3 10 THE IRRIGA TION A GE. 



portions of California, where the conditions are such that water stor- 

 age can not be had. 



The great advantage, or one of the great advantages, of pumping 

 water for irrigation is that the man "who would develop a tract of land, 

 or the farmer who cultivates it, is practically independent. Most of 

 the successful pumping plants are and always will be small, and mat- 

 ters of individual concern. Pumping on a large scale, while it will 

 undoubtedly be done in many localities, will, from the nature of the 

 case, never be as important as the raising of water by small, cheap, or 

 home-made devices. A small pumping plant can be installed by almost 

 any farmer or mechanic, and with a little ingenuity and care can be 

 made highly profitable. If not successful the first time, it is capable 

 of indefinite modification and change. A mistake made at the outset 

 does not ruin the whole enterprise, as in the case of water storage. 



The power used for pumping water is as varied as the kinds of 

 machine. In some localities horses or oxen are successfully employed 

 and in others various forms of motors operated by gasoline or steam 

 engines, by water-wheels or by other devices. The most common 

 source of power, and by far the most important, is that from the wind. 

 This is particularly the case on the great plains, where thousands, and 

 possibly millions of windmills have been or are, about to be erected. 

 The power is sufficient for all purposes and the kind of mill and pump 

 matters little, although in the long run the best must be used. Every 

 encouragement should be given to the increase of small pumping 

 plants suited to local circumstances, for by the use of these farmers 

 learn quickls how to produce the best results with the least amount of 

 water, or of wasted energy. They thus become experienced and com- 

 p3tent to take up irrigation farming on a larger scale. 



The reasons for the financial failure of large irrigation works need 

 not be discussed at this time, but it is important to know that one of 

 the causes, if not the most important, has been the fact that a few far- 

 mers purchasing or occupying lands under these great systems have 

 bean competent, at first, to handle the water and to successfully raise 

 crops. Many have failed or have become discouraged, a d the great 

 majority have not been able to make the payments agreed upon. 

 Those who have succeeded have often done so by using the the water 

 in the most wasteful fashion, and have not only injured their own lands, 

 but have often ruined adjacent tracts and have jeopardized the success 

 of others by the lavish spreading of water over the surface. Using 

 water from the pumping plant, it is not possible for a man to be as 

 wasteful as when he obtains his supply from a gravity system, and 

 thus the thousands of farmers who are dependent upon windmills or 

 other forms of motors for raising water are becoming adepts in the art 

 of producing the largest crop with the least waste. Whenever a large 

 bo.ly of such experien3ed men can be induced to settle under a great 

 irrigation canal one of the principal causes of failure will be removed. 



