Delta chief., 1885-04-01

lanus WHeTe IHcFC Is II lanu grant.
The large canal corporations of the State
control about 250,000 acres which are offered
for sale at from S4 to SIS per acre. varying
according to the location and character of
ground, timber. etc.
State lands now under ditch may be leased
in some parts of San Luis valley at 10 per
cent. per annum on the appraised value. The
cost of water from the various ditch COM
panies ranges from Sl.5O to So per acre ac.
cording TO the amount of water consumed, it
being understood naturally that ordinary
farming land will consume less water than
a garden patch. There are a great many
private bitches owned by an association of
land proprietors in the northern part Of the
State. In the latter case the associations
have been formed'by early settlers who have
joined their prior rights to the flow of GER
tain streams for better service and more
equable and economical distribution. They
have their regular officers, meetings, etc.,
and in some instances have reduced the costs
to very small figure. The large corpora
tions convey water from the heads Of large
mountain streams long distances to mesa
pense involving immense outlay of capital
These companies derive their income from
the rental of water received from landhold-
ers contiguous to their canals.
The advantages OF controlling the water
supply are manifest. No mud TO pre-
vent early blowing and planting; no danger
of drouth to curtail the harvest. Experience
hat, ,h..a inf .f i.-j Ipr
ing the cropping season when irrigation is
required is equivalent to thirty inches deep
upon the land If all applied at once or that
one cubic foot per second flowing nigh, and
day for 100 days will irrigate eighty acres of
land. In Colorado the rainfall seldom eS-
cceds Ia inches during the year, which
amount being insufficient TO secure the
to. BY the construction of large canals with
reservoirs and laterals, the water is easily
conducted from the rapidly running streams
and torrents out through the valleys and
parks and over the lands. The main canal
is taken out high enough up the stream TO
secure the requisite hall and convey the
water with velocity out along the highlands.
From this main channel laterals are taken
out nt convenient distances, while from these
burrows are run TO divert the water in any
desired direction. Thus the certainty of
raising n crop makes irrigation reliable
method moisture is applied just when and
where needed. and will insure a harvest gem
orally far above the average where nature is
entirely relied upon. Not only this, but it
has been demonstrated that the water secured
from the high mountains contains natural
fertilizer peculiar to itself which constantly
cnriches and invigora,es the soil, rendering
the ordinary fertilizer unnecessary to n great
extent.
There are practically but two corporations
Of this character in the State; the Colorado
Loan and Trust Company and the Platte
Land Company. The former began its oper-
alton, about two years ago and since that
time has constructed ten large irrigating
canals, among the largest in this country,
and one-the Del Nor,e-ranking among the
largest in the world. This principal canal is
100 feet wide and has Sc miles of constructed
channel go miles If the Sagusche branch
canal is includcd). 1t delivers $500 cubic
feet Of water per second of time, or $50, 900
900 gallons every ~ hours. There were l.
100000 cubic yards of gravel, rock and earth
cxcavated TO form the channel, requiring an
army of $500 men and 1000 teams to per-
form the great task. The largest canal Of
Itaiy--the Naviglio Granie-is not so large
by half as the Del Nortc, and cost more than
Sl2,Oo0,oO and its completion was an event
of national celebration. Irrigation is now
such n matter of fact in Colorado that little
is said of it locally. Without it there would
only be shadow of an agricultural Colorado,
but largely by its help the future of the state
is to be one of greatness.