50 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 



to the land by a system of canals and ditches with 

 gates in the same way described above. 



In some parts of the West considerable areas are 

 now being irrigated from flowing artesian wells. 

 Where artesian water can be obtained, it makes an 

 ideal supply for irrigation. The irrigation farmer 

 who holds lands under a ditch system is, to a certain 

 extent, dependent on the water company who owns 

 the ditches. He must take his turn w^tli his neisrh- 

 bors and take and utilize the water when he can get 

 it, not always when he would most like to have it. 

 The fortunate owner of an artesian well is, however, 

 independent. He can use his water how and when 

 he pleases. It is usual to pipe the water from the 

 well into a small reservoir located on the highest 

 part of the farm. From here it is taken out in 

 ditches or sometimes carried out in pipes, according 

 to the way in which it is to be utilized. 



There are many other regions where there is an 

 abundant underground flow of water, but wdiere the 

 pressure is insufficient to cause it to rise to the sur- 

 face. Here it is possible to sink wells and irrigate 

 by pumping. This is being done more and more on 

 the Western j)lains. Windmills are utilized very 

 largely for pumping water for stock and for irrigat- 

 ing small plots, but the supply that can be obtained 

 in this way can hardly be depended on for general 

 farming. It is usually necessary to employ either 

 gasoline or steam pumps. The cost of this, and, 

 therefore, the extent to which irrigation by pumping 

 can be utilized, depends on the two factors, the depth 

 of the water and the cost of fuel. Low-lying lands 



