THE IRRIGATION AQB. 



113 



as well as small ones. Sonic alfalfa growers do not 

 hesitate to turn in horses, cows, sheep and hogs in 

 their order to pasture the alfalfa patch when the crop 

 is removed. Then water is run on the field and per- 

 mitted to stand a week before being run off. After 

 that nothing more is done until the crop is ready to 

 again cut. 



Others will not permit pasturage on the alfalfa 

 field, but after harvesting it flood the soil with water 

 and again several times before harvesting again. The 

 rule is different in the arid and semi-arid regions, 

 more water and less care being given it, but it grows 

 right along without being disturbed by inattention. 



All forage plants, whether corn or the grasses, 

 require flooding at various periods of their growth. 

 The first time after planting, when up three inches, 

 when half grown and about the ripening period. Then 

 after the harvest the ground should be well soaked if 

 it is desirable to use the land for pasturage, the after- 

 harvest irrigation producing a good growth of succu- 

 lent grazing. Fall and winter irrigation are unneces- 

 sary unless for the purpose of keeping the soil in a 

 moist condition, which is always advisable in the arid 

 and semi-arid regions. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ARID LANDS AND 

 IRRIGATION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCI- 

 ATION OF AGRICULTURAL IMPLE- 

 MENT AND VEHICLE 

 MANUFACTURERS. 



The report of the Committee on Arid Lands and 

 Irrigation of the National Association of Agricultural 

 Implement and Vehicle Manufacturers has reached our 

 hands and is altogether the best report ever submitted 

 to that body. Mr. Charles Eowley, Chairman of the 

 Committee, made a trip through the Western States 

 in August and September with a view to becoming 

 thoroughly posted on the subject of irrigation before 

 preparing his report, which was presented to the Na- 

 tional Association at its annual meeting held in Chat- 

 tanooga, Tenn., November 16-18. This report occu- 

 pies forty-eight pages and covers the subject in a com- 

 prehensive way. 



We give below the remarks of Mr. Rowley, which 

 preceded the presentation of the report in printed 

 form. 



It will be noted that this committee calls atten- 

 tion to two important subjects in connection with the 

 irrigation movement, which we quote below : 



First: "It seems to your committee, however, 

 that the general sentiment in the West is against the 

 repeal of the commutation clause of the Homestead 

 Act, the Timber and Stone Act and the Desert Land 

 Act." 



Second : "Owing to the immense amount of 

 money which necessarily must be expended by the 

 United States Government under the Reclamation -Act, 

 we would suggest the recommendation be made. 

 through the proper channel, that a committee composed 

 of business men from the irrigation section be ap- 

 pointed by Congress to supervise the selection of reser- 

 voir sites and general work under the Irrigation Law 

 of 1902, and to investigate the effects of the present law 

 and whether it should be repealed or not, and why ; 

 and in view of the fact that eventually a larger sum of 

 money will be expended under this law than will be 

 used in the construction of the Panama Canal, it is 



the opinion of your Committee that the control of so 

 large a sum of money should not be placed in the 

 hands of one or two individuals." 



It will readily be seen from the foregoing that 

 when the subject is investigated, where the people are 

 fully posted, the sentiment prevails that there should 

 be no repeal of the land laws and, furthermore, the 

 stand taken by THE IRRIGATION AGE concerning the 

 appointment of a Commission to supervise the loca- 

 tion or selection of sites for Government projects is 

 upheld. The last clause is of great importance and 

 the general opinion is that it will receive attention 

 during the next session of Congress. 



We give below an outline of ' the preliminary 

 remarks of the Committee. 



"To give even a brief synopsis of the history of 

 the irrigation movement would require too much time 

 and space, and there are other topics which in them- 

 selves would easily elucidate the subject for separate 

 reports, such as General Laws on ' Irrigation, Rights 

 to Use Water, Forests, Grazing Lands, The Desert 

 Land Law, the Commutation Clause of the Homestead 

 Act, Irrigation Investigations, Hydrographic Surveys, 

 Reservoir Sites, Rights of Way, the Carey Act, and 

 Other Details of the Reclamation Law. Much of this 

 is given elaborate attention in the reports of the 

 Reclamation Service and is available for the asking, 

 and is not without deep interest to the investigator. 



"It has been the aim of this Committee to con- 

 duct their investigations purely from an impartial 

 standpoint, free from prejudices or bias; to glean 

 the facts as they exist and, if possible, present them 

 in our report in their true light. In the promotion, 

 throughout the country, of the many-sided interests 

 involved in this subject, whether personal or otherwise, 

 diversity of opinion naturally results and we have 

 found that entire harmony in the ranks of the advo- 

 cates of irrigation does not exist. It is not our pur- 

 pose to appear, directly or indirectly, as the advocates 

 of ideas or projects put forth by any faction, or to be 

 party to existing controversy, and while we have ac- 

 corded a listening ear, the Committee stands first and 

 last for the promotion through our organization of 

 those interests best calculated to fairly and justly serve 

 the masses. 



"Congress has several times been asked to repeal 

 the Timber and Stone Act, the Desert Land Act and 

 the commutation clause of the Homestead Act, but 

 thus far has done nothing. It is claimed that repeal 

 or revision is a necessity ; that abuses apparently exist 

 under present laws, and the vital interest of the home- 

 making inhabitants of the Great West, both now and 

 for the future, are in a measure subverted by the oper- 

 ations of land speculators and others; that if the pres- 

 ent laws enable the absorption of large tracts of land 

 by speculative and selfish agencies to the detriment 

 of the masses, then the people should demand suitable 

 laws, freed from the possibility of perversion or doubt- 

 ful interpretation. If repeal is necessary, then the 

 laws must be repealed ; if revision is deemed best, its 

 early accomplishment is imperative. 



"It seems to yow Committee, however, that the 

 general sentiment of the West is against the repeal 

 of the commutation clause, of the Homestead, Act, 

 the Timber and Stone Act and the Desert Land 

 Act. 



"To the average resident east of the one hun- 



