190 



I . 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 





2. With the irrigation of larger areas 

 of western land will come the need of 

 more timber in those regions for fuel and 

 lumber, and for the beneficial influences 

 of forest growth upon climatic conditions. 



3. Just now, the American forest system 

 is in its formative stage. If western plant- 

 ing is to form an integral of this system, 

 its claim for recognition must be brought 

 forward at once. 



4. The sentiment of the American 

 people has turned so favorably toward 



forestry m the last few years, that ti 

 states which are giving most attention to 



it are being looked upon with favor a. 

 places for stable investments. Land is 

 most valuable in those states where a 

 proper proportion is maintained between 

 woodland and farm land. If a mil- 

 lion acres of Nebraska sand hills were 

 forested, not only the land covered 

 would be reclaimed but the value of 

 every acre of land in the state would be 

 increased. 



DEVELOPMENT OF WATER RESOURCES. * 



By F. H. Newell, 

 Hydrographer U. S. Geological Survey. 



THE development of the Trans-Missis- 

 sippi region to its full growth, agri- 

 cultural and commercial, depends 

 upon the early solution of forest and water 

 conservation. The region is largelv arid 

 and over one-half of its extent consists of 

 vacant public lands. Much of this has a 

 rich soil but is useless on account of the lack 

 of water. There is on the whole a con- 

 siderable supply if the floods were con- 

 served, but the easily available sources are 

 limited and the development of these has 

 already proceeded to the extent to which in- 

 dividuals or cooperative organizations can 

 attain. Much has been accomplished in a 

 relatively small way by farmers and by 

 associations of irrigators. 



A few large corporations have built 

 great works, but while the farmers have 

 succeeded almost beyond belief, the cor- 

 porations have almost invariably met 

 financial loss. It has been proved again 

 and again that reclamation in a small way 

 pays the land owner but in a large way it 

 has not been made a source of profit to 

 the investor. The benefits derived from 

 his efforts and enterprise have gone to the 

 community at large rather than to himself. 

 There still remain, throughout the arid 

 region, many large rivers whose waters 



* Extract of an illustrated address before the 

 Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress held at 

 Cripple Creek, Col., July 16-19. 



are practically untouched but which can- 

 not be taken out to the fertile land without 

 the employment of great capital invested 

 in substantial masonry works, tunnels, and 

 conduits. There are also natural reservoir 

 sites where by the construction of perma- 

 nent dams flood waters can be held for use 

 upon the fertile fields. Enough of such 

 works have been built to demonstrate that 

 from an engineering standpoint the work 

 is feasible and lands can be reclaimed at 

 moderate cost; but, owing to many condi- 

 tions, these works cannot be built to their 

 full capacity at a profit sufficient to make 

 the enterprise an inducement to investors. 



As an illustration may be cited the Bear 

 Valley works in southern California. 

 built at an estimated cost of between one 

 and two million dollars. These, it is 

 stated, have resulted in the creation of 

 property values aggregating over $5,000,- 

 000; and yet the works have not paid and 

 it is highly improbable that similar s\ stems 

 will ever again be undertaken. 



The works constructed by this company 

 have been of a permanent character and in 

 many ways notable, but they may he taken 

 as a tvpe of work which has practically 

 come to an end as far as corporate invest- 

 ment is concerned. Other instances might 

 be cited, and in each case some particular 

 reason assigned why financial success was 

 not had, but whatever these ma\ be, the 



