266 Cooperation in Agriculture 



provide funds for expenses. Some secure all money by 

 stock assessments; others by a charge for the water de- 

 livered. The most satisfactory plan is to assess the stock 

 for maintenance and permanent improvements and to 

 have a water charge to meet operating expenses. Since 

 betterments to the property enhance the value of the stock, 

 the shares should be the basis of payment for such work. 

 Operating expenses should be distributed among members 

 according to the service rendered each, for water is not 

 always used in proportion to the number of shares held 

 by each. 



"Most mutual companies deliver water to stockholders 

 only, but some deliver to non-members when service to 

 members is not interfered with. The water charge to 

 non-members is at a higher rate, especially where the 

 company's stock is assessed. The unit of measurement 

 and of the charge in the orchard districts is the miner's 

 inch per hour. Charges to mutual company members 

 vary from one-half cent per hour inch for gravity water 

 to three cents per hour inch for water pumped with a high 

 lift. The cost of water per acre for citrus orchards varies 

 from $5 to $20 per year except in extreme cases. The 

 higher figure is representative where interest and prin- 

 cipal is being paid on bonded indebtedness, and the lower 

 figure, where there is no indebtedness, and gravity water. 

 The Imperial Valley mutual companies use the acre foot 

 as the unit of quantity and the cubic foot per second as 

 the unit of measurement of flowing water. The water 

 rental is 50 cents per acre foot, while the stock assessments 

 amount to $1 to $1.50 per acre annually. Alfalfa in 

 this valley requires from three to three and one-half acre 



