BREEDE RIVER IRRIGATION WORKS. 95 



The credit for the division of the water under present arrange- 

 ments is due entirely to the Board, from whom the suggestion 

 emanated. I assisted them by recommendations as to how the 

 division of the water in the canal was to be made, the size of the 

 various sluices, and the means of measuring the water by passing 

 it over weirs. This division has solved what appeared at one time 

 to be a difftcult problem. The completion of the Breede River 

 s heme has given an impetus to irrigation in the Breede Valley. 

 There are at present four Irrigation Boards in the surrounding 

 areas and three others in the various stages of formation. 



Cost of Scheme. 



By means of this canal 2,500 morgen of Karroo soil have been 

 placed under irrigation at a cost of £33,000. A loan was obtained 

 from the Government for that amount, and the annual charge upon 

 the land for the redemption of the loan in 40 years is i8s. lod. per 

 morgen. This sum includes the maintenance and administration 

 charges. Ten years ago this land was valued at £2 per morgen. 

 Since it has been placed under irrigation sales have been transacted 

 at^£50 and at prices up to £100 per morgen. It is doubtful if any 

 land can be purchased at the former figure to-daj-. At £50 per 

 morgen the increased value of the j^roperty has been enhanced by 

 the sum of £120.000. 



Advantages of Works. 



Now this irrigation scheme has many advantages in its favour, 

 as follows : — 



([) The irrigable lands are situated in close proximity to the New Cape 

 Central Railway. No property is more than three miles from a Siding. 



(2) There is a plentiful supply of water for a period of nine months eacli year. 

 The dry months are January, February and March. 



(3) Each shareholder had an established farm in the District : therefore 

 he could afford to pay the water rates in the early stages of develojiment, 

 having sufficient capital to break up, level, fence and prepare the new lands 

 for cultivation. 



Viticulture and Ostrich Farming. 



Ten years ago the Robertson district was essentially a wine and 

 brandy-producing area. It is doubtful if any one foresaw when 

 this scheme was started how viticulture would in a few years be 

 doomed, first by the attacks of the Phylloxera and later by the 

 depression in the markets. The farmers were quick to perceive 

 the altered contitions and sowed almost all the new lands with that 

 valuable fodder plant lucerne — followed of course by the ostrich. 



To-day many of the shareholders are taking out their vines, and 

 are sowing the ground with lucerne, which grows admirably upon 

 the irrigable lands. It is stated that one morgen of lucerne will 

 carry six birds throughout the year. This represents an average 

 return of about £30 per morgen per annum, assuming that each 

 bird will produce feathers to the value of £5 each year. 



Brack Soils. 



The irrigation schemes in the Breede River Valley are not without 

 the usual attendant of brack lands. The worst effects are found 

 in the low lying portions of the valley, where the subsoil springs 



