310 WATER MONOPOLY AND IRRIGATION. 



the work, the chief of the Geological Survey, and one other 

 civilian distinguished for his knowledge of the subject. 



The board thus authorized, consisted of Col. B. S. Alexander, 

 Major George H. Mendell, of the Army Corps, and Prof. George 

 Davidson, of the Coast Survey, who were expected to carry out 

 the provisions of the Act of Congress on the meagre appropria 

 tion of five thousand dollars. 



The United States Commissioners invited the co-operation of 

 Mr. R. M. Brereton, who declined their proposal, but whose 

 views upon agriculture in the San Joaquin valley are worthy of 

 a careful reading in connection with the Commissioners report. 

 He says: 



Having carefully observed the climate of this valley during the 

 past three years, and the results obtained from irrigation and deep 

 plowing, I have found that neither irrigation nor deep plowing will 

 secure the wheat that ripens between the middle of May and the 

 middle of June from being shriveled by the north winds. These 

 north winds blast even the young leaves of the willow, ash, syca 

 more, and orchard trees; and no amount of moisture in the soil, or 

 vigorous growth of the plant, seems to prevent the grain, when in 

 the dough or ripening period, from becoming shriveled by these des 

 iccating winds. 



I find that the Sonora wheat, which ripened nearly a month sooner 

 than the Chili and Australian, and before the north winds prevailed, 

 yielded a fine, plump, white grain, while the others, which matured 

 later and during- the period of the north winds, yielded a shriveled 

 and dark-colored grain, although the plant was of a more vigorous 

 growth, yielding more straw, and having larger and longer heads than 

 the Sonora. 



I am satisfied that to make wheat-cultivation a success on the west 

 side of this valley, it must be made to ripen early before the north 

 winds set in, or else it must be made a late or fall crop, to be har 

 vested in October. To secure the first the land must be watered the 

 end of September and beginning of October, in order to start the 

 seed. This will enable the plant to make from three to five inches 

 growth before the winter rains and cold weather set in, when it will 

 harden and stool out. During December and January, in adobe or 

 clayey soil, wheat grows very slowly, on account of the cold weather, 

 and under the present system of cultivation the main growth of the 

 plant is during the months of March, April, and May. By giving 

 the plant two months growth before the cold weather sets in, the 

 roots will have had time to get down deep below the action of any 

 degree of frost known in the valley, and being two months ahead of 

 the growth of the plant raised by the winter rains, will necessarily 

 mature much earlier. 



With regard to the second choice, there are no north winds after 

 the beginning of July, and corn, cotton, and tobacco are never found 

 blasted. The days are shorter in August, September, and October, 

 and the nights are cooler than in April, May, and June; evapora- 



