The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-12-14
How tie Peoples Ditch was Made.

Mr.. Nordholf, in his Californian. bears
witness to the successful operation of il
rigation at the irving village of Farmers
vile, near Nisalia, where whole district
has been largely and visibly enriched by
what is called 1.-The Peoples Ditch.,'-
This was constructed on the cooperative
plan. AS the method of irrigation is novel
to Eastern people, We think Il quotation of
Mr.. Nordhoif's description of the way the
ditch was made, and the way it works,
quite in place:
-Four years ago, several farmers about
here saw the necessity of irrigation for
their lands. They talked the matter over,
and finally called meeting of their neigh
bors. At this meeting it was resolved
To dig a ditcl.''
g 10 do it by general effort of those
who should subscribe to the stock
To have one hundred shares, each
share to be entitled 10 water ENOUGH for
one hundred and sixty acres.'
g TO elect President, who should call
the stockholders to labor, which call should
be promptly obeyed'"
"To engage an engineer to Law out the
work, and obey his Instructions"
"And, finally, to begin the work next
Monday.'''
1.-The engineer was himself one of the
stockLolders--Mr. William S. Powell. of
Ni5aiia-an energetic and competent man,
and the leader in the enterprise. Work
was begun on The following Monday, and
in six weeks the Peoples Ditch-eight
miles long, twenty four feet wide, and three
feet deep-was completed. The sum of
SIX hundled dollars was expended upon it,
III money, foI lumber for fumes and gates,
etc; all the rest of the work was done
without the expenditure of cent of
money"
''lt was afterward found that this ditch
did not give water enough, anG the stock
holders enlarged it and took in another
stream, 50 that it is now fourteen miles
long and four feet deep, with pitch of
eight feet to the mile
''1t supplies more than enough water in
the Griest season to irrigate 16 600 acres of
land-namciy. one hundred 1850 acre lots.
Near the lower end of the ditch stands a
grist-miil, which is very great convent
ence to the neighOorhood, and | believe a
source of income to the Ditch Association.
Out OF tie main ditch proceed three arms,
and out of these, again, numerous smaller
nj thprn
lields 10 irrigate. The water is divided by
seif-acting gates, and the arms, or branch
es, arc dug, not by the company, but by
those members Interested"
"The labor is far less difficult or tedious
than any one who had not seen it done
would suppose, and the success is complete.
Last year the irrigated crops were almost
hot quite-as great as those of q rainy
year; and as prices were higher, the farm
ers made more money. The man who can
raise crop in a year of severe drough is
sure of 4 good price,
"There is q water-master, who is paid
to go over the ditch and see that all goes
right with it; and President, who is not
salaried, but has authority to call on the
stockholders for repairs: and once year,
in March, when the farmers work here is
done, ard he and his teams are idle, all
hands meet TO clean the ditch cut, which is
labor Of u few days. This annual ditch
meeting was held while was at Nisalia.'
Now, tie work Of six weeks OF these
farmers doubled the value of their lands
at ouce. 1t was about the cheapest way to
make money that they could have devised.
1t made them sure Of Il crop, no matter
how dry the year: it gave them perpetual
fund Of manure, for the testimony OF every
man have seen in the State who has prac-
ticed irrigation for long term of years is
positive that with this the fertility of the
land does not deteriorate''
II WAS surprised and delighted to hear
of one hundred farmers joining hands for
such a work as this, and energetically car
rying it through; but | have found since
that it is not uncommon here, have been
present at several ditch meetings; they are
usually held in the open field, and what
they determine on they do.