Gilpin observer., 1919-05-01

| struggle necessary to develop such a
country, under such stern conditions.
develops of necessity strong menf'
evolved Rickard. "Oh. yes, I believe
that. too"
"Oh. more than that. It is not SO
much the struggle as the necessity for
cooperation. The mutual dependence
is one of the blessings Of aridity."
zone Of the blessings Of aridity r.
echoed his listener. "You are philos-
opher." He had not yet touched the
others thought at the spring.
"You might as well call me a social
list because praise irrigation in that
it stands for the small farm unit"
retorted the valley man. ~That is one
Of its flats; the small unit. It is the
small farIu that pays. That fact brings
many advantages. What is the charm
Of Riverside? It comes to me always
like the unreal dream of the socialist
come true. 1t Is city of farms, Of
small farms, where a man may make
his living off his ten acres of oranges
or lemons; and with all the comforts
and conveniences Of a city within
reach, his neighbors not ten miles of l
A farmer in Riverside or in any irri-
gated community does not have to
postpone living for himself or his fam
lily until he can sell the farmi He
can go to church, can walk there; the
trolley car which passes his door
takes him to a public library or the
opera house. His children ride to
school. His wife does not need to be
a drudge. The bread wagon and the
steam laundry wagon stop at her
door,"
Rickard observed that perhaps he
did not know anything about irrigation
after all He had not thought of 1t
before in its sociological relation but
merely as it touched his profession.
"Not going into soil values, for that
is long story" began the older man,
irrigation Is the answer which sci
ence gives to the agriculturist who is
impatient of haphazard methods. Irri-
cation is not compromise, as SO many
believe who know nothing about 1t. It
Is distinct advantage over the old
fashioned methods.
II am one Of those who always
thought It a compromise" admitted
the engineer.
"Better call rain q compromise" re-
torted the irrigationist. 1.-THE man
who irrigates gives water to the tree
which needs It.; rain nourishes one
tree and browns out another. Irriga-
ton is an insurance policy against
drought, a guarantee against floods.
The farmer who has once operated an
irrigated farm would be as impatient
were he again subjected to the caprice
Of rain as housewife would be were
she compelled to wait for rain to fill
her washtub. There is no irregularity
or caprice about irrigation"
"Wonder how the old fellow picked
1t all up?" mused Richard with dis
respect. Aloud he said. "You were
speaking Of the value Of the soil7"
Look at the earth those plows are
turning over. See how rich and friable
it is, how it crumbles2 You can dig
for hundreds of feet and still find that
sort Of soil, eight hundred feet down |
It is disintegrated rock and leaf mold
brought in here in the making of q
delta. Heavy rainfalls are rare here,
though we have had them, in spite Of
popular opinion. Were we to have
frequent rains the chemical properties
which rain farmers must buy to enrich
their worn-out soils would be leached
out drained from the soil. can't
make this comprehensive. but I've a
monograph ON desert soil. II you are
interested I'll send 1t to you"
IT should like it-immensely," as
sented the engineer. still amused.
ut explains the choice Of the Axtecs,
Of the Incas, Of Carthaginians. the
Moors." observed the stranger. "They
chose the desert, not In spite Of the
soil but because Of It. doubt II they
were awake to the social advantages
Of the system. but It was their CO.
operative brotherhood that helped
them to their glory. We are centuries
behind them. I'm getting out here
Imperial. II you come up to Imperial
look me up. Brandon's my name. I've
no card these daysi"
"There are several things I want to
hear from you." answered Richard,
following brown necktie and pointed
beard to the platform. "Ill be sure
to look You up. Mines Richard"
The breeze which was now entering
the car windows had blown over the
clover-leafed fields. Its message was
sweet and fresh. Rickard could see
the canals leading OF like silver
threads to the homes and farms Of the
future: "the socialism dream come
truer Willows Of two or three years
growth outlined the banks. Here and