594 FOREST KESOURCES OF UTAH. 



According to statements made by A. M. Musser, before the Trans- 

 Missouri Navigation Convention at Denver in October, 1873, there had 

 been constructed in Utah, up to the year 1865, over 277 canals and 

 ditches for irrigation having a total length of l,043i miles, and costing 

 $l,7GG,939, or an average of $1,695 per mile. The estimated cost of 

 works in progress was $877,730. 



In 1872, returns from 25 main canals were received, showing the fol- 

 lowing results: Total length, 165 miles, varying from 1^ to 27 miles; 

 width of bottom, 3 to 18 feet, average 6^ feet; depth, 4 inches to 3 feet, 

 average 15i inches ; fall in a mile, 2^ inches to 75 feet, average 23^ feet; 

 acres watered, 40,750, average to each canal, 1,638 acres. 



He stated that when ttalt Lake City was first founded, the water- 

 capacity for irrigation did not exceed 800 or 900 acres ; now between 

 4,000 and 5,000 acres are irrigated. The soil after becoming saturated 

 and settled in the early years appeared to require less water, and it was 

 found that after successive years of watering the upper or bench lands, 

 the arable lands below needed no irrigation as the percolation from 

 above was sufficient. As a general rule, the county courts regulate and 

 control the waters in the main canals by the appointment of a head water- 

 master, with subordinates. 



The following statistics from the Report of tlie Beseret Agricultural and 

 Manufacturing Society for 1875, contain the latest information that we 

 have upon this subject in Utah : 



Length of trunk irrigation canals (miles) 2, 095i 



Cost of the same |1, 918, 174 84 



Length of distributing canals (miles) 4,888f 



Cost of the same $503,320 00 



Total cost of irrigation canals, including cost of repairs for 1875 $2,527,678 84 



Annual cost of repairs $106,184 00 



Number of acres requiring no irrigation 77,525 



Acres requiring from 1 to 2 hours of wat«r per week 35,706 



Acres requiring from 3 to 4 hours 87,774 



Acres requiring from 4 to 10 hours 21,761 



Acres reclaimed from salt and alkali lands 6, 157 



Acres reclaimed from swamp lands 3,490 



Acres planted with nut trees 5J^ 



Acres planted with shade trees 871 



It is stated with much confidence that the necessity for artificial sup- 

 ply of water is every year becoming sensibly less, and that 77,525 acres 

 are now reported as requiring no irrigation.^ Popular belief is united in 

 the opinion that the extremes of temperature are now less than formerly, 

 the summer rains more frequent, and the climate more humid. They 

 can now raise corn and other crops which could not formerly be done, 

 on account of summer frosts, which do not occur now as in the early 

 days of settlement. 



With respect to the timber supplies of Salt Lake City, reliance was 

 entirely had upon the caSons, and notably that of the Big Cottonwood, 

 which opens into the valley from the east, about thirteen miles southeast 

 of the city. It was first explored in 1853, and a road made under great 

 difficulties, and, it is said, at a cost of $25,000. The most valuable tim- 

 ber which it supplies is the " red pine,"^ " white pine,'" balsam fir, and 



1 In a visit to Salt Lake City in June, 1877, we were informed by President, 

 Brigham Young (since deceased), that during the present season, people in the valley 

 were able for the first time to grow wheat without irrigation in places where it had 

 formerly been quite impossible. 



2 Understood to be the Pinus contorta. Its wood has a reddish hue, and it is very strong 

 and Clastic. It is from this timber that the frame of the convex roof of the "Tabernacle" 

 is constructed. 



^Abies Engdmanii (?). 



