940 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



000 a year, or over $332,000 a day into California, Washing- 

 ton, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, and almost all of this im- 

 mense sum is paid out for labor and supplies, so that every 

 family shares it. It contributes to every business we have, 

 to farmer, merchant, mechanic, and professional man. No 

 other product of these states, not our wheat, our fruit or 

 our wool, furnishes employment for so many people or 

 brings in so much money. Lumber makes up 75 per cent of 

 all the freight we ship out of these states by rail or boat. 



The forests keep the flow of our streams even, prevent- 

 ing floods in the wet season and furnishing water for irriga- 

 tion and power during the dry season ; they pay taxes to 

 support our government, our roads and our schools; they 

 shelter our wild game and fish, and in many other ways make 

 our country healthier and pleasanter to live in. In most of 

 our western states, the public schools are supported largely 

 by the sale of timber from state forest lands. 



The greatest danger for the destruction of our forests is 

 by carelessly burning them. Although not always as serious 

 as they were last year, forest fires destroy on a yearly aver- 



steps to put the fires out. They forget that the owner stands 

 only about a fifth of the loss and that four-fifths is borne by 

 all the rest of the people in the state, including themselves, 

 because everybody shares in the money and good that comes 

 from the forests. 



It is just as wrong to set fire to the woods as it would 

 be to set fire to a house, and it is even more wrong, for we 

 can build houses, but not new forests. When San Francisco 

 was destroyed by fire, California did not have to bear all the 

 loss. It was spread all over the world by insurance. Money 

 quickly came in to rebuild the city, everyone was given work, 

 and in two or three years business was going on as before. 

 But when a forest burns, nothing helps us to recover. Its 

 possibilities of good are destroyed forever. In order to pro- 

 tect our forests pass the best kind of forestry laws and allow 

 plenty of money to carry them out. Fire patrol is particu- 

 larly necessary. 



It is the duty of everyone, young or old, not only to be 

 careful with fire, but also to teach as many others as possible 

 how important this matter is. Above all, everyone should 



SPILLWAY, ORLAND PROJECT, CALIFORNIA. 



age in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and California 

 timber, which, if saved for manufacture, would bring in $40,- 

 000,000. We not only lose this income, but have to pay 

 higher taxes on the rest of our property and higher prices 

 for the forest material which escapes. These fires kill the 

 young trees, so new forests cannot follow the old ones, and, 

 by leaving the ground bare, also hasten the rapid run-off of 

 snow and rain and make our streams low in summer. Often 

 the fires destroy houses, fences and cattle, and many human 

 lives are lost. The cause is carelessness, almost always. 

 People forget that wind and hot weather may make even the 

 smallest fire spread beyond control. Thinking no harm will 

 come of it, they leave the camp fires burning, throw away 

 burning matches or tobacco, burn slashings or brush heaps 

 without watching them closely, or run logging or railroad 

 engines without screens to stop the sparks. At the time they 

 see no danger. A few hours or days afterward the fire 

 spreads and becomes so fierce it cannot be stopped. 



People do not realize how much it will injure them. 

 Sometimes they think only the owner of the timber has any 

 interest in the matter, and that he ought to take all necessary 



remember that care with small fires will always prevent big 

 ones. The main thing is never to forget the simple rules of 

 preventing fires. Most of them are laws and anyone is 

 liable to arrest for failing to observe them. 



President Flewelling announced in an interview that 

 twice as many men will be sent into northern Idaho forests 

 the coming summer, beginning early in June, as were used 

 for patrol work in 1910. Additional facilities will be provided 

 and the railroad telegraph and telephone lines used in cases 

 of emergency. 



THE ORLAND PROJECT ABOUT FINISHED. 



BY F. H. GRISWOLD. 



Orland, Cal., is becoming a center of considerable activ- 

 ity. The celebration of the turning on of water on the 

 project, which is one of the most attractive among those 

 undertaken by the reclamation service, is set for June 16 

 and 17, and is to be made the occasion for a celebration that 

 will bring several thousand visitors. In addition, the prob- 

 lem of how to irrigate 60,000 to 70,000 more acres is being 

 discussed at mass meetings. In case the government is unable 



