THE CALL OF THE LAND 



modes of farming there is no resource but 

 irrigation. 



The thought is, and it is all but unani- 

 mous, that profitable farming in non-irri- 

 gable areas is absolutely dependent upon 

 precipitation, so that, if this falls in any 

 place much short of 30 inches yearly, no 

 matter how rich your land, your alterna- 

 tives are cattle husbandry, travel or death. 



The Indians carried the same essential 

 theory a little further, never attempting to 

 coerce Nature, but always acquiescing in her 

 gifts, however niggardly. If game, grass, 

 corn or water is not found, or not enough of 

 it, in a region, move on; seek other homes 

 where Nature is more generous. The breed- 

 ing of game, the improvement of grass or 

 of grass land, the conduiting of water, the 

 domination or subduing of Nature in any 

 form was above the savage intellect. Such 

 ideas and the processes realizing them are 

 the marks of civilization. 



Another insight of civilization is begin- 

 ning to emerge, namely, that agriculture is 

 not only considerably independent of rain- 



66 



