118 IRRIGATION. 



CHAPTER XII. 



FORMATION OF WATER MEADOWS. 



Every American farmer will acknowledge that grass is 

 the most desirable, but at the same time the most difficult 

 crop he can raise. It costs less to raise than any other crop 

 when the adverse climate can be vanquished. But fortu 

 nately the American climate it not invincible, and there 

 are means by which this crop, (as well as others), may be 

 cultivated with success, in spite of heat and drouths. One 

 of these is the system of irrigated, or water meadows, 

 upon which the growth of grass can be made continuous 

 during both Summer and Winter, for where the climate 

 is not sufficiently cold to form ice more than two inches 

 in thickness, grass may be kept in a growing state through 

 out the Winter, and be made ready for the first cutting 

 in February or March. The United States is the only 

 civilized country in which grass is not so grown, more or 

 less. There is scarcely a river in Europe whose waters 

 are not compelled to nourish and protect thousands of 

 acres of its bottom lands wherever they can be brought 

 upon them by means of embankments and ditches. On 

 every hand the observant traveler sees irrigation works of 

 extensive and substantial character, and of great an 

 tiquity ; and yerdant meadows within them, covered with 

 the most luxuriant vegetation. These works are to be 

 found where the climate is naturally as unfavorable to 

 the growth of grass as in any of our Southern States, al 

 though it is true that in warm, humid climates, or those 

 where the heats of Summer are not so ardent, water 

 meadows find their greatest developement. The small 

 county of Wiltshire, in England, alone has 20,000 acres 

 of water meadows, most of which have been in cultiva 

 tion for over 150 years. This county is a famed dairy 



