THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



117 



BROUGHT BY THE POSTMAN. 



Letters from Correspondents to The Irrigation Age. 



LINCOLN, NEB., Jan. 25. In his biennial report to the 

 legislature, Secretary Adna Dobson, of the State Board of 

 irrigation has suggested certain amendments to the irrigation 

 law of the State. He wishes a provision to require the filing 

 of a copy of the petition of organization of each irrigation 

 district that the board may have a complete boundary record 

 of all the districts in the State. He also desires the registra- 

 tion of all irrigation bonds and the filing of duplicate maps 

 and plans. 



Mr. Dobson says that stream measurements have been 

 taken, covering nearly all the streams in the State used for 

 irrigation. An arrangement has been made with the United 

 States geological survey, which maintains gauging stations on 

 the principal streams, to take its figures on the daily outpour 

 of the rivers, with little expense to the State. 



By the construction of proper headgates in the last two 

 years, which has been in the control of the under secretaries, 

 much friction between irrigators has been stopped, says Mr. 

 Dobson. . These devises secure to the patrons the knowledge 

 of an equitable distribution of water and this reduces com- 

 plaint. Mr. Dobson commends some of the decisions of the 

 supreme court as affording guidance on previously disputed 

 points, thus lessening litigation over water. 



BOMBAY, INDIA, Dec. 12, 1904. 

 EDITOR THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 



Dear Sir I am in receipt of your letter dated December 

 10, 1904, and I have just sent twelve shillings, which I 

 reckon as $3.00, as my subscription for THE IRRIGATION AGE 

 from December, 1904, and for the Primer of Irrigation if it 

 comes out in that time. Your irrigation primer will, I think, 

 be of interest to irrigation people all over the world. 



Yours sincerely, 



T. R. J. WARD. 



MOUNTAIN VIEW RANCH, ELIZABETHTOWN, N. M., 



Jan. 18," 1905. 

 EDITOR THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 



Gentlemen I am in receipt of the sample copy sent me 

 by request and enclosed please find P. O. money order for 

 $1.00 and send THE IRRIGATION AGE to me for 1905. I expect, 

 during the year to' install a plant to pump water for irriga- 

 tion and to furnish power for general farm work. I want 

 the best outfit on the market, but I find myself between the 

 devil and the deep blue sea. All are best because each 

 is simplest, most durable and gives the most power for fuel 

 consumed. 



Don't you think that some way can be devised to show 

 your readers which way to turn. Testimonials are no good, 

 manufacturers' claims are no good and notices like yours of 

 are no good. How would it do to advocate 

 comparative tests by the experiment stations to be published 

 for the benefit of farmers? It seems to me that some such course 

 would surely get at bottom facts and these would be of as 

 much benefit to tillers of the soil as many of the feeding 

 tests; at any rate would it not be just the thing to include 

 such tests in the list of experiment station work? 



Very truly, 



J. W. TURNER. 



BUFFALO, WYO., Jan. 20, 1905. 

 EDITOR THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago. 111. 



Gentleim I have just received my first copy of your 

 paper, and am well pleased with its general appearance and 

 subject matter. But I am anxious and in a hurry for in- 

 formation regarding best method of flume construction for 

 large ditches or canals. Has iron taken the place of wood 

 to any extent for ditches carrying 1QO cubic feet per second 

 and upward? 



Being seventy-five miles from the railroad, iron would be hard 

 to get and expensive and we incline to favor construction 

 of wood, as lumber can be had on the ground for about 

 $25.00 per thousand. 



Our flumes must be eight to ten feet wide and three feet 

 deep. 



Would a floor built of 2x4 stuff on edge, with bearings 

 every four feet give the best satisfaction, or can you name 

 something which has been found more practical ? 



Our local engineer has not had extensive experience in 

 ditches of this size and is not qualified to advise us. 



If you have any back numbers of your magazine or books 

 on the subject which would aid us, please forward copy or 

 copies and I will promptly remit. Yours truly, 



E. D. METCALF. 



CHICAGO, ILL., Jan. 28, 1905. 

 MR. E. D. METCALF, Buffalo, Wyo. 



My Dear Sir In reply to yours- of the 20th inst., would 

 say that it is difficult to state what kind of a flume or other 

 conduit you should install when first cost and the cost of 

 maintenance are both taken into consideration. If you have 

 grade to spare, a pipe line would undoubtedly be the best 

 as a comparatively small pipe will carry a large volume of 

 water under such conditions. 



I doubt the advisability of your attempting steel construc- 

 tion under the circumstances. The same might be said of a 

 concrete-steel pipe line, since the cost of transportation of 

 cement and steel would be high. All these matters are worth 

 looking into, however, and an engineer, who can go on the 

 ground, determine the grades and prepare you accurate esti- 

 mates could save you much more money than his salary and 

 give you a structure that will be serviceable. 



A wooden flume is a temporary device and where lumber 

 is cheap may be the cheapest in first cost and maintenance. 

 The native pine should be seasoned thoroughly before it is 

 used. Flumes are liable to warp badly if the lumber is not 

 well seasoned. It is important to prevent leakage from a 

 flume where the ground is soft and to prevent this the entire 

 structure is often lined with tar paper, over which a layer 

 of inch planking is carefully laid. 



We feel that a competent engineer could study the situation 

 and save you much expense and future trouble. 



Yours respectfully, 



D. H. ANDERSON. 



PAYETTE, IDAHO, Jan. 20, 1905. 

 EDITOR IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 



Thousands of people will take advantage of the cheap 

 rates this year on account of the Exposition at Portland. 



Most of these people will be anxious to see something 

 more of the little State that has been awarded first prize 

 for the agricultural exhibit at the St. Louis Exposition than 

 can be observed in the fleeting glimpses of sequestered val- 

 leys while crossing the streams which traverse the sage brush 

 plains in their descent from the snow-capped mountains in 

 the distance to the great Snake River which spans the State 

 from east to west. 



Until a few years ago Idaho was considered only a 

 mountainous grazing country, but when the mountains were 

 found to be rich in gold and silver and other precious metals 

 and the sage brush desert was transformed by irrigation 

 into orchards which rivaled those of the older States, home- 

 seekers become home-builders and their efforts have cer- 

 tainly been richly rewarded. Three times in succession Idaho 

 received first prize for her apples at the World's Fairs and 

 for display of the greatest variety and most perfect fruit she 

 won the first prize at the Irrigation Congress in 1903, the 

 most complete exhibit coming from the celebrated Payette 

 Valley. This valley contains less than 100,000 acres of land 

 which can be irrigated from present canals and while there 

 are some larger irrigated districts in the State, none are more 

 fertile or attractive to the educated and thrifty farmer or fruit 

 grower who is seeking a mild climate where crops are prolific 

 and sure, water abundant and the modern conveniences of the 

 telephone and rural free delivery easily accessible. People 

 who are fleeing from the cramped" conditions that exist in 

 the Eastern States desire first of all to cast their lot among 

 a good class of people. 



The Payette Valley is settled with an educated, thrifty 

 class, mostly from the middle Western States and the results 

 of their labors during the past three years in developing 

 this land from its natural state into homes most beautiful 

 is certainly marvelous. 



Numberless thousands of streams of clear pure water 

 wending their way perpetually through orchards laden with 

 fruits and fields of golden grain and blooming alfalfa presents 

 a most enchanting scene and takes from life the monotony 

 usually attending the efforts of the farmers in the East. 



This valley offers superior school, church and social ad- 

 vantages to many of the older States, also health, home and 

 happiness with all the necessary comforts of life. 



PAYETTE. 



