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Show WORK BY THE GOVERNMENT Much of a General Nature, Such aa Uniform Extension of Accurate Geodetic Control Points. "Irrigation in Texas Implies more than the watering of arid Innda." suid Governor Colquitt of that state. In an addresa before the National Irrigation congress, held at Salt lutke. "It lm-pllea lm-pllea Uie watering of wet lands," added the governor, "and tho subsequent subse-quent 'unwaterlng' of both arid and wet Innda by means of drainage. "This two-fold feature of irrigation." Bald the governor, "was demonstrated Id the practice of rice Irrigation In tho coftBial prairies, where the average ralnfull ratigea from 30 to 48 Inrhea annually; and where, by nieana of Irrigation, tbe state of Texas produces pro-duces more than one-third of the rice grown In the United States "The legislature of Texas," said the governor, "is having a survey made of all the swamp and overflowed binds In the state, with the view of reclaiming them by this elaborate system sys-tem of drainage. "Undoubtedly the burden of doing the detailed and special part of the urveylng will always fall upon the states," remarked the governor, "but much of a general nature at least should be done by the federal government, gov-ernment, such, In part, for example, aa the uniform extension of accurate geodetic control points, and precise level benchmarks, over afeaa where do basis measurements now exist, and where the regular preliminary topographic topo-graphic mapping by the federal bureaua may be definitely postponed; the measuring In second feet of the flood volumes tn streama and rlvera, as well aa the mlnmum flow, with more extensive and uniform record of the climate featurea governing them; and the more systematic collection of data, and continuous keeping of records rec-ords of the underground water aupply In areas where such Information is vital." An Interesting report of conditions In the elate of Washington waa made to the congress by Gov M. K. Hay. He stated that the Irrigated area In hie atate embraced 400,000 acres but that as soon aa projects now under construction are completed the Irrigated Irri-gated area will be 800,000 acres ad-dltlonal. ad-dltlonal. He estimated that the possible Irrigable Irrig-able area In the state waa over 3.000,-000 3.000,-000 acrea. Thla does not include the western portion of the atate where heavy rainfalls obviate the necessity of artificial Irrigation. Although lumber has been generally regarded aa the main source of tbe wealth of Washington, the governor made the astonishing statement that It would not be long before the products pro-ducts of the Irrigated farma of the tate would rival In wealth the combined com-bined returns of cereal farms and the lumber Incustry. The governor stated that tbe public pub-lic service commlaslon In hla atate waa keeping an eagle eye out for all fraudulent Irrigation projecta and land grabbing acbemea In the determination determina-tion of preaervlng of tbe lauds for the home builders. |