THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



faith in the abundant resources of western 

 soil and climate. The spirit of expan- 

 sion needs no more fertile field of action 

 than arid America influenced by properly 

 diverted waters of now useless and uncer- 

 tain streams. 



The parched hand of drouth waves no 

 welcome to eager emmigration. but with cer- 

 tain and constant water supply the barren 

 plateaus of the west, transformed and re- 

 generated, would attract the greatest rush 

 of home seekers known to history. 



The friendly attitude of tho adminir-tra- 

 tion is stimulating new thought on this 

 great subject and it is the duty of every 

 citizen to speedily inform himself upon 

 the possibilities of doubling the product- 

 ive territory of the United States. Let 

 us, then, as proposed by President Roose- 

 velt, conquer and reclaim this waiting, 

 neglected empire. 



The Beginning It is not strange that under 

 -of Wisdom. the state ] y e i ms O f ^ew 



Haven should flourish the friendly idea of 

 tree culture, with the denuded hillsides of 

 the beautiful Connecticut river as the ob- 

 jective point of restoration and improve- 

 ment. The inhabitants of the Nutmeg 

 State cannot fairly withhold their support 

 of a National Irrigation Bill as may be 

 seen by the following statement from a 

 scientific authority at Yale: 



"The arid and waste landsof Connecticut 

 are to be reclaimed by scientific methods 

 of tree culture. The cutting down of the 

 Connecticut forests has left the rivers of 

 the state dry in midsummer, thus shutting 

 off water power for hundreds of factories. 

 The restoration of the forests will have the 

 effect of storing up moisture for the sum- 

 mer months. By cooling the air and act- 

 ing as centers of precipation the treees 

 will also aid in the distribution of the 

 rainfall. 



The new State law provides for a State 

 park of several hundred acres, to be located 

 near New Haven.- In this park the Yale 

 School of Forestry will plant trees by 



thousands, investigate the best species for 

 transplanting in the State, develop meth- 

 ods of culture, and study the problems of 

 insect extermination. 



Pamphlets embodying the results of this 

 study will be distributed free among the 

 farmers and others in the State. 



The new law provides that each town 

 shall appoint a forest warden, who shall 

 have care of the shade trees of the town. 

 The towns are directed to make an annual 

 appropriation for the setting out and main- 

 taining of trees. 



Strict laws for the protection of shade 

 trees are included in the act passed last 

 year. Any person who places an adver- 

 tisement on a shade tree is liable to a fine 

 os $60. A person who wantonly injures 

 or destroys an oranamental or shade tree 

 is liable to a fine of $100. If a horse in 

 a public place destroys an oranamental 

 shade tree his owner is to be fined $100, 

 and must besides settle for the actual 

 damage done." 



If this course will be followed by other 

 institutions of learning throughout the 

 country education on the all important 

 matter of Forrestry and Irrigation will 

 have a creditable and unprejudiced begin- 

 ning. 



An Important In answer to a very general 

 Feature. demand for primary instruc- 



tion in irrigation for individual farming 

 we have arranged to publish in regular in- 

 stallments through the year a detailed ex- 

 planation of the principles and methods 

 employed in locating and establishing irri- 

 gation system on the farm, ranch or gar- 

 den. 



This valuable and timely information 

 has been specially prepared for students 

 homeseekers' and small farmers by E. J. 

 Wickson, Professor of Agricultural Prac- 

 tice, University of California, and Horti- 

 culturalist of the California Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. 



We recommend the careful study of 

 Professor Wickson's instruction to the 



