The Lamar register., 1910-04-20
WHAT IRRIGATION is
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.

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
It's soil products. then irrigation, with
its allied systems Of conservation and
development OF natural resources, be-
comes the most important of national
economic subjects. 1t calls for the
conservation Of water sources, thus as
sociating forestry. that great subject
wnich involves. national problems and
pubic rights. 1t was the public dis
cussion of irrigation which called forth
the stupendous projects of the re-
ciamation service. which service, along
with Its vast systems of irrigation. pro-
poses other vast systems of drainage.
and drainage is a close relative Of IT.
rigation. 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
tonal 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.
rigation needs. while the place of
storage will generally be in parts of
the country using irrigation. The
work OF the forestry service and estab-
lisLment OF reservoirs shows the i'm
mediate enormous advantage Of these
means of insuring water power,
most modern and far-reaching public
benefcence.
Yet. however vast Its scope, irriga-
ton Is practical in application. For
the sake OF 1t. private enterprise has
erected waterworks. with pumping sys-
tens. cement acqueducts 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-
ity. Timely irrigation has often pro-
tected from frosts great orchards Of
rfpening fruit. without which protec-
tion fortunes might have been lost. BY
irrigation. the strawberry, whose sea-
sou In the east runs but a few short
weeks. Ia found in the market of
southern California every month. and
every day of the month, throughout
the year. And BY irrigation the limit
ed house garden. Of by a 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. II is said
ho utv
in California today was practiced in
Egypt and elsewhere 1000 years or
more ago. In Yemen, the ancient
home OF Sebeans. there was irrigation
in 100 b. C. The Beotians. In ancient
Greece. practiced It Probably the
greatest work CT all was n Chaidea.
Here was an elaborate system Of
canals OF magnificent size and extent.
The length Of the Nahrwan canal was
$50 miles. and II was from IS feet to
400 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 flood. Its capacity
In wet seasons would. therefore. be
twice as great A great network Of
canals spread over the country I'm
mense masonry walls were maintained
for protection. and the engineering
system was SO complete that an emil
nent English hydraulic authority con-
fessed to have mo Improvement to
suggest upon the principle adopted by
the Chaldean engineers thousands Of
years ago."
Similar extraordinary irrigation
work was done In prehistoric America.
In the southeastern states are found
many remains of ancient reservoirs
and canals. The engineering is per-
feet. When modern surveys are made
In the vicinity. the results are very
close. One instance may be mentioned
where the present day engineers elect
ed to run their ditch on the side OF a
valley opposite to that where one of
these prehistoric canals was found.
The modern survey brought up within
a foot Of that Of the ancient peoples.
Irrigation also prevailed in the Med
iterranean countries. DOUBTLESS keep
ing the fighting world alive and refin-
Ing 1t throughout the dormant middle
ages. And 1t has been continually ad-
vanced in the old country ever since.
Feed for Hogs.
A bushel OF corn fed to hogs on a