THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



If any or our readers who contemplate organizing 

 a club will kindly notify THE IRRIGATION AGE an effort 

 will be made to secure acorns of the California species 

 and some other rare seeds for experimental purposes in 

 this and other central states. Address D. H. Anderson, 

 secretary, 112 Dearborn street, Chicago, Illinois, for 

 additional data. 



It is well to offer a suggestion concerning the plant- 

 ing of tree seeds : 



A box no larger than 18 by 20 inches and 4 inches 

 deep filled with sandy loam, should be used. Smooth 

 uniformly, leaving no hollows or holes. No more than 

 1,000 seeds, should be sown in each box. Sprinkle over 

 seed soil to depth of little more than diameter of seed. 

 Cover with fine sand if earth is not quite loose, unplas- 

 tic. Unless a fine sprinkler is handy cover the surface 

 with a piece of sacking and soak thoroughly. After- 

 wards keep moist. Naturally, you will place the box 

 in a warm place and protect from frost and interference. 

 When plants are about two inches high remove them 

 into tin cans and care for them until they are ready to 

 transplant, say three feet tall. It is suggested that all 

 trees should be thoroughly soaked with water after 

 transplanting. A layer of wood ashes between the 



A GREAT IRRIGATION PROJECT IN THE SALI- 

 NAS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AWAITING 

 GOVERNMENT AID. 



H. A. Greene, President Federation of Tree Growing 

 Clubs, Directing Planting of Tan-bark Oak Acorns 

 in Tin Cans at His Home in Monterey, Cal. 



buried cans will tend to keep off worms. Use sulphur 

 en tops if attacked by insects, and pick off worms if 

 found. Futher specified information will be gladly fur- 

 nished by the Monterey Tree Growing Club of Monte- 

 rey, California. 



The splendid movement is growing organizations of 

 these clubs throughout the country, and it is expected 

 that a strong club will be organized at Elgin, Illinois,, 

 within the next thirty days, which will be. the nucleus 

 of the Tree Growing Clubs of this state. The matter 

 will be presented at a meeting of the Teachers' Federa- 

 tion which is to be held at Elgin, about January 15, 

 and will be explained to them thoroughly so that they 

 may go to their homes and organize clubs and have the 

 work started the coming Spring. 



Send $2.50 for The Irrigation Age 

 1 yea.r, o.nd the Primer of Irrigation 



(Special Correspondence.) 



In the Salinas valley of Monterey county, Califor- 

 nia, under the balmy sky of one of the fairest sections 

 of the new France beside the Pacific, lies one of the in- 

 viting fields offered the Government for irrigation enter- 

 prise. 



The project comprises 150,000 acres lying between 

 a point a few miles southeast of San Ardo and sweeping 

 down into the broader valley lying below the city of 

 Salinas. Through this strip of beautiful country flows 

 the Salinas Eiver. It has a number of small tributa- 

 ries. 



Nearly every foot of this land is rich and will pro- 

 duce all the crops that make the tiller's heart rejoice. 

 In the Salinas and its tributaries enough water flows in 

 the winter months to give the 150,000 acres a bountiful 

 supply. 



All that is necessary is to impound water in the 

 flood season and canal it to the acres of the valley dur- 

 ing the dry spell where the land now lies idle, except at 

 such places where private enterprise may have devel- 

 oped an irrigation supply by steam pumping or wind- 

 mill. 



The enterprising people of the Salinas valley have 

 had surveys made that show feasible reservoir sites, 

 where a sufficient supply of water can be stored at a 

 cost of about $15.00 an acre. The people have begun 

 the project. They await some action by the Reclama- 

 tion Service toward taking it up and completing it. 



The climate of the Salinas valley is one of the most 

 perfect in California. 



Dr. D. Brumwell of King City, in the valley of the 

 Salinas, in his report on the mortality of the state, says : 

 "The death rate of Salinas valley, per capita, is 33 1-3 

 per cent less than that of the rest of the state. Malaria 

 and kindred diseases are unknown in the valley. In fact, 

 the climatic conditions are ideal for both health and 

 industry." 



The citizens of the valley, who at their own expense 

 have obtained an engineer's report, deserve praise for 

 their enterprise and it should bear iruit. The Govern- 

 ment can hardly delay long in taking up their project. 



The rainfall in this rich valley ranges only from 8 

 to 12 inches, and sometimes it is less than 8 inches. 

 This is why irrigation is so vital. Fine grain crops 

 are raised by "dry" farming. 



When the rainfall is good the land shows its capac- 

 ity. Where watered artificially the results are abundant. 

 Of alfalfa, of which there are five cuttings a year, seven 

 tons an acre are taken off. Barley does better than 

 twenty-five sacks, and wheat produces fifteen sacks. 

 Sugar beets produce from twelve to twenty tons. 



There is a variety of soil in the valley ranging from 

 decomposed granite to heavy, rich adobe and including 

 both light and heavy sandy loams. All is irrigable with 

 the possible exception of a few small patches of clear 

 sand near the river. 



Small fruits and orchards where planted are doing 

 finely. Salinas apples are famous. 

 At Salinas the valley is about ten miles wide, but 



