METHODS OF Al'IMAING WAT1IIJ. lol 



the laterals for the furrows just as well. A very good 

 arrangement of this sort is described in Figure 45. 



Preparation of Land. Little inequalities in the 

 surface of a field give the irrigator more trouble in the 

 flooding' system than do large hills. They are too small to 

 have any provision made for them except such as may 

 be extemporized with the shovel while the water is run- 

 ning. When the surface can all be brought to an even 

 grade, work is greatly lessened, water is economized and 

 the spotted appearance of the crop is avoided. Grading 

 fields on any large scale has hitherto been impracticable 

 because no machine was made specially adapted to it. 

 One now invented and manufactured by B. F. Shuart, 



of Oberlin, Ohio, 

 solves the problem. 

 A good idea of this 

 land levcler is 

 gained from Fig- 

 ure 46. 



Hesper Farm 

 near Billings, Mon- 

 *- tana, on which this 



FIG. 46. IMPROVED STEEL LAND GRADER. niacllinC WaS first 



put to service, was graded by it so perfectly that the 

 water when turned from the ditch spreads over the sur- 

 face by the mere force of gravity, with a uniformity of 

 effect which reduces the task of irrigation almost to rec- 

 reation. On this farm one man handles 250 inches of 

 water and has time to spare. Grading land practically 

 dispenses with the incessant and exhaustive use of the 

 shovel, incident to irrigating under ordinary conditions. 

 On a well-graded f arm w the irrigator in applying the 

 water has little need of his shovel, except for opening 

 and closing again the banks of the ditches where he 

 turns out the water. The even grade also makes it pos- 

 sible to run the water farther, and thus reduces the num- 



