THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



941 



to do the work the land will be irrigated under the provi- 

 sions of the Wright act. The original Orland project includes 

 only 14,000 acres, but it is to be made the nucleus of one of 

 the choicest irrigated areas in California. A similar spirit 

 prevails throughout the entire Sacramento valley, where new 

 projects are continually being started. Within two or three 

 years the offerings of irrigated land in the northern part of 

 California will be enormous. 



Orland's celebration is to take the form of a varied 

 program. There will be speeches by noted men ; a parade 

 with such novelties as a jerk-line mule team, cowboys, In- 

 dians, etc. ; a night parade and carnival ; an auto race to the 

 dam at East Park and return, a total distance of 120 miles ; 

 broncho busting and running battle on the streets between 

 cowboys and Indians ; baseball tournament and athletic meet ; 

 amusement features and concessions in an area to be called 

 the "spillway"; and a tented city for the accommodation of 

 the guests. Special trains will be run from Sacramento and 

 other points. 



The first unit of the Orland project, consisting of 14,000 



undertaken by the reclamation service, the land at Orland 

 is under private ownership. 



Orland is destined to become the center of a new citrus 

 belt, according to the views of those who are connected with 

 the development of the project. And there are enough groves 

 in existence today to prove that there is a strong basis for 

 the claims. Oranges, lemons and grape fruit, or pomelos, 

 grow in such number at Orland that the perfume of the blos- 

 soms is strong when one approaches the "town in the spring. 



The ground near the town is especially well adapted for 

 fruit, although other farm products can be grown there is 

 wide diversity. A large proportion of the land close to town 

 has been planted to oranges and there are several thriving 

 groves. Lemons and grape fruit, or pomelo, have been grown 

 successfully, although not on as large a scale as oranges. 

 All the deciduous fruits do well and conditions are well 

 adapted to drying, or curing, prunes or apricots. The peach 

 is another strong grower. The almond orchards are espe- 

 cially attractive. There is one of thirty-three acres that has 



DAM AT EAST PARK, COLO., IMPOUNDING WATER OF STONY CREEK FOR USE ON THE OKLAND PROJECT. 



acres, is in operation. It is about eighty-five per cent com- 

 plete, the unfinished portion consisting of a diversion dam_and 

 other features, the absence of which will not interfere with 

 the irrigation of the land. The fact that the army engineers 

 did not recommend an appropriation for Orland has been 

 misunderstood in many quarters. The fact is that the ap- 

 propriation was not given for the reason that it was not 

 needed. What the people of Orland wanted was to enlarge 

 the project by taking in a second unit of 25,000 acres and 

 the engineers hesitated about this. There is plenty of water 

 for the additional 25,000 acres, however, and all of the ex- 

 pensive work in that connection has been done, so it is likely 

 that the proposed development will come. 



The Orland project was intended originally to serve 

 merely as an object lesson of what can be done in the Sacra- 

 mento valley by irrigation, so as to encourage development 

 by private capital. A proposition to install a power 

 plant, similar to the ones built in Arizona and elsewhere under 

 government direction, was turned down by the army engi- 

 neers. But this had nothing to do with the operation of the 

 project. As is the case with practically every other project 



netted $100 an acre for the last eight years. The man who 

 owns it came to Orland in 1893 with less than $1,000. The 

 almonds are of exceptional size and quality. 



There is considerable gravel in patches around Orland, 

 but some of the fruit growers prefer such soil as trees 

 thrive in it. Alfalfa and various other farm crops are grown 

 in many places, but it is likely that this will be best known 

 in the future for its fruit. The claim is made by the grow- 

 ers that they can market oranges several weeks ahead of 

 southern California, as they have an inland instead of an 

 ocean climate. 



The country supplied with water from the government 

 ditches is slowly filling up, but all of the land has not yet 

 been brought under cultivation. The surroundings are espe- 

 cially attractive as the town lies within only a few miles of the 

 foothills, which offer chances for hunting and fishing, in addi- 

 tion to many attractive trips. The town is as neat and spot- 

 less as any place one could wish to see. The streets are clean 

 and the yards show an abundance of flowers. Many of the 

 buildings are of concrete, the material having been taken 

 from Stony Creek, which offers an abundant supply for con- 

 struction. 



