The number of irrigable acres in Colorado is placed at 35,000,000 in round numbers, an area fully one-seventh larger than the State of New York. Ten years ago there were but 600 miles of irrigating ditches; now, including canals and laterals, there are 34,000 miles, and $9,500,000 have been expended in their construction. With these figures one can not but be impressed with the possibilities of the future, and believe with the most enthusiastic in the ultimate reclamation of the so-called arid land. It has been by the aid of irrigation that agriculture has been made to vie with mining as the chief industry of the State, and in the future, through its agency, the waters of the mountains will be more generally distributed by reservoir systems. The first of these reservoirs is now being constructed on the line of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, between Castle Rock and Palmer Lake. It will irrigate a large portion of the divide country. Of so vast an extent is this reservoir that the projectors contemplate the erection of a hotel and the various appurtenances of a mountain resort. When the Government puts into execution its vast plan of irrigation the seed so modestly planted ten years ago will have its fruition. The number of square miles and the acreage under irrigation are found in the following table: ================================+============+============ | Sq. Miles. | Acres. --------------------------------+------------+------------ San Luis Valley | 3,096 | 1,981,440 Southwestern Colorado | 1,080 | 691,200 Grand River Valley | 360 | 230,400 Gunnison and Uncompahgre Valleys| 720 | 460,800 Northwestern Colorado | 1,980 | 1,267,200 North Central Colorado | 720 | 460,800 Small areas | 3,600 | 2,304,000 Eastern Colorado | 41,868 | 26,795,520 +------------+------------ | 54,000 | 34,560,000 --------------------------------+------------+------------ In addition to these irrigated lands may be placed the Arkansas Valley, from Pueblo to the Kansas State line, and the country between Cherry Creek and the foot-hills, and from Cherry Creek Cañon to Denver. During the past twelve months there has been an increased activity in this sort of construction. It is a record unprecedented in irrigation, and taken in connection with the organization of new companies, this fact indicates no limit to this species of development.