STEEP HILL-SIDES. 143 



extremity of each feeder is closed by a sod or a small 

 gate, and the flow may be regulated or diverted wheu de- 

 sirable by the same means at any part of the channel. 

 The drains are placed midway between each feeder, and 

 receive the surplus water, carrying it off at the foot of 

 the meadow. When the water is in flow, notice is to be 

 taken of any portion of the meadow which does not re- 

 ceive a supply, and a special furrow is to be made to 

 remedy the defect. 



Drains are not always necessary upon these meadows. 

 If the soil is clay and retentive of moisture, and the slope 

 is slight, they will be indispensable. Where the soil is open 

 and porous, and naturally drained by the subsoil, they 

 may be dispensed with. But attention must be given to 

 so feed the water that it is all used, and not allowed to 

 drown the lower portions of the field. One drain at the 

 foot of the meadow is to be provided in all cases. 



Another method of irrigation is adapted to very steep 

 hillsides. This is known as the catch-water system. Hill- 

 sides so steep that wagons cannot be taken upon them, 

 may be watered by this system. A stream or canal flow- 

 ing upon the crest of the hill is dammed, or closed tem- 

 porarily, by means of a gate. The water then flows over 

 the bank, in a sheet more or less perfect, as the bank has 

 been leveled accurately or otherwise. At some distance 

 down the slope, the water that is not absorbed by the 

 soil is caught in a second canal or ditch, which, when 

 full, overflows and spreads the water upon the section be- 

 low it. The surplus is caught by a lower canal, and 

 spread as before. This is repeated, until either the water 

 is exhausted or the bottom is reached. If the supply is 

 such that economy is to be exercised, the water may be 

 carried into one of the lower canals by an underground 

 spout of wood, and the meadow be watered in successive 

 portions. The section of a field thus watered is shown 

 in fig. 71. a, is the stream, and J, J, the canals, from 



