SUGGESTIONS TO SETTLERS IN COLUMBIA RIVER VALLEY. 7 



the land, the water right costs from $60 to $100 an acre. Both the 

 hmd and the water right are usually sold on the installment plan. 

 The annual water fee or maintenance charge varies from $1 to $2.50 

 per acre. When the water is pumped by private plants the cost is 

 usually more than $2.50 an acre. 



Clearing the land of sagebrush costs from $2.50 to $5 per acre, 

 plowing from $2 to $3, grading from $5 to $25, and fluming from $10 

 to $15 an acre. In addition to this there is the expense of fencing, 

 seeding, and irrigating the first year. In most cases it will be nec- 

 essary to provide the dwelling house, stable, team, cow, poultry, 

 wagon, tools, and other equipment. No returns should be expected 

 from the land the first year, and but little the second year. During 

 this time the living expenses and countless other items of expense 



must be met. 



IRRIGATION. 



In a region like the one under discussion in this paper, where 

 agriculture is altogether dependent upon irrigation, the use and 

 application of water are very important phases of farm management. 

 In order to secure economy of labor and economy and efficiency of 

 water, careful attention must be given to many details. 



GRADING. 



The land to be irrigated should be so graded that the minor irregu- 

 larities will be removed, leaving no knolls over which water will not 

 flow and no depressions into which it can collect to form puddles. 

 This work requires painstaking care and is often expensive, but it is 

 absolutely essential to satisfactory irrigation. If one can not afford 

 to grade his land properly he had better not attempt to irrigate it. 

 The cost of grading is usually less where the field has a moderate 

 slope, for some fall is necessary to carry the water forward.'^ 



Under no circumstances should trees and crops of a permanent 

 character be planted before the grading is well done. A^Tiile thor- 

 ough preparation of the soil for irrigation is very essential, it must be 

 remembered that little grading can be done if the soil is shallow, and 

 without grading irrigation is impracticable except where the soil is 

 naturally very even.'' 



a For implements and methods of grading, see Farmers' Bulletins Nos. 263 and 373, 

 entitled "Practical Information for Beginners in Irrigation" and "Irrigation of 

 Alfalfa," respectively, which will be sent free of charge upon application to the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



b For costs of grading, see Bulletins 188 and 214, Office of Experiment Stations, 

 U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, entitled "Irrigation in the Yakima A'alley, Washington," 

 and "Irrigation in the State of Washington," respectively; also Farmers' Bulletins 

 263 and 373, entitled "Practical Information for Beginners in Irrigation" and "Irriga- 

 tion of Alfalfa," respectively. 

 [Cir. 60] 



