52 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



effort to pass the Jones bill for government guaran- 

 tee, but state aid in the form of a million dollar 

 appropriation, which was to be loaned out, was 

 strongly urged by Governor Lister. 



In Colorado there is at present on the statute 

 books a law which permits the state to buy ap- 

 proved irrigation district bonds with school funds, 

 and this is being invoked to give impetus to the de- 

 velopment of the state. 



The big men of that state are also taking up 

 the plan suggested by Verner Z. Reed of direct 

 state aid for irrigation projects. 



The result of this clean-cut campaign for land 

 development is shown in the pulse of the financial 

 centers. 



A year ago the irrigation men who came with 

 oonds to sell received but scant courtesy. Today 

 they are welcomed and their projects are being in- 

 vestigated for purposes of investment. 



The entire issue of the Oakdale district of Cali- 

 fornia, which amounts to $400,000. was recently 

 placed without the slightest trouble. Within the 

 next two months several millions now under in- 

 vestigation will find their way into the market. 



At the Pan-American Scientific Con- 

 gress, which has just closed its ses- 



Pan-Amenca 



_ sions in Washington, it was found 



to Co-operate , 



. IT . that in matters of land reclamation 



in National . 



_, every American nation has the same 



Reclamation 



problem on its hands for solution. 



While there was a discussion of 

 many topics of international interest, much time 

 was given to the subject of irrigation. Under the 

 wise leadership of Elwood Mead, of Professor John 

 A. Widtsoe, of Utah, of Prof. P. E. Fuller, of t he- 

 Department of Agriculture, of Prof. J. T. Hard- 

 ing, of the University of California, of C. W. Sutton, 

 of the State Water Commission of California, of C. 

 J. Blanchard, H. G. Shedd and others as prominent 

 from Central and South American countries, the first 

 steps were taken to secure uniformity in irrigation 

 laws and practices. 



The suggestion that each of the American nations 

 appoint a commission to investigate and study in 

 their respective countries the practices of regulating 

 the uses of water, its distribution, methods of con- 

 servation and the adjudicating of water rights came 

 from Dr. Augustin Mercau, dean of the engineering 

 faculty of Argentina. This was adopted both by 

 the sub-section that discussed it and by the congress. 



This, therefore, may be termed the first great 

 step looking to international co-operation in mat- 

 ters pertaining to land reclamation. It means that 

 within the next few years we will have the benefit 

 of all the great work that is being done along irri- 



gation lines in South American countries by some 

 of the most noted of the world's engineers. And 

 they in turn will benefit by our progress. 



The resolutions adopted are of a like progres- 

 sive tenor. They advocate national and state aid, 

 so that every possible acre of land now lying waste 

 in the Americas will be made productive. 



The Australian stafe of Victoria has 

 The Vexing ' starte d more than four thousand 



farmers in business, lending them 

 Rural Credits 



Discussed 



money and letting them pay for the 

 land and improvements at 4J/2 to 

 5 per cent. So far, the state of Victoria has made 

 $500,000 on the plan. 



What can be done in Australia can be done in 

 our western states. And the movement is well on 

 its way to fruition. There is one thing quite cer- 

 tain. Not until some such plan is put into effect 

 in the west will there be a change in the gradual 

 decrease of rural population and the increase in 

 city peopling. 



Thousands of men are needed for the work. 

 The men with the necessary industry, skill and am- 

 bition can be found, but they lack the capital. The 

 men who have the capital either lack these qualities 

 or are unwilling to become farmers. If the states 

 will place their credit behind the farmer, men with 

 money will lend it. The task before each western 

 state is to prepare the land for the farmer, to select 

 the right men for backing and to start them with 

 initial capital on terms of repayment which are 

 within their means. 



Weed seeds are spread in many 

 Mow the ways. Wind is probably the most 



Weeds Along important agent. In irrigated sec- 

 Irrigation tions, however, water also is un- 

 Ditches doubtedly a very important agent in 



carrying weed seeds from field to 

 field, and even from farm to farm. Irrigation ditch 

 banks are usually permitted to grow up in weeds. 

 If these weeds are allowed to ripen their seeds, the 

 latter will fall into the flowing water and are spread 

 out on fields further down. On the way the seeds 

 are soaked up and are just in the proper condition 

 to germinate when they reach the irrigated soil. 

 These facts point out the urgent necessity of mow- 

 ing the weeds along irrigation ditches before they 

 ripen their seeds. 



Send $1.50 for The Irrigation Age, one year, and the 

 Primer of Irrigation, paper bound, a 260-page finely 

 illustrated work for beginners in irrigation. 



