Few persons have an idea of the area of California. It is the second in size of the states of the Union, Texas only being larger. To give those who have not looked the matter up a lucid idea of its size, the following table has been prepared, giving the area in square miles, and the population in 1880, of ten states that could be comfortably located within the bounds of California and then leave 470 square miles of California's territory unoccupied for them to waltz around in:

State.

Land Surface. Square miles.

Population. Census of 1880.

Maine.........

26,750

648,946

New Hampshire.......

8,705

346,991

Vermont........

8,705

332,286

Massachusetts.......

7,765

1,783,085

Rhode Island.........

920

276,531

Connecticut.......

4,700

622,700

New Jersey...........

7,095

1,131,116

New York........

46,070

5,082,871

Delaware..........

1,960

146,608

Ohio.............

40,460

3,198,062

Total...................

155,130

13,569,186

California........

153,600

864,694

The water surface of the ten states mentioned is 6,670 square miles; that of California is 2,380 square miles. Estimated population of California at present, 1,600,000. It is considered that California can safely carry a greater population to the square mile than any state in the Union when her whole area needing it is under irrigation. That is, she could carry safely within her own borders, and feed and clothe them with every crop grown in temperate and semi-tropical climates, 50,000,000 people, or nearly as many inhabitants as there are to-day in the whole territory of the United States. And with the new agriculture, or a system of sub-irrigation and under-drainage combined, something like the system invented by the late A. N. Cole, of Wellsville, N. Y., and there tested practically by him, California could support at useful everywhere. And if the practical experiments at the farm on the hill-side are a safe guide for what may be expected of the system, it would make crops nearly absolutely sure every year, double to quadruple the product, and cause the poorest soil to produce nearly equal with the richest; make arid regions with great summer heat the most productive in the world, and make irrigation safe so far as health is concerned.

For it must be admitted that surface irrigation-breeds malaria in all hot climates, and eventually ruins the soil in arid climates from the constant accumulation of alkali. What is the future of agriculture, horticulture and all the other " cults " with the new agriculture ? With it, are thirsty Nevada and hot and arid Arizona going to outstrip Illinois and Iowa in wealth, population and products ? It looks that way, sure. The climate and soil of their great "mesas," valleys and mountain sides are right glorious; all they need is the temperance drink, stored up where the plants and trees can reach it. The new system would give them always enough, never too much, just what they need every hour in the year. - D. B. Wier, California.