THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 127 



plans for developing his plaee, found out about where he wanted to 

 build, how much alfalfa he Avanted and how nuieh orchard. He then 

 laid out the drains and ditches in the most convenient places for opera- 

 tion, and where they could be built most cheapl3\ Some changes have 

 been made in these plans by the settlers as they have developed their 

 places, but in the main they have been followed; and even though only 

 a small part of the place may be developed during the first or second 

 year, such work a.s is done is not wasted and will not have to be done 

 over again to fit into future plans — as has often been the experience 

 on farms developed in a haphazard way and without definite plans. 



There seem to be a good many places where a prospective irrigation 

 farmer can spend money for the counsel and advice and service of men 

 experienced in the details of the business with the assurance that if he 

 gets the right men and the right service it will be money very Avell 

 spent. In fact, $100 spent for advice could easily save $1,000 in real 

 absolute value in the purchase of one place, rather than any one of 

 several others that might seem e(iually desirable to a novice; and an 

 experienced engineer can surely make a big saving in development 

 costs by properly laying out and planning the work to best meet the 

 requirements of the particular job. The per acre cost of such work on 

 the developed place will not be great. 



There are a great many good land levelers and farm developers in 

 the Sacramento Valley now, and many good schemes for removing the 

 dirt required in digging drains, coiLstructing ditches, making borders 

 and leveling the land between the borders — assuming that a border 

 system of checking land for alfalfa or trees is to be used. Any system 

 is a good one that results in the construction of drains of ample depth 

 and capacity, ditches big enough to carry the water required and with 

 good full banks that will insure their stability and a minimum of breaks 

 and trouble, borders or checks large enough to control the flow of water 

 but not larger than is necessary to accomplish this after they have 

 settled and in land well leveled between the borders so that the water 

 can be evenly applied and quickly and completely drained off when 

 required. 



For a great deal of the heavier, rich land in Glenn and Colusa counties 

 in the Sacramento Valley, checks or borders 25 to 50 feet wide and 660 

 feet long have been found very satisfactory for alfalfa, and far tree 

 planting it is an advantage to plant trees on these small borders, 

 thereby giving a little more open and well aired soil for the roots to 

 start in. This is especially beneficial if there is a wet year one or two 

 years after planting. 



As I have said, there are many good land developers in the Sacra- 

 mento Valley, with many favorite plans for proceeding with a job of 

 leveling; but my way is to first dig the drains; then the ditches; then 

 the borders or checks; and last, move such dirt as is necessary to 

 complete the leveling of the land between the borders. Dirt must be 

 moved, either in making cuts or fills, for each of these features ; and my 

 plan is to never move the same scraper full of dirt but once, if it is 

 possible to avoid it. The dirt that comes out of the drain is used for 

 any part of the balance of the job Avhere it is most convenient to waste 

 it — on a ditch bank, a border, or in a hole in the check — but it must be 

 deposited where it will not have to be moved again. The dirt excavated 



