THE RECLAMATION OF THE WEST. 831 



has had large practice in irrigation work. To him are assigned men 

 who have had more or less technical training. The plans made by 

 these engineers are submitted to a board of consulting engineers, 

 comprising men of wide experience and national repute. 



The work extends over thirteen States and three Territories. These 

 sixteen political divisions comprise the largest of the United States 

 excepting Texas. Texas came into the Union as an independent 

 repu})lic, owning its vacant lands, and hence the land laws of the rest 

 of the States are not applicable, nor is the law of June IT, 1902. All 

 of the large western States are included. Thus the development of 

 nearly half of the United States is resting upon the best execution 

 of this law. 



The problems are not merely those of engineering and constructing 

 great works. It is not sufficient to build canals and bring the water 

 where the people can get it; but, more than this, there are an inlinitude 

 of problems to be solved, and great tact must be used with people. 

 AVhen it comes to the question of dealing with water, men may be good 

 citizens, ])ut the}" can not be implicitly trusted when it comes to the 

 question of water distribution. In Idaho they have the term ''winter 

 friendship.'' During the sunnner every man is at war with his neigh- 

 bor over the division of water, but in the winter these troubles are 

 forgotten and everyone is on friendly terms. Summer is the time of 

 storm and strife in water afi'airs. So, in ever^^thing having to do with 

 Avater and its distribution, engineers must have not only knowledge 

 l)ut good sense, tact, and tirnmess. To deal with the interests which 

 are concerned in the distribution of water and the reclamation of land, 

 it is necessar}" to organize the people into associations. Tliese asso- 

 ciations under the law must ultimatel}' control and operate the works; 

 through them the Secretaiy of the Interior can deal directly with a 

 l)ody of people, and they can divide the water among themselves 

 and settle minor matters as l)est thev can. The reclamation of the 

 West is not only a scientific prol)leni. l)ut. for idtimate success, invohes 

 great tact and skill in administration. 



thp: public laxds. 



The public lands are of many kinds, from densely forested areas 

 extending far up on the slopes of the high mountains of the Rockies 

 down to the vast low plains and wide spreading, trackless deserts. 

 Particuhir interest is attached to these high mountains and the forested 

 slopes, for upon these depend to a large extent the future i)rosperity 

 and the utilization of the agricultural lands of the West. 



The extent of the forests is shown by diagram 5. In northern Cali- 

 fornia and along the Pacific coast in western Oregon and Washington 

 are the greatest for<'sts remaining in the United States. Around the 



