The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-06-21

Easily One Of Most important Of
National Economic Subjects.
What Seemed to Be Barren Western
Wastes. Has by Its Application Been
Made to Reclaim Much Land Of
Great ProductIveness.

Great Productiveness.
irrigation means much more than
mere application of water to make
crops grow. For. once let 1t be con-
coded, as 1t generally Is, that the life
OF the nation depends principally upon
Its soil products. then irrigation. with
Its allied systems OF conservation and
development Of natural resources. be-
comes the most important OF national
economic subjects. It calls for the
conservation Of water sources. thus as
sociating forestry. that great subject
which involves national problems and
public rights. It was the public dis
cussion Of irrigation which called forth
the stupendous projects of the re-
clamation service. which service. along
with it, vast systems Of irrigation, pro-
poses other vast systems Of drainage.
and drainage 10 q close relative of IT.
r1gauon. So, also. the problems and
progress Of arid or dry farming deal
with many Of the questions and much
OF the data developed by the study Of
irrigation. Even the very recent ma
tional movement for the development
OF inland waterways closely touches
irrigation. For this great scheme de-
mands the regulation Of the flow of
great rivers. which work requires
storage reservoirs. and the storage Of
waters is peculiarly an outcome Of IT.
r1gation needs. while the place of
storage will generally be in parts OF
the country using irrigation. The
work OF the forestry service and estab-
lishment of reservoirs shows the i'm
mediate enormous advantage Of these
means OF insuring water power. \
most modern and far-reaching public
Yet. however vast it, scope. irriea-
ton ID practical in application. For
the sake OF It. private enterprise has
erected waterworks. with pumping sys-
TENS. cement acQueduets and pipe
lines. which would do credit to popu-
lous cities. What seemed to be bar
rem desert soil has by irrigation been
SHOWN to possess unmeasured fertil-
lty. Timely irrigation has often pro-
tected from frosts great orchards of
rtpening fruit. without which protec-
ton fortunes might have been lost. BY
irrigation, the strawberry, whose sea-
son In the east runs but few short
weeks. is found in the market of
southern California every month. and
every day Of the month. throughout
the year. And by irrigation the limit
cd house garden. Of by fraction Of
an acre. Is made to yield nearly all
the family food supplies. and some
times furnish all the family support.
Irrigation Is very old. 1t is said
that basin irrigation "a method used
In California today was practiced In
Egypt and elsewhere 1900 years or
more ago. In Yemen. the ancient
home Of Sebeans. there was irrigation
In 100 B. C.. The Beotians, In ancient
Greece. practiced 1t. Probably the
greatest work Of all was IN Chaldea.
Here was an elaborate system Of
canals Of magnificent size and extent.
The length Of the Nahrwan canal was
$50 miles. and It was from IS feet to
900 feet In width, and from SO feet to
nearly fifty feet In depth. In dry times
this canal carried a volume OF water
one and one-fourth greater than the
Thames in mean food. Its capacity
Ii wet seasons would, therefore, be
twice ~ great. A great network OF
canals spread over the country. I'm
mense masonry walls were maintained
Tor protection. and the engineering
system was so complete that an emf
nent English hydraulic authority con-
lessed to have mo Improvement to
Iuggest upon the principle adopted by
The Chaldean engineers thousands Of
years ago"
Similar extraordinary irrigation
work was done in prehistoric America.
n the southeastern states are found
many remains OF ancient reservoirs
and canals. The engineering IL per.
'ect. When modern surveys are made
n the vicinity. the results are very
close. One instance may be mentioned
where the present day engineers elect.
ID to run their ditch on the side of q
valley opposite to that where one of
.hese prehistoric canals was found.
The modern survey brought up within
foot Of that Of the ancient peoples.
Irrigation also prevailed in the Med
countries. doubtless keep
ng the lighting world alive and refln-
Nc It throughout the dormant middle
lges. And 1t has been continually ad-
'anced In the old country ever since.
The Useful sIIo.