[18] 



EFFECTS OF FOKEST GROWTH ON WATER SUPPLY. 



It is not possible for men and women who never saw the effect of irri- 

 gation to estimate its value under such conditions as Mr. Dosch describes 

 in the canyous of Snake river, and Dr. Fernow bears witness to having 

 seen on the Deserts of Arizona (during his examinations of the forests of 

 that territory, recently published by the American Forestry Association.) 



Dr. Fernow notes that " The broad valley of the Rio Verde, which 

 carries the drainage from, the plateau of Salt river, is capable of agricultural 

 development to a much greater extent than has been attempted, but, as in 

 other parts of the territory, this requires systematic storage and utilization 

 of water. By careful management, the cattle, sheep and goat industry 

 would, no doubt, be able to use advantageously the large non-irrigable 

 areas." This suggestion can be truthfully applied to the whole arid land 

 country from the Mexican line to British America, and from the summit of 

 the Cascade range in Oregon, to Western Kansas and Nebraska. 



The present flocks and herds, said to number 24,000,000 of sheep and 

 1,200,000 cattle, in the arid land area could be greatly augmented, and an 

 amount of additional value gathered from whatis now desert that can hard- 

 ly be conceived of. It is greatly to be hoped that the departments of 

 Government will take measures to aid its present development, instead of 

 creating and guarding solitudes. It is more than twelve years now, since 

 the writer suggested the use of means to get artisian water onto these arid 

 lands. 



On similar areas the governments of Australia are in advance of ours, 

 both in the reservation of forests and provisions for and conservation of 

 water supply. In New South Wales alone, the number of reserves aggre- 

 gates 15,050, distributed over every county and almost every parish in the 

 province, in order to meet the needs of the people, ranging from 15 acres 

 to 74,000 acres in area. Some of them are along the banks of rivers, ex- 

 tending two chains from the bank, apparently as protection from the flood 

 wood and debris carried by the streams when in extraordinary flood, aa 

 sometimes occurs there as in some portions of arid America. They are un- 

 der a local board of control, which tends to cultivate a public spirit — ^though 

 sometimes so numerous as to create confusion. The report mentions thirty 

 miles on one river as being in charge of no less than fourteen boards. 

 There is no hint in the consular reports of the practical Australians creating 

 permanent reserves of millions of acres of timber as protection to the flow 

 of streams. The whole system seems to be managed for immediate practi- 

 cal development, such as is greatly needed throughout our arid land dis- 

 tricts, in which there are now settlers who have to use sagebrush for fuel. 

 From the report of Consul Cameron, of Sydney, New South Wales the 

 following is taken: "It is worthy of note, the influence of trees is com- 

 paratively 'nil' in this country. During the exceptionally wet year of 



