1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



551 



it has been necessary to enforce rules 

 very strictly, except in the later sum- 

 mer weeks each year, when the river 

 falls and when the "ditch rider" must 

 pro-rate the water among the buyers. 

 In this case, if a man orders into his 

 laterals on a certain day, say forty 

 inches of water, which is measured by 

 a lateral gate twenty inches wide, with 

 a gate lifted two inches, and with a 

 head of four inches, he does not get 

 that amount, but perhaps only eight- 



rate the water and at a time when he 

 has the least amount available. 



Ordinarily, under irrigation, the 

 fields are given two good soakings as 

 early as possible and one later on. 

 This applies particularly to alfalfa. A 

 field is flooded as carefully as possible, 

 and consequently flat-lying land is 

 much more easily handled, for, with 

 small dykes and intersecting ditches, 

 the water can be spread evenly. But 

 on sloping land the low-lying places 



A Wheat Crop of Fifty Bushels to the Acre 



tenths, or thirty-two inches, in which 

 case he must lower his gate to get his 

 lawful share. Also, he cannot take it 

 at any time he wishes, but he must 

 consult the 'ditch-rider," who allots to 

 him his time for drawing off water. 

 In this way, all are treated fairly, and 

 this is the most difficult task for the 

 "rider," because, in addition to riding 

 along the full length of the ditch every 

 day to examine it, he must figure out 

 very clearly just how he must pro- 



always get more than their share, and 

 there is a tendency for the water to 

 wash out the soil as it seeks the kmrr 

 level. A ridge in a field is a farmer's 

 problem and it gives him no end of 

 trouble until he simply cuts it away. 



In the North Platte valley, as in 

 nearly all irrigation regions, tin-re are 

 two systems of irrigation that is, as 

 to the business organi/ation. These 

 are the corporation or company sys 

 and the district system. As this is 



