THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



277 



A Novel 

 Scheme. 



tributed, not upon priority rights, but 

 upon technical rights. We cannot have a 

 farmer getting more water than he is en- 

 titled to because his great-great-grand- 

 father or somebody else happened to secure 

 the water-rights two months ahead of 

 somebody else. Water must ultimately 

 be conserved in the most just manner for 

 the general welfare of all citizens. " 



Prof. Newell is in active charge of the 

 work outlined by the irrigation act and the 

 members of the Commercial Club unani- 

 mously agreed to aid the work of the com- 

 mission. 



The Southern Pacific railway 

 is arranging to put in opera- 

 tion a novel colonization scheme. Pas- 

 senger Traffic Manager E. A. McCormick 

 says that 120,000 acres of land has been 

 secured near Fresno, Cal, This land is 

 to be cut up into small farms upon which 

 will be placed all modern improvements 

 before the property is offered for sale. 

 Irrigation works will be put in operation 

 on a large scale, creameries will be estab- 

 lished, trees planted, and in many cases 

 houses built, before any farms are sold. It 

 is expected that a high class of farmers 

 will be attracted, who desire farms already 

 developed. The plan has novelty at all 

 events. 



Prof. Golf's Prof. Golf, the eminent Ger- 

 Visit. man scientist of Bonn Uni- 



versity, Germany, is making a tour of this 

 country for the purpose of investigating 

 the agricultural conditions, character of 

 the soils and irrigation methods in use 

 here. While in California he was greatly 

 interested in the pump method of irriga- 

 tion, which is profitably used in sections 

 there. The contrast between the farms 

 that were in need of water and those 

 whose owners supplied the necessary 

 moisture to their crops and orchards by 

 means of pumping outfits, was altogether 



in favor of the latter. Truck farmers and 

 orchardists were especially enthusiastic in 

 praise of this method, claiming the in- 

 creased yield in fruit and vegetables more 

 than repaid the cost of running the gaso- 

 line or other engine used. Prof. Golf will 

 take home with him samples of soil from 

 various sections of this country as well a 

 a very comprehensive idea of our farming 

 methods, especially in relation to irriga- 

 tion. 



Raising Silk- Secretary Wilson has se- 

 Wonns. cured an appropriation of 



$10,000 from Congress for the purpose of 

 making experiments in the raising of silk- 

 worms and the production of raw silk. 

 We are now importing about $45,- 

 000,000 worth of raw silk annually, and 

 Mr Wilson thinks that it is possible for us 

 to raise a good deal of the supply in our 

 own country, if the wives and daughters 

 of the farmers and people who live in the 

 villages will take up the industry. 



Secretary Wilson thinks that silk rais- 

 in ought to be introduced into the South, 

 because the climate is especially adapted 

 for it and the colored women and children 

 could earn a good deal of money that way. 



The census has disclosed some very in- 

 teresting and surprising information con- 

 cerning the manufacture of silk in the 

 United States, and shows that we are sec- 

 ond to France only in the annual value of 

 our silk production. Only a few years 

 ago we were dependent entirely upon 

 France and Italy, but during the last ten 

 years every weave, every article and qual- 

 ity known to silk manufacturers has been 

 produced in this country, as well and gen- 

 erally better than in Europe, and we now 

 furnish practically everything except a 

 few specialties and novelties in the way of 

 fancy dress goods, velvets and ribbons, 

 which still come from France. Chicago 

 Record- Herald. 



