Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-09-09
ANCIENT WONDERS PROVE US P|GM|ES.
HERE'S INFORMATION OF HIGH VALUE TO
EVERY FARMER AMI GOOD CITIZEN

To the ancient Peruvians we owe
thanks for the potato. which we mis-
takenly call the Irish" potato. These
were the people OF the vanished race,
whom scientific writer's call the pre-
Incas; they had highly organized so
ciety. a marvellous agricultural sys-
tenn, and performed many stupendous
works centuries before the time OF the
Incas, who were conquered and de-
spoiled by Plzarro and his conquista-
dores. sent out by the bloody King
Philip.
Conceited and ignorant, many per.
sons of our race today imagine that
our achievements in agriculture are
the greatest of all time, but in fact
they are utterly insignificant In com
parison with the work of the ancient
Peruvians. who had only the crudest
tools and labored under all kinds of
disadvantages.
The pre-Incas were the most indus
trlous and highly organized people In
history. To gain knowledge, for the
benefit of the world, the National Geo
graphic Society and Yale University
sent to Peru, year ago. an expedI-
ton Of scientists. including DR.. o. r.
Cook, botanist of the society and of
the Bureau of Plant Industry of the
Department OF Agriculture. After
strenuous experience, exploring the
lost and hidden cities of the last In
cas-, the expedition returned and in
May the scientists report was pub
lished, in part, by the National Geo
graphic Magazine. The story is 80
wonderful, so startling, that 1t ought
to be reviewed in every newspaper IL
America. One who imagines himself
farmer. or an irrigationist, will lose
his conceit and feel humble, indeed,
after reading that almost incredible
story, every word of which is undoubt.
eddy true.
Agriculture is not lost art, but IN
the light OF these discoveries must be
reckoned as one of those that reached
high development in the remote past
and afterward declined, and has not
yet recovered It's ancient prestige.
The system OF agriculture developed
by the ancient PeruvIans enabled
them TO support large populations In
places where modern farmers would
be helpless. - Cooks report prove!
this beyond doubt.
At time when our ancestors Il
Northern Europe still were utter say
ages, clothed only in skins and liyinj
by hunting and fishing, settled ant
highly developed agricultural com
munitles existed in the Peruvian re
gion.
The people who did the finest of tn
ancient work, OF which wonderful ey
dences remain and were Photographic
and examined by the Expedition. ar
not only gone and forgotten but lac
even tho distinction OF a name. The
belong TO the age preceding the Inc
empire conquered by the Spaniard
335 years ago
These mighty American ancient
undoubtedly were explorers, too. an
settled communities as far north Z
our States OF Arizona. New Mexic
and, perhaps. California. Ruins
these States indicate this probablllt
The pre-Incas utilized and reclaimc
tpl,
think of using, even for goat pastur
They Strengthened rivers In the va
gulches between the mountain range
built immense terraces and on the
built artificial farms. They terrac,
the slopes of the mountains and fac,
each step with immense stones. fit,
together with marvellous accurac
Huge. irregular blocks, some weighil
20 tons. in the enormous terrace wal
Of these hanging gardens, were fit
together so perfectly that. as tn
stand today. knife.blado cannot
inserted between them. Many OF [
monollthic stones of the terraces q
so perfectly Joined. probably by grlr
edges of the seams.
We think ourselves "superefficIon
and superior. but we are mere p
mics In comparison with those peop
They knew far more than do our W
est experts" regarding soils. fertilI
tlllage. irrigation. rotation, recIau
ton. and all the problems OF agric
ture. in the diversion Of streams, CO
servation Of rainfall. prevention of Ell
sion, etc, they were past.nasters.
In the artificial construction Of 1
soil on which their crops were grow
the world today does not contain tbs
equal In the narrow valleys, on {
slopes OF the mountains. where hU
dreds OF thousands o! acres were
claimed With terraces, rising o