OCR Text |
Show __y__ vantage without the aid of reservoirs and powerful machinery, so that in the event of irrigating the lands alluded to, I would suggest the plan of dealing directly with the Colorado River at a commanding point, sufficiently to water a vast territory without the further aid of machinery or reservoirs as far as the Colorado water is concerned. If it should be found that the supplies from the projected reservoirs already alluded to were not sufficient for those lands situated at an elevation out of reach of the canal that circuits the basin, then by all means I should advocate the construction of reservoirs of a sufficient capacity to hold the needed supply, which would have to be situated at proper distances apart, and elevations would command the situation; with such a necessity, powerful machinery would be required to lift the water from the canal to the reservoirs. The lands on the Colorado and New Rivers, to which I have already referred, and are more clearly set forth by the accompanying map, are rich beyond description, being composed of clay alluvial from the Colorado River and marine deposits from the Gulf of California, a great portion of which are annually overflowed, leaving rich deposits, which would prevent the land becoming impoverished, no matter how heavily cropped. The present wild growth is a species of wild hemp {Sagamica Macrocarpia), hog weed, or wild beet, that attain a height of 15 and 20 feet and a diameter of 5 inches. The latter plant is valuable as a food for hogs, in its green state, and when dry it is excellent as fodder for horses and cattle. It produces a large quantity of seed, which fattens stock of all kinds very rapidly. And now a word in regard to the hemp, which covers large sections of the lands described. |