
the syDtem OF latorals 10 reach the faI
arid and for irrigation purposes In
= too city. Here ls whore you Will
,tion. mand OF your engineer his best,