IRRIGATION AND WATER STORAGE. 143 



States of the Union, with climate very much like that 

 of Australia, have advanced rapidly with irrigation. 

 Victoria, our neighbour, is also moving ahead, as are a 

 few enterprising men both in New South Wales and 

 Queensland. Irrigation is applied successfully for grain 

 crops, grass, orcharding. &c. The mechanical engineering 

 principles involved are not difficult to work out. The 

 papers and reports from officers in the Water Department 

 are helpful in that direction. From lake, river, or dam, 

 water is led in open ditches with a batter of about 45 

 degrees, where the fall does not exceed 6 feet per mile. 

 Where the fall is greater, or gullies, &c., have to be crossed, 

 flumes made V shape, and of timber, or close pipes of 

 wrought iron or steel (made up to 40 inches diameter) are 

 used. Ploughs and scoops are employed with good effect 

 in opening out the ditches. When the water is got to the 

 place where it is to be used, it is brought upon the land 

 with as little run or fall as possible, otherwise it would 

 quickly cut the land into gullies, wash away the soil, and be 

 worse than a dry spell. What is termed stepping is used 

 where steep land has to be crossed. The steps are made 

 by putting logs or boards across the ditch so as to raise 

 the water a foot or so. The water from each terrace flows 

 out from a bevelled notch in the centre of the log, which is 

 really a dam. Efficient levelling, when the water can be 

 run upon land, may be regulated by the water itself, 

 always being careful not to allow it to run too fast, nor cut 

 away the soil. In practice, it is found the best course to 

 saturate the soil say two, three, or more times during a 

 season, rather than to wet the surface oftener. For wheat 

 and other grains, two saturations are found ample to 

 secure crops ; once after the seed is in, and again 

 when the crop is in flower. But much depends upon the 

 soil and the season. There is no hard ami fast rule for 

 guidance. 



Water Storage In Australia, river and creek beds 

 offer inducements for storing water. Where the fall of the 

 land is 1 foot in 50, or less, immense bodies of water may 

 be impounded by laying logs across, or l>y " stepping. ' 

 Heavier works are formed by earth, having an inside wall 



