INTRODUCTION. 



Artificial irrigation is essentially a part of the agriculture of nearly 

 half of our American continent. -The subject of the right distribution 

 and conservation of moisture is one that is attracting the attention of the 

 leading cultivators throughout the entire land. Each recurring season of 

 drouth and floods, with its recoi'd of failures and disasters, is causing 

 widespread discussion of the best means of arresting the gigantic waste 

 from these sources. 



The problem is not only among the first in economic importance, but 

 involves as well a movement towards an improved and scientific agricul- 

 ture. Thoughtful tillers of the soil are beginning to realize that the 

 waters have "run riot" too long, and that possibly the "settled policy" of 

 the last half century, which has been directed towards relieving both 

 earth and air from moisture, either by drainage or deforesting, should be 

 reversed. 



Prominent agricultural writers, almost to a man, are to-day calling a 

 halt, and urging that steps be at once taken to not only arrest the " waste 

 of waters," but to conserve them as well, for use in times of need. Not 

 alone this. The conspicuous and manifest advantage to every grower of 

 crops of a certain and ample water supply, is a most persuasive and pow- 

 erful argument in favor of artificial irrigation in some form. 



Mr. A. N. Cole heads his valuable work on "his system" of sub-irri- 

 gation with the double title : "The New Agriculture ; or the Waters Led 

 Captive," and declares that " the world seems to have gone stark mad in 

 efforts to dry up and carry off the waters." 



He would conserve the moisture and shows marvelous results from 

 his new method. "Sub-irrigate our States and Territories," says Mr. 

 Cole, "and these would feed all the populations of the world. The water 

 wasted annually, were it run through the soils as I am doing, would in 

 from five to ten years suffice to increase the wealth of the country to a 

 degree so manifold, I dare not so much as venture an opinion in estimate." 



Mr. Henry Stewart, in his able treatise on irrigation says: "The 

 supply of water then becomes the measure of the fertility of our soil, and 



