THE HISTORY OF IRRIGATION 



447 



history. It is unquestioned that in Egypt and the Asiatic 

 countries the practice of irrigation goes back 2,000 years, 

 and it may be 4,000 years. 



On the American continent, also, the practice of irri- 

 gation goes back to immemorial times. At the time of 

 the Spanish Conquest, irrigation practice was found well 

 developed, and irrigation structures existed then which 

 dated back to the first traditions of the native population. 

 In Peru are remains of irrigation structures of undoubted 

 antiquity and of a quality comparable with the best of 



FIG. 169. The Boon. 



the present day. In Chile, similar remains are found. In 

 Argentina, there are remains of vast irrigation structures. 

 In fact, along the Atlantic and Pacific drainages of South 

 America, wherever the climate made it desirable, great 

 irrigation structures were built in a remote antiquity. 

 In some places stupendous irrigation canals may be 

 traced 400 to 500 miles long far beyond our modern 

 attempts. There is evidence to show, also, that on the 

 American continent refinements of irrigation were prac- 

 tised, superior to any others known. 



