RECLAIMING THE EARTH 



states are constructed, when the raising of 

 herds, of forests, of grains and fruits and vege- 

 tables is under way, when these fifty millions 

 of acres of desert land are reclaimed for the 

 use of man, who shall be able to estimate the 

 consequent increase in material wealth? Irri- 

 gation is not a dream. It is an unanswerable 

 argument, unanswerable, because it has been 

 answered century by century since the begin- 

 ning of man's reign upon the earth. The only 

 wonder is that national irrigation was not 

 sooner commenced in America. 



Another interesting development of the pe- 

 riod of the New Earth, in the reclamation of 

 arid soil, has been brought forth in the state 

 of California, which, by reason of its climate, 

 the natural richness of its arid soils, and its 

 general adaptability, is, perhaps, the most 

 favored state for the prosecution of the work 

 of reclamation. With the period of the New 

 Earth began that long series of soil experi- 

 ments under Prof. E. W. Hilgard, director of 

 the station, which have been of such remarkable 

 service to this state. While welcoming every 

 effort put forth for irrigation, the soil investi- 

 gations had for their immediate aim the prov- 



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