SOLUTION PROPOSED BY DR. RYER. 327 



istence will still retain sense enough to tell you that the first rule of 

 leveeing, is to ditch through the turf, and then get solid earth from 

 the bottom of the river by dredging machines, or earth containing 

 no vegetation, from the nearest practical place, and to base the levee 

 upon the hard pan or solid earth beneath; for levees, as buildings, 

 require unyielding foundations. 



The law of 1868 sets forth that the owners of a majority of the 

 land in any district, may associate, and then elect trustees. These 

 trustees may appoint engineers to make plans and estimate the cost 

 of the work necessary to reclamation. Upon these plans and esti 

 mates, the Board of Supervisors, if they approve thm, direct three 

 commissioners to jointly view the land, and assess upon each and 

 every acre to be reclaimed or benefited thereby, a tax proportionate 

 to the whole expense, and to the benefits which will result from such 

 work; said tax to be collected and paid into the county treasury, and 

 shall be paid out for works of reclamation, upon the order of the 

 Board of Trustees, when approved by the Board of Supervisors. 

 This tax is enforced by the District Attorney of the county, in a 

 manner similar to the enforcement of the collection of State and 

 county taxes. With a few amendments, the reclamation laws are 

 sufficient to reclaim the lands, and keep the control and ownership 

 cf the levees within the hands of the owners of the land. 



Two incomplete and inefficient acts were passed upon irrigation 

 at the last session of the Legislature. These acts may be so altered 

 and amended as to render irrigation by association entirely practica 

 ble. The legislation needed should cover the following points: 



1. The Surveyor-General of the State should lay off the land of 

 the State with reference to irrigation, and set forth the proper 

 water supply to each district, and the place and manner of taking it. 



2. The owners of a majority of land susceptible of irrigation, 

 should be enabled to form a district. 



3. Trustees should be elected by the owners of the majority of the 

 land in the district. 



4. Trustees shall apply to the Surveyor-General of the State to 

 designate the water supply proper to the district, and the land out 

 side of the district necessary for canals or other work. As soon as 

 the land and water is thus designated, the trustees shall immedi 

 ately take possession of the same and hold them as property of the 

 district. 



The trustees shall employ an engineer to make plans, surveys, 

 and estimates of the works, necessary to irrigation. 



5. The Attorney-General of the State shall immediately seize, 

 condemn and appropriate such water and land, as the Surveyor- 

 General shall designate as necessary to the district, when the own 

 ers of such water-sources or land shall establish in Court the 

 amount they have actually expended in works connected with such 

 water supply or land, and the actual value at the time of seizure, 

 without reference to any future or prospective values. Then the 

 trustees of the district, approved by the Board of Supervisors, 

 may order the amount paid out of funds belonging to the district. 

 But no prospective damages to the owners of water or land shall 

 be allowed by the Courts, or paid by order of the trustees. The 



