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Show MANY" PHASES OF IRRIGATION. . The manifold phases of Irrigation is a factor which forcibly strikes the student stu-dent who undertakes to Investigate the science. Its branches are surprisingly muny, and all are Intensely practical; there is precious Httlo theory about real Irrigation. The original and primitive prim-itive method of using an unlimited iiuuiiin,y ui wilier tin iv given area ol land comes first. But soon the tilled area grows, the waterfiow diminishes, and there must be restrictions on use. Besides, the over-irrigation spoils the land and absolutely ruins good land which produced good crops, but which lies below the over Irrigated tract, and is made into alkuli swamps. Next comes the proposition that the enforced restriction on tho unlimited use of water is a good thing in itself, as the land will produce better with less water. This is something that the old-fashioned irrigator is slow to learn and reluctant to concede. Then the expert ex-pert tells him that cultivation will largely take the place of Irrigation, and we have splendid proof this year of that fact, in the fine crops produced upon the State experimental farms without any'irrigallon at all, a result reached by the careful selo'ctlon of soils and seeds mutually adapted, and tho scientific tillage of the several .tracts used. Then we have irrigation by windmills, wind-mills, by artisian wells, and by sewers: by pumping from rivers, and by utilizing utiliz-ing lakes even in flats, as the project to utilize the Hot Springs lake northwest of this city.' We have also the effort lo concentrate and develop water supplies, sup-plies, as in the- consolidated ditching of springs and tule lands. This latter is much in tho nature of a new thing, especially in its newest form. A gentleman gen-tleman showed us yesterday, plans for' such consolidation, explaining how well tho systems' had worked ini Southern California. The plan consists of a machine to lay tiling one above another for say ten. to twelve feet below the surface in various directions, covering all the supply of moisture; a well central cen-tral to this supply, into which the tiles would bring all the seepage of tho tract; then a pumping plant to raise from tho well tho water so supplied to it. We were assured that every experiment with this process had resulted successfully, success-fully, and that the supply was not only permanent, it showed a constant Increase. In-crease. This process is especluJly adapted to catch the underflow of streams, and ought to be one of great practical service in Utah, for all the' canyon streams have undorfiows, in some cases greater than the surface flow. In time, all the'agencles possible for the development and use of water, foi tho drainage of tracts now flooded, and for tho cultivation of land to tho utmost ut-most extent without water or with the lenst possible quantity of it, will he put Into effect; and when ail is done, the population of the arid region will be ton-fold what it nov is. and in some places, as in this valley, and the strip from here to Box Elder, the population popula-tion will be as denize as it once was in similar irrigated areas In Egypt and Babylonv |
