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THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



We would call the attention of our read- 

 Conservation ers to an article in this issue on the "Con- 

 of Water servation of Our Water Resources," by 

 Resources. Mr. David Megahy. This correspondence 



came as a result of an editorial in our 

 January issue and is well worthy of perusal hy those 

 interested. 



The circulation of THE IRRIGATION AGE 

 Irrigation Age is growing more rapidly at this time than 

 Growing Fast, ever before in its history. We have ar- 

 rangements made whereby personal solici- 

 tation among irrigation farmers in the 

 western states is now going on, and we are adding to 

 our list at the rate of from 100 to 400 new names each 

 week. This is very gratifying and shows appreciation 

 of this journal. Advertisers will do well to give con- 

 sideration to the fact that THE AGE is the only publi- 

 cation of its class in the world and is reaching thou- 

 sands of live buyers of all classes of farm machinery, 

 earth moving machinery, etc. 



We are beginning in this issue an article 

 Lining of prepared from Bulletin No. 188, issued 

 Ditches and by the Experimental Station of the Col- 

 Reservoirs. lege of Agriculture, "University of Cali- 

 fornia, from "Lining of Ditches and 

 Reservoirs to Prevent Seepage." This bulletin was 

 prepared by Prof. B. A. Etcheverry and its contents 

 cover a long series of investigations and experiments 

 undertaken by the Experiment Station in 1906. 



The water which sinks into soil from ditches and 

 reservoirs is one of the chief sources of waste in irri- 

 gation. In gravelly soils and where ditches cross gyp- 

 sum strata the loss sometimes amounts to more than 

 half the total volume. One feature which is of more 

 than ordinary importance is that the water -which es- 

 capes is often worse than wasted. It collects in the 

 lower lands; fills the soil; drowns the roots of trees 

 and plants; brings alkali to the surface and is a prolific 

 breeding place for mosquitoes. Muddy water soon silts 

 up muddy ditches, but where the water is clear seepage 

 losses are likely to be permanent and some sort of lining 

 to stop this becomes an important matter. 



This subject will be gone over fully in a repro- 

 duction of Bulletin No. 188. Prof. Etcheverry has 

 handled the subject in a masterly way and our readers 

 will find much of value and interest in perusing this 

 article. 



Send $2.50 for The Irrigation Age 

 1 year, a.nd the Primer of Irrigation 



An editorial in our issue of January 

 Centralization stirred up a hornet's nest, and brings in to 

 of Power. u s many protests from people throughout 

 the west concerning the activity of the 

 head of the Forestry Bureau. As explained in the 

 January issue, THE IRRIGATION AGE is inclined to 

 the belief that Mr. Pinchot is innately honest. The 

 principal cause of criticism of the gentleman in the past 

 has been in the line of explaining how some of the 

 bureaus at Washington are taking over power not in- 

 tended by the framers of the law under which these 

 bureaus were established, and while these errors would, 

 no doubt, be corrected in time, it seemed only fair to 

 bring them to the attention of the public from time 

 to time so that the correction may be made more readily 

 than if it were accomplished by the protests of widely 

 separated individuals who realize that too great a cen- 

 tralization of power in any bureau head is liable to 

 work much injury to the individual who has no other 

 recourse than through the devious channels of protest to 

 his congressional representative in Washington. 



One pleasing feature of the situation as it is seen 

 by us is that the western Congressmen are awakening to 

 a realization of the possible injury which may be 

 wrought and things seem to be moving in so far as 

 the campaign of centralizing all power in Washington 

 is concerned. The people of the west will, we believe, 

 begin to realize the danger of this kind of centraliza- 

 tion when they understand fully tlie object of Mr. 

 Pinchot. 



A recent meeting of the American Live Stock As- 

 sociation at Denver was in favor of a leasing system. 

 This plank carried regardless of the fact that Colorado 

 itself is opposed to this theory. The element that car- 

 ried the convention came from Texas, where there are 

 no public lands. It is stated, and with perhaps a 

 good show of truth, that the Texans propose to get 

 leased land in Colorado, Wyoming and other western 

 states and bring their flocks and herds into that terri- 

 tory. The President sent a congratulatory telegram 

 to the officers of the association because it endorsed Mr. 

 Pinchot's theories. This is a fine condition for the 

 citizens of western states to face, where there is much 

 public land. What THE IRRIGATION AGE would like 

 to see is some reform in land laws which will give the 

 remaining settlers on public lands enough land to en- 

 able them to make a living and protect them absolutely 

 in their business. If a settler was entitled to 160 acres 

 in Iowa, he should get from four to six sections in 

 many places in the inter-mountain regions. Yet, Mr. 

 Garfield says the public domain is passing too rapidly 

 into the hands of settlers. This shows how superfi- 

 cial was his inspection last summer. It has been sug- 

 gested by some that he stayed too close to the Pullman 

 car and the conveniences of civilization during that trip 



