Evening star., 1936-08-19

ton. simple enough in theory, but very
complicated in practice because OF the
human relationships involved. This
solution was flood irrigation. Before
the coming of the white men Indians
had been throwing up rude brush
dams in channels opened up by Sum-
mer torrents. These caused much of
the water to overflow the banks Of the
arroyos and settle over the land, where
it sang into the soil. This Is the germ
of the method now being followed by
the Department of Agriculture's Soil
Conservation Service. which is in di-
rect charge of the Mexican Springs
station.
Rain Must Be Preserved.
This great area of New Mexico and
Arizona receives on an average from
IL inches of rain annually in the lower
lands to 20 inches in the mountains.
This is sufficient-but just barely SUI
flcient-to support fairly luxurious
growth of vegetation if-and only If
every drop of water which falls from
the skies is conserved. Where there
is an abundant vegetation, whose roots
hold the rainfall from running on
down the gullies, it is conserved.
Three years ago the Indian Service.
looking for something at which its
charges could be put to work. started
an improvement on the prehistoric
brush dams. They were employed in
building earth or masonry dams across
the arroyos which would flood the
water over the surrounding territory
and give it a chance to sink into the
soil. This was very good, so far as 1t
went, but in most cases the vegetation
was too far gone for the moisture to
bring much revival, especially with the
sheep cropping it closer and closer all
the time.
The experiment worked so well, how
ever, that the attention Of the Soil
Conservation Service. then under the
Department of the Interior, was at
tracted to it and the opportunity seen
for a much more extensive experiment.
This is what is now being carried out
under the Department Of Agriculture.
Damming up the arroyos Is only one
essential part of it. These dams. by
the way, are built very cheaply with
native labor and entirely OF native ma
terial, and the cost is inconsequentlal.
| the soil experts say. IN comparison
with the fertile land acquired by the
process.
The larger scale experiment re-
uuired fencing the $1,000 acres and
drastically limiting the number OF
sheep upon which the Indians de-
pended for a livelihood. For this the
consent of the Navajos had to be OBJ
tanned. This was not easy since. how
ever logical in the long run, it was apt
to involve temporary hardships. 1t
was accomplished through the interest
of a disabled Navajo World War vet
eran. Benny Taha, who is a political
leader of his people and man OF
sufficient vision to realize the ultimate
benefits.
Dream Child Of M. E. Musgrave.
The larger scale experiment had
been the dream-child of M. E. MUS
grave, ecologist Of the Department OF
Agriculture, with almost lifetime OF
experience in the Navajo country. Its
ultimate object is the practical human
carrying capacity of defined. econ
omically and agriculturally co-ordln-
ated area. And that. Of course. is one
of the primary problems of the world.
This explains why men are coming
from as far away as South Africa ana
India to study the progress OF the ex-
pertinent.
It can be worked out in about its
simplest possible form at the Mexi-
can Springs station. In the first
place, the Navajos are self-contained
people. They still depend on them
selves to produce about all they eat
and wear. They grind their own corn
without machinery. They produce
most of their own wearing apparel
They build their own houses out OF
the stones of their own fields. Their
tastes are simple and their standards
of living rather low. Yet they are far
from being a primitive people. They
have a culture which compares well
with that of their white neighbors.
In the second place the problem
is not complicated by any individual
ownership of land. All the land OF the
reservation is the property OF the
tribe as a whole, although with certain
tacit agreements protecting the indl-
vidual in his rights over enough land
to support him. In few other places
is there less inequality Of wealth.
Hence Mr.. Musgrave's problem re-
solves itself into this: How much land
used to the practical limit OF its re-
sources beyond which it will deteriorste
is necessary to Craze enough sheep ano
grow enough corn and beans to support
an average Navajo family. The ex-
pertinent has already shown rather
conclusively that this particular ter.
ritory. instead of being overpopulateo
actually is underpopulated in relation
to its potential resources.
Where there was desert upon which
few sheep foun1 starvation pasturags
| two years ago there now are thlcs
stands Of knee-high grass and held:
of the native Navajo corn which rival
the best output of the cornfields ol
Iowa. This has been accomplished
first by putting stop to all grazing
or limiting 1t sharply, and damming "
the lower arroyos, so that the nooc
water of the Summer showers Is oe-
! posted over the fields. There has beer
| no ARTIFICIAL irrigation and no fertmsA'