WESTERN IRRIGATION. 265 



need not lose three days per annum by rains in the 

 growing season, and need not fear storm or shower 

 when he seeks to harvest his grass or grain. Nothing 

 like ague or any malarious disease exhausts his vital- 

 ity or paralyzes his strength. I saw men breaking 

 up for the first time tracts which had received no 

 water, using but a single span of horses as team ; 

 whereas, breaking up in the Prairie States involves a 

 much larger outlay of power. The advantage of 

 early sowing is very great ; that of a long planting 

 season hardly less so. I believe a farmer in this col- 

 ony may keep his plow running through October, 

 November, and a good portion of December ; start it 

 again by the 1st of March, and commence seeding 

 with Wheat, Oats, and Barley, and keep seeding, in- 

 cluding planting and gardening, until the first of 

 June, which is soon enough to plant potatoes for 

 Winter use. Thenceforth, he may keep the weeds 

 out of his Corn, Roots, and Yegetables, for six weeks 

 or two months ; and, as every day is a bright working- 

 day, he can get on much faster than he could if liable 

 to frequent interruptions by rains. I estimate the 

 cost of bringing water to each farm at $5 per acre, 

 and that of leading it about in sub-ditches, so that 

 it shall be available and applicable on every acre of 

 that farm, at somewhat less ; but let us suppose that 

 the first cost of having water everywhere and always 

 at command is $10 per acre, and that it will cost 

 thereafter $1 per acre to apply it, I maintain that it 

 is richly worth having, and that nearly every farm 



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