, 1888-03-17
I%RRIGATING LANDS.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BIG DITcHEs
OUT IN COLORADO.


Tapping the liver or Creek-FIoodIng
the Crops In a Dry season-surprisinE
Results-Pronts.
The great system Of irrigating lands in
dry sections for crops is as yet in its in
fancy, but wherever tried IL has done
well, and irrigating bitches have yielded a
large return to the investors in them.
Most OF the largest bitches are in Col
orado, where 5000 600 acres of land are
subject to irrigation. OF this vast body
less than 800, 900 acres have been ir-
rigated, leaving $500, 900 to be wa
tered yet. The canals in course of
construction will water about 1900, 900
Of the 2, 500, 600 acres. This is enormous
when we consider that the whole
system OF irrigation has grown up almost
within the past five years. The San Louis
Park canal, watering 400, 900 acres; State
Land canal, 49, 900 acres; Citizens canal,
10000 acres. and Del Norte and Suguache
canal, $50, 900 acres, may be mentioned as
among the most successful Colorado
bitches. These three canals cover 100, 900
acres of government land, 200, 900 acres of
patented land, and 100, 900 acres OF state
land. They will furnish homes for be-
tween 5000 and 4, 1000 farmers. The water
for the canals is taken from the Rio
Grande river near the town OF Del Norte.
Tn largest canal Is 100 feet wide at its
head and gradually narrows down to
twelve feet. Its depth varies from two to
six feet. 1t has when full n capacity for
watering 400, 600 acres of land.
CONSTRUCTING A CANAL
How do they make irrigating canalsY
Easy enough and quite rapidly. First is
the construction of the main canal. The
water is taken from n river or creek, the
I EfTuulr heinr rapu1ata1 Iy IN had cato
The cannl may be ten, twenty or fifty feet
wide and one, five or ten feet deep, &C
cording to the volume of water desired.
Generally the canals are wide and shallow
like II creek Indeed, they are merely
artificial creeks, and when grass grown
and planted with trees along their banks
are hard to tell from the natural streams.
\ favorable place for tapping the river or
creek having been found, the canal is
carried forward to the high grounds. 1t
is generally given about half the fall of
the river or creek, so it soon reaches an
elevation far above the natural stream
and has the and between it and the
stream below its waters. At intervals as
needed, small canals are taken out and
carried to the farms. Each lateral has n
head gate and measure for the water. The
laterals are built so as to cover the greatest
number Of farms. At certain distances
| suDlhltThlS HTt taken out from the main
lateruls, and these sublaterals too have
head gates and water measures. The sub
laterals are used by individual farmers.
II before blowing time there has been rain
enough to soften the ground the farmer
does not resort to his ditch, but, IL the
season Is dry, he opens his headgate and
Saturates the ground. The seeding is
then done. Ten acres is about the allow
ance of land That can be irrigated in one
day per man. Unless water is very plenti-
full farmers are limited to eighty acres each
to be irrigated in one season, but his does
not include grass lands.
After the crops come up they are irri-
gated or simply flooded. The quantity of
water put on is about equal to what would
fall IN three days' steady rain When the
crop is half grown 1t is irrigated again.
Two irrigations are considered enough for
a crop in a season, unless the weather is
very hot and dry, and then three irriga-
tions may be put on. 1t will thus be seen
that every farmer holds in his own hands
the means of making n crop when he has
~irrigating bitches.
EXPENSE OF IRRIGATION.
Root crops can always be kept moist,
and require five or ten times rs much
water as cereals. The expense of irriga-
ton, when compared with the benefits
derived is very slight. Irrigation about
doubles crops and the cost OF the water is
never over 81 per acre, and often as low
as sixty cents per acre, per annum. Forty
and fifty bushels OF wheat per acre are
often raised under irrigation. Potatoes
frequently grow to five pounds, and yield
$50 to 800 bushels per acre. Other root
crops yield equally well, and barley will
yield forty bushels per acre and oats often
fifty and sixty bushels. l nave seen sew
enty-seven bushels of oats cut on an acre
of irrigated land, and myself measured
500 bushels of wheat cut from n ten acre
field in Colorado, near Boulder. Wild
hay, when well irrigated, will cut two
tons per acre, and alfalfa four TO six IONS
All kinds of berries, such as Strawberries,
raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries,
currants and such fruits, grow prolific.
ally under irrigation, and yield nearly a
double crop. From $500 to $400 is often
taken from an acre for small fruits.
Ditching machines nave been made for
digging irrigating canals, but l never saw
one that worked satisfactorily. The best
ditching machine is an Irishman and a
wheelbarrow or n pillow and a scraper. A
ditch ten feet wide and two or three feet
deep can ordinarily be made at a cost OF
$1,000 per mile. The income from the
water in such n ditch in a good locality ia
about "a per cent. per annum on the cost
Of making. So 1t will be seen ditching is
profitable. The little companies first
formed in Colorado had great difficulty in
placing their stock, but they.throve amaz-
ingly and soon men of capital began to
look into the matter. The Colorado Loan
and Trust company was formed by Mr..
T. c. Henry for the purpose of irrigating
lands, and soon large bitches were under
way. This company now controls many
bitches n irrigates nearly 900, 900 acres
of land. There are many other compa-
MES, n l | believe all are making money.
Gen. James s, Brisbin in New York
Tribune.
DelIoateIy Flattering the "FreshIes."