METHOD OF IRRIGATION 



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made in the lower levee over which the excess of water 

 passes into the next lower check. 



The check method of irrigation has some advantages. 

 Once the checks or the levees have been well constructed, 

 one man may irrigate 7 to 15 acres a day. The cost of 

 preparing the land for irrigation, after the first year, 

 when the levees are made, is very small. The quantity 

 of water applied can be very accurately gauged and 

 evenly distributed by this method. For crops such as rice, 

 which demand that the soil be kept moist or even sub- 

 merged for long periods throughout the year, the check 

 method of irrigation is indispensable. Such crops are few, 

 and the check method is, in fact, used more extensively 



Fio. 44. Contour check method of irrigation. 



for other crops. The check method of irrigation also has 

 many disadvantages. The levees cost from $7 to $20 an 

 acre, under American conditions, where the compartments 

 are large. The cultural operations of the farm are delayed 

 and the machinery damaged by passing back and forth 

 over the high levees. In any case, they are in the way 



