TR E IRRIGATION AGE. 151 



tions under the system have been almost wholly confined to the first- 

 mentioned state. This district law is designed to secure the owner- 

 ship and control of the water rights and canal systems by the people 

 of the districts organized under its provisions. A district may be or- 

 ganized by a vote of two- thirds of its residents, upon an order of the 

 board of county commissioners, which acts upon petition of a certain 

 number or a certain proportion of the residents of the territory pro- 

 posed thus to be organized as a district. After the organization, 

 bonds for the construction or purchase of the works or property neces- 

 sary to the object in view may be voted, which bonds become a lien 

 upon the real property within the district. The interest is paid by 

 assessments, similar toother public taxes, and the operating expenses 

 are raised either by assessments, by valuation or acreage, or by tolls 

 for the use of the water. This system has many theoretical advan- 

 tages, but its operation in California has not justified the prophecies 

 of its advocates, and new districts are not being formed under it. The 

 powers granted the districts seem to have been exercised in many 

 cases with poor judgment, and heavy bonded indebtedness was in- 

 curred without corresponding advantages to the land owner in the 

 form of water for his needs. In some instances the provisions of the 

 law seem to have been taken advantage of for the purpose of turning 

 unremunerative existing property and water rights into interest-bear- 

 ing district bonds. Like other business enterprises, it depends for its 

 success upon the judgment and honesty of those intrusted with the 

 management of the business of the districts thus organized. 



Each system and locality has its own peculiar features, and the 

 best location and system is therefore a matter for careful investiga- 

 tion as to relative advantages, always having in mind, however, the 

 certainty of the water supply, which is often the most difficult matter 

 for the newcomer to get reliable information about. As this condition 

 is the principal factor in successful farming operations, when it is 

 satisfied such operations intelligently conducted will generally prove 

 certain and remunerative under any of the plans herein described. 



OPERATION OP CANALS. 



The owner of an individual ditch operates it as he pleases, subject 

 only to the state laws governing the diversion and use of water. But 

 when several persons are interested in the same ditch, the necessity 

 for some system of control arises. In the case of unincorporated 

 community canals this control is secured by the selection of a water 

 master, who is usually one of the owners, to have charge of the opera- 

 tion and maintenance of the system and the distribution of its water 

 to those entitled to its use. It is on the large corporation canals, 

 however, that the necessity for a careful system of operation and 

 management is most apparent. Many of these canals are more than 



