THE EXHAUSTION OF THE ARABLE LANDS. 1$ 



of the plains are projected several deo-rces eastward, sometimes reaching Missouri and 

 Arltansas, with disastrous results to the husbandman. 



Could water for irrigation be ol)tained, much of the plains region could be made 

 productive; but most of the streams penetrating it are even now yearly drained dry by 

 irrigating canals, which supply water to irrigate l)Ut the smallest fraction of tliese im- 

 mense areas During the seasons of 18S7, 18S8, 188!) and 1890 (aud nearl> every year of 

 late), many miles of sucli canals remained dry during the entire Summer, owing to the 

 complete appropriation of the water by canals opening from such streams nearer their 

 source. In seasons of excessive droutli and delicic^iit snowfall the water available is 

 lessened one-half or more; hence irrigation from the water (lowing in such streams has 

 about reached its limit. This is notably true of the Platte, Arkansas, Cimarron and Rio 

 Grande. 



Many schemes have been proposed for utilizing the water said to flow below the 

 sand in the valleys, but snch projects involve immense outlays, are as yet unfruitful, aud, 

 it is generally believed, will long remain so. .Should such plans, however, ultimately 

 prove successful, the resulting supply would suflice to irrigate but an inconsiderable frac- 

 tion of the arid lands, being rarely applicable outside the immediate vicinity of the 

 streams. 



Extending from the Gulf to far north of the Canadian bouudary, aud from the 

 vicinity of the lOOtli meridian to the Eocky Mountains, the plains embrace an area of 

 hundreds of milltous of acres, of which probably one-fourth, with sulBcient water for 

 irrigation, could be made productive; but under existing conditions it is very doubtful 

 if three per cent, should be included under the term arable, aud such arable part is nearly 

 or quite all occupied, even though a part of it is unimproved. 



Lying west of the plains is the still mOre arid region of the mountaiu ranges and 

 plateaus, where are found numerous fertile valleys, mostly of limited extent, which, 

 when not at too great an elevation, and when supplied with water for irrigation, are very 

 productive; yet in such favored localities occur seasous of excessive drouth, wheu the sup- 

 ply of water (resulting mostly from melting snow) proves wholly inadequate for the 

 limited acreage under cultivation, as was the casein Nevada, Utah, and other arid dis- 

 tricts in 1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890. 



The regions where irrigation is a condition precedent to successful agriculture in- 

 clude an area of some 784,000,000 acres, of which, owing to scarcity of water and laclc of 

 soil, not more than five per cent, is susceptible of cultivation; and there is no satisfactory 

 evidence that water can be obtained to irrigate the half of five per coot. The construc- 

 tion of extensive irrigation works necessitates the expenditure of much money and takes 

 long periods of time, and few of those now living will see the completion of such works 

 as will be required to irrigate the 30,000.000 acres of arid lands which the Public Land 

 Commission estimates as irrigable from existing supplies of water. 



In adopting the estimate of the Public Land Commission, that but 30,000,000 acres 

 of the arid lands are irrigable from the available supply of water, I am not unmindfulof the 

 fact that such estimate couflicts with tliat recently made public by Major Powell* (who 

 was a member of the Public Land Commission) namely, that "there are nearly 1,000,- 

 000,000 acres of these arid lands in the United States, of which nearly 120,000,000 acres 

 can be irrigated when all such waters are used." 



I am unable to accept such an estimate for many reasons, one of which is found in 

 the fact that the arid areas include something less than 800,000,000 acres, or less than 80 

 per cent of the 1,000,000,000 acres named by Major Powell. 



Nearly or quite all those familiar with the arid regions consider the estimate of the 

 Commission, that one acre in twenty is susceptible of irrigation, quite as high as the facts 

 warrant; and it should be borne in mind that most of the arid lands which could be 

 easily and cheaply irrigated have already been brought under the plow, yet less than one 

 per cent, of the area is in cultivation. 



Before any considerable additions can be made to the irrigated lauds extensive 

 ♦"Century Magazine.'' Muicli, 1890. 



