particularly opportune because of the coming Irrigation Con- 

 gress. Continuing, he said: 



"I have not come here today to tell you of the irrigation that 

 we have accomplished in the Sacramento Valley so far, but of 

 the greater things that will be accomplished. There are under 

 irrigation 75,000 acres of land in the Sacramento Valley, which 

 comprises 2,661,120 acres of level land, there being thus less 

 than 3 per cent of the total area of the Sacramento Valley under 

 irrigation today. This 3 per cent of the land supports more 

 than 30 per cent of the farming population. The average area 

 of an irrigated farm in Sacramento Valley is twenty-five acres. 

 The average size farm in the valley, comprising thirteen counties, 

 is 700 acres. In one county the average is over 1,000 acres. 



"In the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, which are in 

 reality one great valley, there are 10,000,000 acres of irrigable 

 lands, with water flowing to waste that would make infinitely 

 increased products." 



The chairman read the following message: "Governor Gillett 

 telephones that it is impossible to attend today this meeting, but 

 he will meet with us some time tomorrow, probably at Santa 

 Rosa." 



The chairman of the Committee on Credentials asked that a 

 short recess be granted that the blanks for credentials might be 

 passed out among the delegates. 



A paper on "Irrigation in the San Joaquin Valley" was read 

 by F. W, Yokum, secretary of the Merced County Chamber of 

 Commerce. He reviewed the history of irrigation in the San 

 Joaquin Valley, touched upon the different methods of applying 

 the water and the success of each, and offered some suggestions 

 for development of irrigation systems. He laid stress upon the 

 importance of harnessing the Sierra streams first, thus having the 

 water under control when it reaches the valley. 



Ex-Governor George C. Pardee delivered an address on 

 "Forestry and Irrigation in California," and said in part : 



"I think you will agree with me when I say that the State of 

 California never had a better friend than the President of the 

 United States, Theodore Roosevelt, who signed the Reclamation 

 Act in 1902, as has already been explained. In its provisions 

 another million or two acres of the State of California were set 

 apart as a national forest reserve. There are now twenty-five 

 million acres of forest lands within the State, and California is 

 wasting and denuding the great forests. 



"The histories of other countries, as well as that of parts of 

 our own Nation and State, prove to us that the forests are neces- 

 sary adjuncts of any and all schemes of continuous and success- 



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