THE PROGRESS OF WESTERN AMERICA. 



97 



Western 

 Hops. 



their awakened sense of the great need of joint effort, 

 our farmers and orchardists will be found fully equal 

 to the emergency, and that the local and State associa- 

 tions forming in many parts of the country will be 

 productive of the highest good to the great interests 

 which they represent. 



Hops have proven a valuable crop in the 

 Pacific States during the past year. The 

 California crop is given at about 45,000 

 to 48,000 bales, and considerable quantities have been 

 sold at 18 cents per pound. One large grower in 

 Yuba county, that State, is reported to have grown 

 the extraordinary crop of 307 tons of hops on 205 

 acres of land, and to have refused an offer of $110,000 

 for the crop. Indications now point to a considerable 

 extension of the acreage in hops, not only in Califor- 

 nia but in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado and 

 some other of the mountain States. 



It has been found that the average yield of hops on 

 the Pacific coast is much greater per acre than in the 

 hop-growing States of the East. For example, Cali- 

 fornia shows nearly twice the average yield of New 

 York and Wisconsin, and the yards of Oregon and 

 Washington fall but little behind California in the 

 bounty of their harvest. 



As a valuable object lesson in irrigation, 

 attention is called to the remarkable 

 progress made during the past few years 

 in the Pecos valley, New Mexico. In a late report 

 by the governor of that Territory occurs the follow- 

 ing remarkable statement: "The Pecos Valley 

 enterprise boasts the best and most extensive system 

 of irrigation extant on the continent. Five years ago 

 this valley was a barren plain, occupied by a few 

 cattle-raisers. To-day it is one of the most prosper- 

 ous farming regions of the West, with a population of 

 17,000 souls and two flourishing towns." 



To those who have traveled over the section 

 referred to, and also throughout the arid regions to 

 the west and north, it is evident that what has been 

 wrought out in so short a time in the Pecos valley 

 may be accomplished in a hundred other places hav- 

 ing equal advantages of soil, climate, water and 

 availability. Under irrigation it requires but a brief 

 time to accomplish what is only achieved after years 

 of toil and waiting in other less favored regions. In 

 sober truth it may be said that the arid belt to-day is 

 the most promising section of the United States. 



A number of correspondents have 

 Right to the 



Use of written to us recently asking for a legal 



Water. O pj n j on as t the right to use water. We 

 take pleasure in answering by publishing, elsewhere, 

 the opinion of Jas. M. Kerr, of 50 Broadway, New 

 York. The judge is one of the best posted men on 

 irrigation law in the East, and his answer will no 

 doubt be read with interest. 



MASONIC TEMPLE. 



TEMPLE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 



THE IRRI. 

 Our 



New G A T I O N 

 Office. A G E is 



now established 

 permanently 

 in a fine suite of 

 offices in the Ma- 

 sonic Temple, 

 Chicago. Our 

 number is 511, the 

 latch-string is out, 

 and all persons 

 interested in irri- 

 gation are invited 

 to call and send 

 their friends to 

 see us. 



All communica- 

 tions should be 

 addressed to THE 

 IRRIGATION AGE, 

 511 MASONIC 



The 



Explanations and apologies are always 

 Age awkward, and disagreeable to make or 

 Apologizes. rece i ve> THE AGE advertised two arti- 

 cles for this number which do not appear. ' Major 

 J. W. Powell, through press of work, was unable to 

 complete his article in time. Prof. Blount sent in an 

 excellent article on " Ideal Methods of Irrigation in 

 New Mexico;" but in accordance with the law of 

 "the total depravity of inanimate things," the manu- 

 script has mysteriously disappeared. This is why 

 the editor, printer and office cat eye each other with 

 suspicion and why THE AGE apologizes. 



Are reproduced by permission of the 

 Ur Cuts h Rio Grande & Great Western R. R. Co. 

 This company are ever leaders in the 

 production of fine art pictures of the new West. 



It was a bold suggestion, that of a great 

 California. . 

 Winter international exposition to be held away 



Exposition. on t ^ e we stern rim of the continent, and 

 to follow directly upon the heels of the greatest expo- 

 sition which the world has ever known, the World's 

 Columbian Exposition, at Chicago. 



Without going into the details of its inception, it 

 may be truthfully said that for boldness of design 

 and promptness of execution, the California Mid- 

 winter Fair, as it is popularly called, has neverbeen 

 equaled along the same lines. 



Not a dollar of aid has been received or asked from 

 the United States or from the State of California; yet 

 buildings have been erected costing over $600,000. 

 Exhibits from all parts of California, and from many 

 foreign countries installed, and all in the incredibly 



