362 IRRIGATION PRACTICE 



the water becomes so burdensome that much of the water 

 is often allowed to go to waste. The method of rotation, 

 on the other hand, develops a spirit of using water care- 

 fully, since the time during which it is available for the 

 farmer is relatively short and the work must be done at 

 that time or not at all until the next turn. The farmer 

 under the rotation method receives the water schedule 

 early in the spring, and knows in advance the dates on 

 which he will receive water. He may then plan much of 

 his work for summer, and because of this system can 

 make his days more pleasant and profitable. Perhaps the 

 greatest argument for the method of rotation is that 

 it gives the small farmer an equal chance with the large 

 farmer. Under the method of continuous flow the farmer 

 owning 10 acres would be obliged to spend as much, or 

 possibly more, time in irrigation as would the man who 

 owned 100 or more acres. Under the method of continuous 

 rotation, the small farmer works as hard as the large 

 farmer, during a time in proportion to the acreage that 

 he possesses. 



The application of the method of rotation is simple and 

 varies only slightly under varying conditions. In the 

 main canal, particularly if it is taken directly from the 

 river, water flows continuously; and the chief laterals 

 likewise carry continuous flows of water. The laterals are 

 divided and sub-divided into smaller streams, until the 

 quantity of water flowing continuously in each meets 

 the requirements of the area of land under the stream, in 

 accordance with the duty of water prevailing under the 

 system. Let it be assumed that the duty of water under a 

 canal system is 100 acres to the second-foot, during the 

 irrigation season, and that at each application a depth of 

 water not more than 4 inches should be applied. A certain 



