The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-25

continued until the whole area has been
served The burrows are then filed In with
piow, the whole surface worked over
with a cultivator and no trace left OF either
the burrows or the application OF water.
This method also requires the attention
of an irrigator 10 see that the proper
amount Of water is kept in each furrow.
and that II does not break out and food
the surface IN places, leaving the furr0w
beyond the break without water. One man
can take care of many burrows at once,
and under favorable conditions of surface
and water supply can accomplish the irr-
cation OF as great an area In a given time
as by the flooding system
This method is also applicable to the lrri-
cation Of corn, and IN fact. of any crop
Whatever which Is planted regularly In
rows, single furrow between each two
rows being generally used for such crops.
When applicable. Il Is the fayor.te method,
both for its convenience and the economy
OF water thereby effected But where the
ground is irregular this plan Is often In
convenient. because the burrows parallel
ing the rows Of crop would upon such sur
faces. be up and down hill and would
therefore not carry water. To make this
method applicable In such cases Il would
be necessary that the rows follow approx
mately the contour OF the ground In order
that the parallel burrows might carry wa
ter throughout their entire length.
With few exceptions in the irrigated
country there Is no rainfall In the uplands
where the rivers have their source Tho
precipitation ordinarily occurs IN the form
of snow. and even this Is not abundant cx-
cept In the mountains. II II tho NEEDING OF
the snow with the advent OF warm weather
which causes the periodical rise Of tho
waters. April May and June are the
high-water months. With the exception
Of the grasses. and perhaps alfalfa, few
crops require irrigation earlier than May 1.
nor do they often require II later than Sep
tember Is. June and July are the months
OF maximum use of rrigating water, aud
the use IN August usually is much greater
than the use in May. Grain requires less
water than alfalfa. potatoes need less
than grain, and fruit trees less than any
OF them. For the ordinary farm products
OF the temperate regions two or three rri-
cations usually are required for the pro-
duction OF a satisfactory crop. The amount
for each irrigation varies from Ave Inches
TO nine inches over the land.
When several persons interested In
the same ditch, the necessity for some
system OF control arises. In the case OF
unincorporated community canals this
control In secured by the selection Of a
water master, who is usually one OF the
owners. to have charge OF the operation
and maintenance of the system and the
distribution OF It's water to those entitled
to It's use II In on the large corporation
however n
careful system OF operation and manage
ment is most apparent. Many OF these
canals are more than flfty miles long, and
number their water users by hundreds
The representative with whom the farmer
and rrigator comes into most frequent
and intimate contact Is the ditch rider.
who usually Is appointed by the manager
or president. He Is provided with a list
OF the persons having water rights from
the canal, showing the amount to which
each IL entitled under his contract; or, In
case OF community stock companies. with
a iist OF the stockholders and the amount
Of stock owned by each Such list fur
nishes the necessary data TO enable him
to distribute the water according TO the
quantity or proportion called for by these
respective interests.
AS the amount 20 which each user Is enc
Titled IL limited regulating structures are
placed at the points Of diversion to rcgu-
late the flow into the laterals These
consist OF wooden hox-like structures In
which sliding gates are placed, by which
tho size Of aperture from the main canal
r. regulated and the flow OF water there
from controlled, Where considerable ac-
curaey of results ~ attempted. there also
II placed IN the lateral ditch below the
regulating gates a weir, whose flow for
ali depths e. computed and tabulated and
TO determlne the depth at any time a
graduated scale is 80 placed with refer
once 10 the weir that the depth can be
read on conveniently and accurately.
When Il s. desired 70 deliver into lateral
so arranged given volume OF water. II
Ia merely necessary for the ditch rider
to consult the weir tables and fnd the
depth over this weir necessary to dis
charge the required amount He then
increases or lessons the opening from
the main canal by moving the sliding
gate ia the regulating structure until the
required depth over the weir is realised.
This H. the most important duty OF thu
ditch rider and Tor its proper execution
he Is expected 20 make a trip daily over
the entire canal. or his division OF II. and
20 examine and regulate the Kate ~ every
consumer He usually travels On horse
hack or In o two wheeler cart. and car
ries shovel. a Ratchet. a small sharp
pointed bar. and frequently several empty
sacks The Ratchet Is used 20 repair
structures and nail on boards which may
have become Ioosened tho bar f. for rass-
ing gates which may be difficult 20 move
hy hand. and the shovel and sacks fire.
duentlv are required for the repair 90
hanks aud the sioppage % holes caused
by che work ~ gophers, muskfats and
other hurrowing animals whose depredn-
TONS frequently result in serious and ex-
psnslve breaks In the entertainments The
holes thus made usually are small and
instgnlficant ST nTst. hut rspidly become
enlarged through tho erosion Of ERE es-
Gaping waters. aud II not stopped evtutu-
ally result IN q breach carrying away
portion 81 the snlhHnkment The ditch
rider 4 expected % Inspect The whole
works under Ria charge daily and usuallv
detects leaks hy means az the escaping
waters before SERIOUS results crsue. Up
on the discovery ~ leak his FIRST efforts
are directed 60 the location ~ he point
on she inside - the bank at whlch the
waters enter the hoie THIS o. detected
through the eddy or vortex appearing al
or near the opening Havfne located
TITS Point Tire ori0gc- n small ran he
closed bY pushing into che hole ore or two
ernpty sachs if already tco iarse 60 be
closed lu thls manner 90 c@r usually -
accomplished by Hfat niNnr C. few sacks
q hatf or a third fuE ~ loose art aGd
rernninw them into the mouth 90 the
opening into which the water from the
dltgh S. passing In this manner holes