342 IRRIGATION PRACTICE 



southern Europe, for, without irrigation, some of the most 

 fertile sections of southern Europe would be of mediocre 

 producing power. 



The duty of water under European canals does not 

 differ greatly from that observed under canals of other 

 countries. In France, the duty has been found to vary from 

 about 40 to nearly 200 acres to the second-foot of water. 

 The lower duty of water prevails where water meadows 

 are maintained, which are not a true form of irrigation 

 agriculture. Under the carefully managed canals of 

 France the duty ranges from 100 to nearly 200 acres to the 

 second-foot of water. In Italy, the duty of water varies 

 from about 40 to 100 or more acres per second-foot, and 

 occasionally reaches 300 acres where Indian corn and 

 similar crops are raised. In Spain, where economy in the 

 use of water has been carried to a high degree, an average 

 duty, under twenty canals, was found to be 172 acres to 

 the second-foot of water. As an average of one series of 

 measurements under the chief canals of France, Italy and 

 Spain, 1 second-foot of water serves 239 acres of the stand- 

 ard crops of those countries. Generally speaking, there- 

 fore, the duty of water in southern Europe is somewhat 

 higher than in Egypt, India or the United States. 



203. Duty of water in South America. Few data 

 exist concerning the duty of irrigation water in South 

 America. In prehistoric times, large irrigation projects 

 existed in South America, the remains of which give 

 testimony of the excellence of South American irrigation 

 in earlier days. In northern Peru, which is practically 

 rainless, it is reported that the duty of water is 160 acres 

 to the second-foot of water; and in northern Chili, which 

 is also practically rainless, the duty is about 190 acres to 

 the second-foot of water. These figures are averages, for 



